Using a redundant Wi-Fi network as an emergency detour route to proactively reduce disaster risk in Wakkanai, Hokkaido

Networks must be safeguarded against disasters. From the network-management viewpoint, safeguards should be considered during the network design phase. In this study, we surveyed the potential for establishing redundant Wi-Fi networks in schools in the Soya region of Hokkaido, to proactively create a bypass network that can be used if a natural disaster occurs. During emergency situations such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and floods, traditional disaster response may not be able to provide adequate communication services to emergency-management teams. We conducted a medium-scale trace-driven study of redundant networks to determine how to decrease disaster risk. We set up wireless nodes at four network locations of different sizes, including the access link between the Wakkanai city office and Wakkanai Hokusei Gakuen University networks. By proactively establishing a redundant wireless network as a detour emergency route using our approach, an organization can reduce disaster risk without consuming much time during disasters.