Aviation Whitepapers

Whitepapers with a special relevance to those with an interest in the Aviation industry together with those of a more general relevance to aviation solutions.

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An introduction to AMHS Security
AMHS is being deployed worldwide to support ground to ground communication such as flight plan distribution, and is replacing the older AFTN service. This paper describes the security features of AMHS, the benefits they provide, and how these services can be deployed.
(6th Feb 2008)

M-Switch X.400 Benchmarks
This paper gives performance benchmarks for Isode's M-Switch X.400, a high-performance X.400 Message Transfer Agent. M-Switch X.400 is deployed by Isode customers in a number of solutions areas and these benchmarks re-enforce our belief that M-Switch X.400 is substantially faster than any other X.400 MTA.
(20th Nov 2007)

Integrated AMHS and AFTN Management
This white paper looks at Integrated versus Component Management of AFTN and AMHS Systems for Aviation messaging. It looks at the differences between these approaches and the benefits of each. A summary is given of the Isode product capabilities to support integrated management, and integrated AMHS & AFTN Management (in the shape of the AIDA-NG product from Isode partner Comsoft) is described.
(26th July 2007)

Why use a P7 Message Store? Getting X.400 messages to and from end-users
The goal of this paper is to give an understanding of what an X.400 Message Store, such as Isode’s M-Store X.400 does, and where and how it should be used. In order to do this, the paper looks at general requirements for sending and receiving (X.400) messages, and looks at various approaches that can be taken.
(19th June 2007)

M-Store X.400 Benchmarks
This paper provides performance benchmarks for Isode's M-Store X.400 product (R14) in a number of common usage scenarios including core P3 and P7 operations, throughput tests and handling of large messages.
(31st May 2007)

Sending FLASH Messages Quickly: Techniques for Low Latency Message Switching and Precedence Handling
Military Messaging systems, and other messaging systems with time critical operational requirements such as Aviation (AMHS), require that high precedence messages are submitted, transferred and delivered very quickly. In this paper we look at how messages can be handled to achieve message switching times of a few hundred milli-seconds, for both low and high volumes of traffic. The importance of Permanent Associations as a way of avoiding delays in opening a connection is described and consideration is given to Precedence Handling, describing techniques that ensure high precedence traffic gets optimum (low) latency.
(9th May 2007)

Why X.400 is good for high reliability messaging
X.400 was specified in the 1980s, with the expectation that it would be the universal standard for email. While this did not happen, X.400 is still used for many applications, particularly where high reliability is required. This paper summarizes the key features of X.400 that make it good for applications needing high reliability, with particular focus on capabilities not available with Internet email.
(11th May 2006)

How AMHS users benefit from directory
This paper looks at how an AMHS end application, such as an AMHS Terminal sending and receiving flight plans, will utilize and benefit from the directory. This paper assumes a very basic understanding of AMHS and ATN Directory. For those unfamiliar with AMHS and ATN directory, a simple introduction is given in the Isode introduction to the Aviation industry. A simple explanation of the nature of the ATN Directory and its deployment in support of AMHS is given in the Isode White Paper Deploying the ATN Directory with AMHS: What you can do now.
(21st March 2006)

AMHS Security
The Aeronautical Traffic Services (ATS) Message Handling Service (ATSMHS) defines a set of security services for use as part of the Extended ATS Message Service for providing that ATS Message Handling System (AMHS). This White Paper describes these security services, how they are provided and how they can be deployed. The paper concludes that AMHS Security is needed now, and should be pursued urgently as a part of AMHS deployment.
(3rd Feb 2006)

Deploying ATN Directory with AMHS: What you can do now
Much discussion on ATN Directory has set out a big vision as to how directories can interconnect globally and solve a wide range of problems. This paper gives a much more pragmatic and short term view and looks at what products and systems can be deployed today.
(6th Sept 2005)

Providing Reliable Message Transport using X.400
For many commercial and personal applications, Internet mail is sufficiently reliable to be trusted and treated as if it were 100% reliable. For some applications, such as aviation, military, and key government communications this is not good enough. This paper looks at what is needed to provide highly reliable message transport: reliably taking a message from its originator and delivering to the recipient(s).
(8th Feb 2005)

Delivering the ATS Message Service to the End User using AMHS
AMHS (Air Traffic Services (ATS) Message Handling Services), as specified in the ICAO ATN (Aeronautical Telecommunications Network) SARPs, is the new standard for ground to ground messaging communications. The "ATS Message Service" is the end to end message service that AMHS provides. AMHS specifies the service, and the underlying infrastructure that is used in order to provide this service. To build a complete system, the ATS Message Service needs to be provided to end users, sitting at terminals. This paper looks at various approaches to doing this.
(14th Dec 2004)

Addressing in AMHS: Building a solution that works for the end-user
AMHS provides a complex addressing scheme, which is used in conjunction with the ATN Directory. Users need to address messages, and the complexity of the AMHS addressing has potential to make this difficult. This whitepaper explains how AMHS and the ATN Directory can be used together to provide a simple and effective user experience.
(14th Sept 2004)

Building a Highly Replicated Directory: The case for X.500 DISP
This whitepaper looks at issues related to replication, when building a highly distributed and replicated directory. It argues that X.500 DISP (Directory Information Shadowing Protocol) is the best solution to this problem. This paper looks particularly at military directory, which has strong requirements for highly replicated directory. The paper is also applicable to other environments.
(14th Sept 2004)

ATN Directory Vision: An Infrastructure for Supporting AMHS and Ground to Ground Communication
This paper sets out the benefits of using an ATN Directory in support of AMHS (Air Traffic Services (ATS) Message Handling Services) and ground to ground messaging communication, and explains how this directory could be deployed in conjunction with AMHS.

General

SNMP and Isode Servers
This white paper looks at the role of SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) in managing systems using Isode messaging and directory servers. It explains why SNMP support is provided, the sub-agent architecture used by Isode products, and approaches to deploying SNMP monitoring.
(29th April 2007)

Web Interfaces to the Directory
Isode provides a number of Web UIs that interact with its M-Vault directory servers, in support of both messaging and directory deployments. Two new UIs have been added as a part of our R14 release. The first goal of this paper is to give a description of the Isode UIs, which have been driven by Isode's Internet messaging product set. The two new UIs are currently a part of Internet Messaging management, but will change to become general purpose directory UIs. A second goal of this paper is to solicit input from Isode directory customers as to requirements that may be addressed by these new products.
20th April 2007)

Offline Editing, Testing and Version Management of Messaging Configurations
Isode's messaging configuration is held in the directory, providing a number of benefits, including client/server GUI management of configuration and the ability to share configuration data between multiple servers. This paper explains how this core architecture, as well as providing a means of editing and manaing a live configuration, is extended to support offline configuration development and review, configuration testing and configuration version management.
(1st Dec 2006)

Operational Monitoring and Control of Systems using Isode Servers
Isode server products are deployed in a wide variety of situations, and usually there is a high service reliance placed on them. Isode’s approach to server design and management is that the products are building blocks, with maximum use of open standard protocols for interconnection. Management is almost entirely client/server. This combination of building block + client/server means that the approach to operational management needs to be considered as part of the overall system design. This paper explains the approach Isode has taken and the options provided, that can be used to build an operational system.
(1st March 2006)

Using Active Directory as part of a distributed directory
There are many situations that require large distributed directories using LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) and/or X.500, such as Government, Military and Aviation. Organizations building these distributed directories will often be making use of Microsoft Active Directory (AD). AD provides a number of key functions in a Microsoft server network, which impact its use as part of a distributed directory. This paper explains these issues, and then looks at three different approaches to using AD in the context of a distributed directory.
(5th July 2005)