HEAnet Major Developments Update
10th 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 Team Martin McCarrick – ITnet
Brian Boyle – HEAnet
Owen Byrne – HEAnet
Project Manager John 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 backbone2. Install and test a connection to the An Chéim service at HP3. 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
CPE
PE
7606
3750
CE
802.1q Trunk port
Trunking
HEAnet MPLS network
802.1q Trunk port 802.1q Trunk port
Waterford ITEthernet Relay Service
CPE
3750
CE802.1q Trunk port
An Cheim
802.1q tags
HEAnet IP network
Access Router
An Cheim Vlan
Commodity Vlan
HEAnet Vlan
Requirements:
Head-End (PE) equipment in WITCPE equipment in WITFibre connection from WIT to ESBT PoPFibre connection from An Cheim to Citywest PoPCPE equipment in An CheimCommodity IP Transit link to Kilcarbery Pop
3750Stack
PE
7606
3750Stack
WIT PoP
Kilcarbery Park
LSPs, “pseudowires”
CommodityIP TransitProvider
PE
7606
3750Stack
Citywest
Options:
2nd Vlan to HEAnet IP network terminating in Dublin (optionally present on a different physical interface on CPE)
Future 2nd Vlan to An Cheim back-up facility in Schlumberge
Background to developments on the National Backbone
The National Backbone Extension
Bandwidth
BA
C
Users
2Mbit/s Gigabit
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
St. James
DigitalDepot
MLE
DITGrangegorman
WoodQuay
Bolton St
DITAungier St
UCD EarlsfortTerrace
MaterHospital St. Pat’s
MaterDei
RTE
UCD
FostersPlaceBeaumont
D’Olier St EnterpriseCentre
RCSI
St.Vincent’s
TallaghtHospital IT Tallaght
Carrickmines
Finglas
CrumlinHospital
Site complete
Site in progress
Site planned
Number of circlesindicates number of
diverse physical routes
ESBT fibre
Still in discussion DCC fibre
Provider not yet known
TCD
DIASFenian St
Kildare House
RIA
DCC fibre planned
DCU
Brooklawn House
Kilcarbery Park
Citywest
Carysfort
ICHEC
HEAnet Dublin fibre planning 2005/2006
Tony RyanAcademy
NCI
DundalkCarrick-on-Shannon
Galway
Drumline
Killonan
Stradbally/Portlaoise
Kilbarry Waterford
E-net fibre
NUI Galway
UL
UCC
Letterkenny
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