Environmental Monitoring Supported by the Regional Network Infrastructures

The aim of this chapter is the presentation of studies and research results concerning environmental monitoring techniques promoted by Lepida SpA across a wide area, the Italian Emilia-Romagna Region. Lepida SpA Lepida SpA (2011) is an in house providing company established by a Regional Law (11/2004, “Regional Development of the Information Society”) of Emilia-Romagna region, which consolidates a common vision and a collaborative approach with the local Public Administrations. Lepida SpA was created in the end of 2007 by the Emilia-Romagna Regional Government, as unique shareholder and founder. Currently has 395 Public Administrations and Public Entities as shareholders. Lepida SpA is involved in the governance of the Regional ICT Plan which defines the regional ICT strategies and policies within the regional territory, acting as innovation facilitator among its partners. The core business of Lepida SpA is represented by the regional ICT infrastructure but its operations range between telecommunication networks, digital divide and broadband networks strategies and ICT applications and services. Among the main activities and experiences pursued by Lepida SpA we can mention: the planning, development, management and monitoring of the telecommunications networks (fixed and mobile) of the P.A., including the deployment of new broadband networks (wired and wireless) within the region; the definition and implementation of suitable solutions for the Digital Divide topics and for the Next Generation Access Networks in order to ensure high speed internet for the citizens and businesses; the realization of ICT platforms and services for the Public Adminitrations (federation of authentication, payments, ..) that enable a large number of on-line services in favor of citizens and Enterprises; the realization of on-line services for e-Governement purposes and interaction between the P.A. and the Enterprises and citizens. The infrastructure provided by Lepida and owned by the Public Administrations partners of Lepida spA, is an heterogeneous interconnected network covering the whole regional territory (more than twentytwo thousand square kilometers of area). It includes a regional area network (Optical Fiber) called Lepida, wireless networks (Hyperlan) that are extensions of Lepida which allow to solve Digital Divide in some mountain territories, and a regional emergency digital radio network (TETRA) called ERretre. A map of the Optical Fiber and Hiperlan link is illustrated in Figure 1. 22