Very high speed research network to boost South Africa’s national cyberinfrastructure
By Christiann Kunn and Duncan Martin CSIR, South Africa
SANReN (South African National Research Network) forms part of a comprehensive South African Government plan to ensure South African researchers successfully participate in the effort for global knowledge production. Together with the Centre for High Performance Computing (CHPC) and Very Large Data Sets, the initiative for data curation, SANReN will form a key component of the core scientific research infrastructure for South Africa.
SANReN will be a high-speed network that enables and supports scientific and technological research, including research into networking and broadband infrastructures. SANReN’s deployment commenced in 2007 and, when complete, will connect 108 university campuses and research institutions across the country at very high speeds. SANReN will also join the global research and education network, which connects over 3000 research and
education organisations from all over the world.
Planning and implementation
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)’s Meraka Institute was given responsibility for implementation planning in early 2006, when it was working to establish the CHPC. This has helped to ensure a comprehensive and holistic approach to developing South Africa’s research cyberinfrastructure. In 2006 CSIR and the South African Department of Science and Technology (DST) signed a three-year contract, ending 31 March 2010, for the implementation and management of this project. The SANReN team has since been active in designing, negotiating and building the SANReN network, including the establishment of partnerships with local companies to leverage economies of scale through co-investment initiatives. The 10 Gbps SANReN national backbone network is scheduled for commission this year.
SANReN and TENET
SANReN will be operated by the Tertiary Education and Research Network of South Africa, or TENET.
TENET is a non-profit association of South African universities and research councils that has provided networking and Internet services to 40 universities, research institutions and associated support institutions since 2001. While the DST, through the CSIR, has provided the capital to build and equip SANReN, TENET will recover its operating costs from user institutions. TENET will also provide, and user institutions will bear the costs of, all external connectivity. This includes connectivity at 10 Gbps to Telecity, London, via the new SEACOM submarine cable; transit interconnections with UbuntuNet, the African regional research and education network; and via UbuntuNet, connections with the European regional research and education network, Géant. TENET is a founding member of the UbuntuNet Alliance, and operates UbuntuNet’s hub and connection to Géant in London on behalf of the Alliance.
Through their contractual and collaborative relationships, the DST, CSIR’s Meraka Institute, TENET and UbuntuNet are securing affordable, high-speed national and international connectivity services for Southern Africa, connecting the region’s universities, research institutions and research facilities and enabling researchers and students to participate fully in the global research
