OSREN-MAREN PROJECT Final Presentation Communication Systems Design, Summer 2008 October 27, 2008

2 Presentation Outline  Project Background  Achievements  Link Layer Solution  Open Source Routing  Network Design  Network Management and Services  Project Goals  Summary and Recommendations

Project Background

4 MAREN  Malawi Research and Education Network  Incubated by MALICO  Led by MAREN Task force  Excellent Internet connectivity to tertiary educaiton

Link Layer Solution

6 Location Blantyre Lilongwe 119 KM

7 Transmission System  Simple architecture  2.5 GE  Management  Modular  Low cost 2.5GE Optical 1 GE electrical Management Console

8 Components Used-End Stations

9 Components Used- Intermediate stations

Open Source Routing

11 Open Source Routing  Primary objective  Low cost network components  Proprietary options  Cisco  Juniper  Huawei  Open source router

12 Open Source Routing  Bifrost  Can support 10 GE fiber link  Optimized Linux distribution  Comparison with proprietary equipment  Fiber module  Upgrading  Challenges in using in Africa  Our approach  Manuals of Bifrost  Basic troubleshooting guidelines

Network Design

14 Network Design – MAREN  Migration from existing VSAT islands

15 Network Design – MAREN

16 Network Design – MAREN  Secure  Redundant  Reliable

Network Management and Services

18 OSREN Platform PC Hardware Platform Linux (Kernel 2.6) Monitoring MRTG weathermap Nagios SecurityTicketing Web Caching www Databases DNS FTP VoIP Services IPTables snort Traffic Shaping SpamAssassin ClamAV

19 Staffing Guidelines NOC Manager Hardware Expert Software Expert Security Expert Networking Expert

Project Goals

21 Goals  Primary goals  Provide a link layer solution.  Propose a network topology.  Present a framework for the creation of a Network Operations Centre (NOC).  Develop services platform.

22 Goals  Secondary goals  Paper to the Open Access Conference.  Improving VoIP service.  Develop a Link Management Information System (LMIS).  Create a template for creating other NRENs in Africa.  Develop a Sustainability Plan and possibly a Business Plan for MAREN.

Summary and Recommendations

24 Summary  Deploying BiFrost in the solution  Capacity to join Ubuntu Net Alliance  We achieved more reliability and quality for a cheaper price

25 Recommendations  Educational applications  High definition video conferencing  Local servers due to good bandwidth  Challenges with working on a remote project

Website: ww.tslab.ssvl.kth.se/csd/projects/ /

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