Global research and education community

The global research and education community connect and collaborate through national research and education networks (NRENs).

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As New Zealand’s designated national research and education network (NREN), REANNZ is a member of the global community of over 120 NRENs who together provide a seamless international network to support the specialist needs of this community.

We work together to connect global research organisations, enable research collaboration, facilitate very large data-transfers and provide seamless high-performance connectivity.

About national research and education networks (NRENs)

  • NRENs are not-for-profit organisations that serve and support their national research and education community.

  • NRENs operate purpose-built national backbone networks, engineered for large scale data-transfers between scientists, researchers, innovators and higher education organisations.

  • NRENs have long-established working relationships, shared practices and operational protocols, which enables all NRENs to work seamlessly together.

  • Each NREN develops and maintains the cost of their national infrastructure with the understanding and expectation that it will be used by other NRENs. They receive and send traffic to each other at no cost.

About the global research and education community

Through REANNZ, New Zealand researchers gain unfettered access to this global research and education infrastructure, which is dedicated to supporting international research and collaboration.

  • The global research and education infrastructure is actually a federation of 120+ individual NRENs who work together and, by “holding hands”, enable international research traffic to transfer to their country or to transit across it, to a further destination.

  • Globally, research and education networks are ‘closed systems’. NRENs contribute to and use long-term infrastructure platforms to facilitate research access and collaborate with other researchers internationally.

  • Because of the reciprocal nature of the NREN community, only members are eligible to receive its benefits ie access to the international research and education network and to services like eduroam and eduGAIN, which have been developed for and are managed by the global advanced network community for NREN members.

Global and regional relationships

  • REANNZ is the smallest NREN to have a seat at the Chief Executive’s Forum, made up of the 16 key NRENs in the world, to discuss policy issues. We’re a member of the Global Network Architecture group, to create a blueprint for a global NREN network on behalf of New Zealand. We in turn share the knowledge and best practice gained with our community.

  • REANNZ is an active member of APAN - the Asian Pacific Advanced Network which connects, coordinates and shares research, technological and other interests for NRENs in the Asia and Oceania regions.

  • We also work closely with GÉANT and Internet2 which coordinate and represent the European and US regional NREN communities respectively, as well regional and individual NRENs.

A seat at the table - read more about REANNZ's role in the global NREN community.

What is an NREN?

Who uses REANNZ?

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