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Top2. Critical Infrastructures: A Systems Environment
The dominate architecture of distributed infrastructure network systems is typically spanning long distances in the provision of infrastructure services from increasingly centralised production modes (Zimmerman, 2004) and be it direct connectivity, policies and procedures or geographic proximity, most critical infrastructure systems interact. The ability to do this is a result of the complex dependency relationships and interdependency relationships that cut across infrastructure boundaries (Pederson et al., 2006).
Furthermore, the concept of critical infrastructure connection is important to a wide range of social, economic and political issues depending on the potential implications and state of these reciprocal connections. In this context, the beneficial influences of two or more interconnected entities is the exchange of ideas, information, currency and other valuable goods and services that are for mutual benefit (Murray & Grubesic, 2007).
However, typically these infrastructures operate in a physical environment that is reflective not only of the individual inputs, outputs and states, but also influenced by other infrastructure behaviours and characteristics. Add to this the context in which owners and operators are pushing their own goals and objectives, constructing value systems for defining and viewing their businesses, analysing and developing models of their operation, and making decisions that impinge upon infrastructure architectures and operations. Even the operational state and physical condition of infrastructures influence the environment that in turn influences stress and demand on individual infrastructures; in these terms the environment and the infrastructure systems are interdependently linked (Brown et al., 2004; Peters et al., 2008; Rinaldi et al., 2001).