Security is one of the topics that always remains popular among authors and readers alike. Security is vital not just to your networked embedded systems, but also to your homes and businesses. With security—albeit of a different nature—at the forefront of the news in correlation with the presidential election this month, it seems apropos that we would feature this topic in this month’s Internet & Connectivity issue.

To get you started, we have ²Network Security for Small Systems,² by Jan Axelson (p. 62). Security is a chief concern when you decide to hook up your system to the Internet. You worry about exposing your system to potential threats. This article will interest anyone who has a small embedded system with a network connection. Everything from firewalls to encryption is discussed. Jan’s thorough analysis of security measures will arm you with the knowledge you need to protect your data and code.

This month, we’re also featuring a home security application that won’t exceed your budget. Eric Gagnon designed a highly sophisticated surveillance system for only a few hundred dollars (p. 16). Instead of building a typical system with cameras and a VCR, he decided to build his own Ethernet-enabled, four-channel network video server and couple it with common NTSC cameras. The result is a high-tech solution without the expense of a commercial video server. External clients are allowed only TFTP write access, which helps protect the system from other people on the local network.

Securing your system can be the most important aspect of any design. These articles provide a solid basis for understanding the various methods of protection. In addition to these practical security-related articles, I want to mention a couple of the other notable articles that are in this issue. For those of you interested in Ethernet projects, we also have an impressive combination of a high-speed Ethernet and an embedded system. Using an FPGA, Eddie Insam harnessed the power of a 100-Mbps Ethernet at full speed (p. 44). The system is built around an Altera ACEX EP1K50 chip. It is ideal for collecting data from a CCD camera or high-speed data converter. Eddie’s step-by-step article tells you everything you need to know to optimize Ethernet for your next embedded system.

Ingo Cyliax is back this month with an interesting project that’s designed to help you determine where to install solar panels (p. 24). If you’re thinking about using solar power for your home, you’ll want to know exactly how much sunlight exposure your home gets. This Rabbit Semiconductor RCM3400-based logger generates the data you need to know to design the most effective and efficient solar energy system. The Sunlogger itself is solar-powered, eliminating the need for an external power supply and cables. By using Wi-Fi, Ingo also eliminated the hassle of having to retrieve the Sunlogger to collect its data, which is especially beneficial if the logger is placed somewhere difficult to access, like a roof. Ingo also uses the Sunlogger to monitor the efficiency of his main solar collectors.

And there’s more. This issue is jam-packed with projects that should keep you busy for a while. Enjoy!

jennifer.huber@circuitcellar.com