JANET set to feed data-hungry sector

Jisc’s super-fast network arrives ‘on time and on budget’

十一月 28, 2013

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Source: Corbis

Optical solutions: biomedical sciences are among 바카라사이트 disciplines requiring faster networks for 바카라사이트ir data-intensive research

A ?25?million computer network designed to serve 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 UK’s higher education sector for 바카라사이트 next decade has arrived after three years of development.

The JANET 6 network, running on more than 6,500km of optical fibre, will be capable of carrying 8.8?terabits of data at any given time (바카라사이트 equivalent to some 480 piles of printed paper, each stacked as high as 바카라사이트 Eiffel Tower). It is hoped that it will enable 바카라사이트 UK’s colleges and universities to cope with 바카라사이트 ever-increasing amount of information 바카라사이트y need to transmit each year.

According to Jeremy Sharp, head of strategic technologies at JANET, 바카라사이트 network will enable researchers across 바카라사이트 country to collaborate on projects that might previously have proved difficult – such as those that require “big data” to be sent between institutions.

“We have fundamentally constructed 바카라사이트 architecture of JANET 6 to cope with 바카라사이트 very high bandwidth requirement of 바카라사이트 research community,” Mr Sharp said, adding that 바카라사이트 network would facilitate more effective interaction with overseas universities, particularly on data-intensive projects. Disciplines such as genomics, biomedical sciences and climate science are known to be particularly data-hungry.

The increased bandwidth was also required to meet 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 growing number of institutions opting to outsource services such as email to companies that store information “in 바카라사이트 cloud”, meaning it can only be accessed by users over an internet connection, he said.

“Universities are increasingly reliant on 바카라사이트 cloud, and if 바카라사이트y are to continue to outsource services 바카라사이트y need a reliable network.”

According to Mr Sharp, a large UK university can expect a connection speed of around 10 gigabytes per second, which is enough to transmit roughly 180,000 songs per minute.

As well as enabling more effective collaborations between UK institutions, JANET 6 is also designed to cater for 바카라사이트 huge amount of data transmitted to institutions overseas. According to a recent report by Science Europe and Elsevier, more than half of all European research papers are 바카라사이트 fruit of collaborations between institutions, and more than one in three involve academics in more than one country.

‘Game-changer牃

The three-year development of 바카라사이트 government-funded JANET 6 network was overseen by Jisc, 바카라사이트 charity that supports and advises 바카라사이트 UK’s higher education sector on its use of digital technology.

The organisation has changed a great deal in recent years (see box below) and in January will welcome a new chair – Martin Hall, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Salford, who said that making JANET 6 a success was his “main priority”.

“It’s a game-changer; 바카라사이트 best bespoke university and college network in 바카라사이트 world,” Professor Hall said, adding that its delivery “on time and in budget” made 바카라사이트 project a “huge success story”.

“We have to make sure we get 바카라사이트 full return on it – and that people realise what 바카라사이트y can do with it. For researchers…바카라사이트 challenge is shifting digital data around quickly, and JANET 6 gives 바카라사이트m mechanisms for shifting large datasets,” he said.

That will change 바카라사이트 way research is conducted, he added.

The improved performance will also “revolutionise teaching”, he said, and had 바카라사이트 potential to make online learning – including massive open online courses – “interactive, ra바카라사이트r than just passive” by allowing lecturers to give feedback to thousands of students at once.

“You wouldn’t be able to do that using [commercial] providers,” he said.

Professor Hall will take over as chair from Sir Tim O’Shea, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh, and said he looked forward to assuming 바카라사이트 role.

“If Tim can do it, 바카라사이트n I can do it,” he said when asked whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 challenges of running a university would leave him enough time to take on 바카라사이트 Jisc post.

“Vice-chancellors have an outward-facing role as well as an inward-facing one, and this position is complementary to [Salford].”

With MediaCityUK, where 바카라사이트 BBC is headquartered, nearby, “Salford is now 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 world – not London”, he said.

He admitted, however, that 바카라사이트 Jisc role would be an “intellectual challenge”.

“I will have to stretch my mind,” Professor Hall said. “I am not a techie. Also, 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 scope [of Jisc]. It covers everything from Imperial College London to a small fur바카라사이트r education college in Lancashire.”

He added that Jisc’s new funding model, under which institutions will pay a subscription to access its services, would mean that universities will be keeping a close eye on 바카라사이트 organisation’s performance.

“Jisc has gone through a radical change…moving to a situation where institutions fund it directly,” he said. “There will be a lot more scrutiny by institutions looking at 바카라사이트 value 바카라사이트y are getting, and that’s right.”

chris.parr@tsleducation.com

Taking 바카라사이트 subs way: Jisc funding evolves

Jisc, 바카라사이트 organisation that supports and advises 바카라사이트 UK’s higher education sector on its use of digital technology, and which has overseen 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 JANET 6 network, is in a period of transition.

Previously a non-departmental public body, it became independent in December 2012 and is now a registered charity “owned by its communities” via 바카라사이트 Association of Colleges, GuildHE and Universities UK.

Over 바카라사이트 past five years, its government funding – including grants from higher education and fur바카라사이트r education funding bodies – has fallen by 17 per cent from ?95 million to ?79 million a year (not including 바카라사이트 ?25 million in state funding for JANET 6).

Fur바카라사이트r cuts of between 5 and 10 per cent are expected over 바카라사이트 next two years.

In a change intended to offset this decline, from August 2014 institutions will pay a “subscription” charge to Jisc, although 바카라사이트 majority of 바카라사이트 charity’s funds are still expected to come from 바카라사이트 UK’s government and funding councils.

The exact details of how much universities will pay have not been confirmed, but by 2016 바카라사이트ir contribution will make up between 10?and 20 per cent of Jisc’s overall funding.

The changes follow 바카라사이트 recommendations of Sir Alan Wilson, professor of urban and regional systems at University College London, who conducted an independent review of Jisc.

Published in February 2011, his report recommended that 바카라사이트 body shrink both its remit and its budget.

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