21 May 2003 © The JNT Association 2002 1

Terena Networking Conference 2003

JANET Network Access & Last Mile Technologies

James Sankar

UKERNA

21 May 2003 © The JNT Association 2002 2

Contents

• The JANET Network Access Area.• Review of the JANET ADSL Trial.• JISC / UKERNA Two-Way Satellite Trial Update. • UKERNA Wireless Activities.• Other Network Access Activities.• Network Access Users.• Relevance to European NRENs

21 May 2003 © The JNT Association 2002 3

What are Network Access Technologies?

Often referred to as:

– Local Loop.

– Last Mile.

– First Mile.

Defined as the network between you (end site) and the local exchange/hub/base station.

Types of technology

– xDSL, Satellite, Fixed Wireless, Cable Modem, IP over Power, Fibre to the Home/Building.

21 May 2003 © The JNT Association 2002 4

Why Network Access?• Changes in Teaching & Learning environments

– Move to the home & workplace learning.

– More distance learning.

– Emergence of “virtual and managed learning environment service providers – e.g. Learndirect.

• Changes in local loop provision

– Unbundling of the local loop.

– Provision of a variety of competitive broadband type services.

Result:

• Increased demand for local loop “broadband” access to – Main campuses and other academic sites via JANET.

– Learning material and Virtual & Managed learning environments.

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JANET Network Access

Two complementary areas

– Network Access Technologies• Direct connection to JANET.• Access to JANET via the commercial internet.

– Location Independent Networking• Mechanisms to make network access simpler for people who move

around and between campuses.• This area is not access technology specific and would involved both

wired and wireless access.

More details about JANET Network Access are available at http://www.ja.net/development/network_access/index.html

21 May 2003 © The JNT Association 2002 6

ADSLAsymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL)

– Part of xDSL family.

– Asymmetrical – low uplink & high downlink rates

– Segments frequencies over existing copper wires to carry voice and data simultaneously.

UK Strengths– Dedicated “Always on” connection.

– Standards based.

– Flexible product options.

– Competitively Priced.

– Assumes high networking knowledge.

UK Weaknesses– Limited range (up to 5.5 Km).

– Limited access to 66% of UK pop.– Dominant Supplier.

– Contended service.

– Increased hacking risk as “always on”.

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JANET ADSL Trial• Trial objectives

– Feasibility assessment of a JANET ADSL service.

– Investigate the service delivery / support implications.

– Identify ADSL connectivity performance issues.

• Background

– The six-month trial began in May 2002.

– UKERNA purchased a direct connection between JANET and British Telecom.

– 23 off campus learning centres have ADSL connectivity directly to JANET and the Internet thereafter.

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JANET ADSL Trial Network Topology

2Mbit/s 155Mbit/s downstream

RADIUS 256Kbps Campus/End user Authentication upstream

Server

JANET Network

BT IP Network

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JANET ADSL Trial Key points

• Limitations noted in BT approved ADSL routers.• “Wires Only” with local support recommended.

– An easier provisioning process.– End site must purchase and configure own router.

• Wireless 802.11b & ADSL – works well.

• VPN over ADSL – difficult to configure.

• The trial service will close at the end of May 2003.– Competitively priced products meet the needs of the JANET community,

therefore the UKERNA trial service will not migrate to a full service.

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Two-way Satellite• Features

– Two-way satellite connectivity to the Internet.– Asymmetric - different download and upload speeds.

• Strengths– 100% coverage across the UK.– Flexible range of product options.

• Weaknesses– Expensive (resulting in limited bandwidth).– Latency(>750ms round trip time) not for real time apps.– Network contention.– Data throughput limits with some services.– May not be suitable in extreme weather conditions.

21 May 2003 © The JNT Association 2002 11

JISC / UKERNA Two-way Satellite Trial

• 12-month Satellite Trial

• Connecting remote and rural areas across the UK.

• Three satellite platforms being trialled– SES ASTRA - BroadBand Interactive - for supporting nine

small LANs.

– SATLYNX - Gilat - for supporting seven small user groups and individuals.

– Hughes Network Systems Europe – Bridge BroadBand Enterprise Server - Connecting one large campus that has up to 150 PCs.

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Trial Activities

• UKERNA to trial Content Delivery and H323 videoconferencing over BBI

• Sourhope to trial Voice Over IP over BBI

• UHI trialling a 5 site VPN over BBI

• Both BBI and Gilat systems deployed in rural & remote areas

21 May 2003 © The JNT Association 2002 13

JISC / UKERNASatellite Trial

BBI Ground station at Betzdorf, Luxembourg

Gilat Ground station at Backnang, Germany

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Satellite Trial BBI and Gilat technical specifications

Terminal Type Gilat 180 ASTRA BBI

Standard Proprietary EMS 2000

Transmit Power 1Watt 1 Watt

Transmission Freq Ku Band Ka Band

Maximum Transmit Bandwidth

150 Kbits/s 384 Kbits/s

Receive Frequency Ku Band Ku Band

Maximum Receive Bandwidth

500 Kbits/s 2048 Kbits/s

Antennae Size 65cm x 90 cm 75 cm

Max No of PCs 4 PCs 13 PCs

Applications Supported

Email Web FTP Email Web FTP, VPN PN Citrix, IPSec

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Two-way satellite trial – Current status (April 2003)

• BBI and Gilat satellite platforms– Network performance statistics for BBI and Gilat satellite

platforms are updated each month, these are available at http://www.ja.net/development/network_access/satellite/activity1/results.html

• Cornwall College – Duchy Campus– A Bridge Broadband package utilising Hughes Network

Systems Europe technology to support up to 150 PCs has been installed on Friday 9th May 2003.

21 May 2003 © The JNT Association 2002 16

BBI satellite resultsA Graph showing the Round Trip Ping Times for 8 BBI sites

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Note: UKERNA site excluded as ping times to itself equalled zero ping time

On the BBI platform the router at the hub on the London ATM link failed and was replaced, all traffic was re-routed via the Frankfurt ATM link. Service ran slow and it was restored by 7.30 pm

On the BBI platform the router at the hub at Betzdorf failed

21 May 2003 © The JNT Association 2002 17

Gilat satellite results

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Sites that didnot "ping"

On the Gilat platform an unauthorised and unknown 8 Mbits/s carrier was found to be transmitting on the same frequency at the two-way terminals obscuring transmissions.

21 May 2003 © The JNT Association 2002 18

UKERNA Wireless Access

• Wireless Networks Survey– UK Survey of Fixed and Mobile wireless activities in the academic

community completed.http://www.ja.net/development/network_access/wireless/uk_activities/

• JANET Wireless Advisory Group.– First meeting scheduled for the end of May 2003. The aim of the group

is to recommend suitable wireless technologies to trial, and produce a strategic framework for these trials to take place.http://www.ja.net/development/network_access/wireless/wag/tor.html

• Terena Mobility Task Force. – Active participation in task force activities

http://www.terena.nl/tech/task-forces/tf-mobility/

21 May 2003 © The JNT Association 2002 19

Other Network Access Activities

Tracking and where appropriate, a feasibility study of– IP over Power

– Cable Modem

– Fibre to the Home / Building

– Mesh Radio

– Mobile 3G / UMTS

21 May 2003 © The JNT Association 2002 20

Network Access Users

• Current Focus– Connecting scattered pieces

of campus • off campus learning

centres.

• Student residences.

• Manageable & Scalable– Works well as UKERNA

liaise with its JANET Connected Organisations that provide localised support.

• Futures– Individual Learners (demand

increasing here)• Staff• Students

• Issues– JANET Acceptable Use

Policy & T&Cs...– Content Filtering issues– AAA & Security issues– Payment of Services– Technical Support issues –

where is the demarcation line?

21 May 2003 © The JNT Association 2002 21

Working with European NRENs

• NREN Collaboration– Where NRENs have already deployed similar trial activities, many

have documented lessons learned online, technical experts should be encouraged to

• Actively collaborate with other NRENs to discuss and resolve technical issues

• Exchange results / documentation on proposed plans and results for comment

– The end result is a richer, value added and value for money approach to NREN technical developments.

• Examples– Terena Task Forces (e.g. Mobility), IP Telephony cookbook, TF Next

Generation Networking, Internet2, 6NET, SEQUIN…

21 May 2003 © The JNT Association 2002 22

Summary• UK Network Access

– Many network access technologies available.– Prices becoming more competitive.– No single technology solution for all.– A mix of technologies needed to meet local needs.

• Many issues to consider when determining network access technology choice(s)– User and their needs, Security, AAA, Bandwidth, Contention, Latency, &

Cost.

• Location Independent Networking – A necessity to exploit Network Access Technologies.

• NRENs– NREN collaboration is an invaluable resource that should not be

underestimated in the development of technical projects.

21 May 2003 © The JNT Association 2002 23

Futures• AAA issues

– Need resolving to enable the support of a variety of network access technologies and secure access to applications and content.

• Location Independent Networking – Enabling transparent access from a “guest” institution to either (1) Internet or (2)

secure “home” institution access.

• Bundled network access solutions – Combined NICs supporting both wired and wireless (DSL / Cable Modem /

802.11b / GPRS/ UMTS) - auto detect to select based on user profile.

• Rural broadband connectivity – Network access must be developed to offer similarly priced service packages for

both rural and urban areas.

• Network Access solutions for individual users– Need to consider and overcome support issues for individual learners needs.

21 May 2003 © The JNT Association 2002 24

Contact Details:

Email: J.Sankar@ukerna.ac.ukTelephone: +44 (0)1235 822 223

Website: http://www.ja.net/development/network_access/index.html

Thank you &

Questions