The government has provided funding to assist at least two remote Core Member sites connect to KAREN.

About the remote site connectivity project

The MoRST remote site connectivity fund provides a one-off investment to support the connection of remote university and Crown research institute locations to KAREN. Many of our research organisations have infrastructure and monitoring stations in remote locations around the country from which they gather environmental, astronomical or geological data. This funding will help connect these important research centres to KAREN enabling remote control of equipment and fast data transfer back to the main centres.

Status of the remote site connectivity project

Following a joint MoRST/REANNZ evaluation process and cost analysis, REANNZ has begun implementing the two highest ranking Member proposals. We are currently progressing the connection of:

• University of Canterbury's Mt John Observatory near Tekapo
• Auckland University of Technology's radio astronomy site at Warkworth

We are working with suppliers to implement the best solution for each site, and expect to have them both connected by March 2010.

Further, lower ranking submissions may be reconsidered once the final connectivity costs for these two sites are confirmed.

Key outcomes

• Remote Member sites will have connectivity to KAREN for a minimum of three years
• Connection to KAREN will be at a minimum of 1 Gb/s
• Establishment of a Tier 3 PoP, expanding KAREN's reach to Members
• Installation of the Local Access component between the sites and the Tier 3 POP.  This, in the case of Mt John, poses challenges because of the harsh environmental conditions unique to Mt John

Contact

This project is being led by David Clough, REANNZ Deployment Specialist. You can contact David on:
ph: 04 913 1094
e:  david.clough [at] reannz.co.nz

Updated 14 December 2009