HEAnet Major Developments Update 10 th Nov 2005 John Boland, Chief Executive

Topics Schools Networking ITnet & HEAnet Integration Research Developments & Requirements National Infrastructure Plans & Progress International Developments

Supporting school-leavers…

ITnet / HEAnet Integration HEAnet and ITnet have been requested by HEA/DES to manage the transfer of primary data connections of the 13 Institutes of Technology (IoTs) from ITnet to HEAnet We worked with ITnet to define the IoTs’ technical requirements and to investigate how HEAnet can meet these Full consultation with ITnet stakeholders throughout the project

ITnet / HEAnet Integration: Scope Services –Connectivity (National / International) –An Chéim –Transit to the general/commodity Internet –Business centres commodity Internet access –Outreach centre connectivity –Virtual Private networks (including e-Government) –Client equipment, Host based services, Resilience, Operations Phased Approach - “ no big bang ! ”

ITnet / HEAnet Integration Will Enable HEAnet to deploy the full range of its services: –High capacity dedicated network –Direct connection to the national backbone –Advanced network services very large packets, IP Multicast, IPv6 … –Ability to take full part in GEANT2 –Full range of HEAnet’s pro-active network management services Deliver some major service enhancements for university and other clients also

ITnet / HEAnet Integration Implementation TeamMartin McCarrick – ITnet Brian Boyle – HEAnet Owen Byrne – HEAnet Project ManagerJohn Boland Steering Committee DES HEA CoD IoTs IUA (CHIU) DIT Ian McKenna Mary Kerr Brendan Murphy, Tim Creedon Michael Nowlan, Brendan Tolan David Scott

Phase 1: Key Deliverables It has been decided to integrate ITnet connectivity on a phased basis. The three key deliverables agreed for Phase 1 are: 1.Pilot connections for three IoTs to HEAnet’s backbone 2.Install and test a connection to the An Chéim service at HP 3.Investigate the provision of separate commodity internet access Technical solution utilising Point-to-Point circuits (Ethernet) over National Backbone can meet the requirements

Deliverable No. 1: 3 IoT Connections 3 pilot IoTs have been identified to begin the connectivity phase: Waterford IT Limerick IT Blanchardstown IT Progress: Detailed technical implementation, equipment spec. and configuration. Proof of concept completed in test lab LIT 3 weeks WIT: 5 weeks IT Blanchardstown : 7-9 weeks Aim to Meet with IoT CSMs in early 2006

Deliverable No. 2: Connection to An Chéim An Chéim hosted by HP in Citywest with Hotstandby service located at Schlumberger in Santry It is proposed to interconnect HEAnet’s PoP in Citywest with the HP data centre Expected lead-time: 4 weeks Progress Dark fibre quotes received for connection between HEAnet’s PoP in ESAT- X and An Chéim Implementation and connectivity discussions between HEAnet, ITnet and An Chéim on-going

Deliverable No. 3: Commodity Internet Access Investigate establishing a separate connection to the e-Gov. VPN Packet Exchange service Progress Discussions with PE re fulfilling ITnet criteria An Interesting Development for the university community ?

Technical Implementation Diagrams for Pilot Phase

Background to developments on the National Backbone The National Backbone Extension

User Profile of Bandwidth Use

Launch of Cosmogrid Cluster February 2005, UCD –Launch of “ROWAN” –Opened by the Minister for Education and Science –220-processor cluster –Already engaged in major scientific tasks –Joins clusters at other Cosmogrid sites Mary Hanafin, TD

Key Strategic Issues Ensure that the NREN develops the vital infrastructure to support world- class research activities in Ireland Attracting inward investment/EC framework funding through pan-European networking involvement Heavy leverage of Irish Broadband rollout and optical networking to provide capacity and connectivity needed to support world-class research and students in the future Supporting Virtual Learning Environments and online resources for education and research Drive the national objective to develop, promote and adopt IPv6 Contribute to collaboration between tertiary sector and industrial research to ensure Ireland moves up the value chain

Major projects – deliverables/impacts HEAnet must enable secure and high-speed bandwidth for PRTLI and SFI funded inter-institution and international research activities including –CosmoGRID, Grid Ireland –Hamilton, Conway & Tyndall Institutes –DERI,CNRI –Interaction Design Centre, Marine Research Institute –National Centre for High-End Computing (ICHEC) –TSSG (WIT), RINCE (DCU) –The Boole Centre (UCC) and TCHPC (TCD) and other PRTLI and SFI funded activities. This model also supports connections to university teaching hospitals, And SFI and HEA funded database resources, e.g. IREL libraries project

National Backbone Extension Cont’d As well as serving member institutions and their communities of staff, students and researchers generally, HEAnet provides direct support for research projects and institutions which operate within and between the formal institutions. Phase 1 funding (start-up) secured by HEA: €1.9m Building on previous NB investment – PoPs, equipment, infrastructure Consultation/surveys determined priorities Backbone elements to put in place Client/Institution connections prioritised Phase 2 – end of 2005/early 2006 Phase 3 - IP Network Redesign & Upgrade 2006/2007

National Backbone Extension (NBE) Capacity Testing on combo of 3750 & 7600 Cisco routers –VLAN and EoMPLS services to implement Point-to-point links Fibre Contracts –ESB Telecom – national ring (1300 Km) –e-net - MANs management entity (Galway, Lim, Athlone, Letterkenny..) –Dublin City Council – extensive Dublin fibre reach –Tender underway for various elements (Gtr. Dublin, NUI-M, …) Outsourcing of Lower Layer Management - Tender –Plan for 24/7 support with escalation to HEAnet NOC for IP

HEAnet Fibre Planning (Dublin) – 2005/2006

DWDM National Backbone – 10Gbps (X4) Core Distribution Ring in every city - 10Gbps Metropolitan Area Networks – multiple 1Gbps connections

The Challenge … HEAnet and its clients must build and manage a national fibre-optic backbone network connecting higher education and research institutions Interconnect seamlessly internationally Path-Resilient Gbps Connections to every university and institute of technology in 2006