How the network keeps pace with the Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon requires a high-connectivity, high-redundancy and high-resiliency network. Learn more about the network that keeps the marathon connected.
The Boston Marathon on April 20 covers 26.2 miles across eight cities and towns in Massachusetts. While the world focuses on the runners, what about the network that keeps everything on track from start to finish?
For the 10-person networking team from Tusker, the IT services company that has been setting up and running this "pop-up network city" for 30 years, its marathon starts 10 days before the runners line up. Tusker's team installs network switches, wireless access points and other equipment throughout the course, including the finish line, medical tents, Fan Fest at City Hall Plaza and the Expo held at the Hynes Convention Center.
"It's the most amount of work we do to build an enterprise network that is up and running for the shortest amount of time," Kevin Meany, CTO of networking technology & solutions at Tusker, told Informa TechTarget.
The network is fully operational for about three days before Tusker breaks it all down. Even though this network is temporary, it must be strong.
"Any problems [at the] Boston Marathon, that could be national news. So, we want to make sure that everything is working perfectly," said Matt Barry, CIO practice lead at BostonCIO and technology consultant for the Boston Athletic Association (BAA), which organizes the event.
The Boston Marathon is not just a test of endurance for runners but also a showcase of networking performance under pressure. Read about how advanced technology, from RFID tags to cloud computing, transforms the marathon experience for participants, spectators and organizers.
Better IT infrastructure creates a better user experience
While the course hasn't changed much in 130 years, technology certainly has. Organizers recognize IT investments as enabling a better experience for runners and spectators, as well as for the team managing all that data.
One important piece of wireless technology at the race is the RFID tags, which provide accurate timekeeping and real-time tracking of the 30,000 participants. This tech first entered the race in 1996, when RFID tags were attached to runners' shoelaces, marking the first major U.S. marathon to use them. In 2011, the BAA moved the tags' location to the runners' bibs.
Kevin Meany
"Today, people have a much better idea of where their runners are on the course, which I think we take for granted a little bit now. Back in the day ... when they had problems on the course, and the communications weren't there at the time, it was nerve-racking for people," Meany said.
As runners cross strategically placed timing mats along the race route, the mats read their RFID tags to record the unique runner ID and time. All this data gets sent to the race command center swiftly to deliver a real-time experience for spectators.
In years past, server processing was done locally, and Tusker had to bring racks of gear to the command center. All the data was fed directly to the network team in the race command center through hard lines or other means. Meany joked: "You couldn't hear yourself in that room for years -- the time [keepers] used to complain about it." Now he has a few mini servers in the room that provide some networking services, while cloud infrastructure supports part of the operation.
"A lot of this data is all in the cloud now," Meany said, praising the freedom and flexibility that networking technology now provides. "We went from having it all on-site to then having dedicated lines to a data center that was located outside the city. [Now] we are leveraging different cloud technologies."
Downtime prevention with monitoring and redundancy
The marathon demands high connectivity. Millions of transactions must run through the network, according to Barry, the BAA's technology consultant. Data is transmitted across the whole course. Coordinating all those connectivity points, whether hard line, fiber or wireless, is no easy task.
In addition to high connectivity, high redundancy and high resiliency are also key -- the whole world is watching. Even though it is a temporary network, the Boston Marathon's setup must be as dependable as any enterprise network. Network monitoring tools help keep everything moving at a smooth pace. These tools can alert the network team if there is an equipment failure or if performance is lagging and it requires attention.
You don't really have a second chance. And downtime isn't an option.
Kevin MeanyCTO of networking technology and solutions at Tusker
Much like a critical manufacturing plant or a financial trading floor, the Boston Marathon relies on multiple fiber bandwidth providers, using the most diverse paths possible, within physical limitations. To ensure backup paths and failovers, the team uses a mix of Layer 3 and Layer 2 networking technologies, Meany said.
Specifically, the marathon uses two separate providers for connectivity. One is dedicated to the operations center, and the other is dedicated to the finish line area. If needed, they switch providers to ensure connectivity.
"You don't really have a second chance. And downtime isn't an option," Meany said.
Networking out in the open
Many things can go wrong during a race, and planning is key. Some fixes are as simple as running timing mats off battery-powered mobile carrier routers if there is a power or wire issue. Others are more involved, specifically around the finish line, where demand for connectivity is greatest, according to Barry. After the bombing in 2013, organizers developed a plan for a backup finish line, which demands the same level of connectivity as the original. Thankfully, they haven't had to put it into action.
Matt Barry
The networking infrastructure in Boston is partly invisible, with RFID tags hidden behind bibs and devices shielded by signage. But it can also be very visible, with cables across the tops of light poles or down the sides of buildings, installed with boom lifts and snorkel trucks. And the marathon puts a lot of strain on these devices, some of which are reused every year and subjected to harsh conditions. It's different from a normal data center, which is housed in a facility with advanced cooling systems.
"Pretty is not always the best thing in the world," said Barry. "You just need to make sure that it works."
Kathleen Casey is the site editor for SearchCloudComputing. She plans and oversees the site, and covers various cloud subjects including infrastructure management, development and security.
Kevin Meany
Matt Barry
