Enabling secure private communications for Bord Gáis Networks

The Challenge:

In response to changes in the regulatory environment, which provided for the opening of the energy markets in Ireland, Bord Gáis Networks facilitated full market opening on July 1st 2007 enabling over 500,000 domestic customers to be able to choose their natural gas supplier.  This was in addition to the
Industrial and commercial customers who became eligible to choose their natural gas supplier in July 2004.

The Electronic Requirement:

Providing gateways to the physical network was mirrored in the technical environment with significant challenges to permit electronic access for Gas Suppliers to the Bord Gáis computer networks.  Security for this access was considered paramount by Bord Gáis.  Public key infrastructure (PKI) was the logical means to achieve this security.

The Solution:

Post.Trust, as the premier provider of PKI technologies in Ireland, was chosen by Bord Gáis to provide SSL and Client certificates in May 2007 to enable secure private communication of both XML based messaging and real time information between supplier computer networks and the Bord Gáis computer network.

The project to provide this service was completed within budget and on-time. Post.Trust provided certificate generation, testing and modification services as well as certificate policy documents and project management.

Summary For Case Studies homepage:

Post.Trust, as the premier provider of PKI technologies in Ireland, was chosen by Bord Gáis to enable secure private communication and real time information between supplier computer networks and the Bord Gáis computer network.