Unis stump up cash for AARnet 4

Beverley Head
Wednesday, 23 November 2011 08:53

Business IT - Networking

When the University of Sydney this week revealed it would axe over 300 jobs and slice $28 million spending in 2012, it brought into sharp focus the budgetary challenges that the tertiary education sector is facing as enrolment revenues fall even as student numbers surge on the back of the Bradley Review. So who will pay for AARNet 4 - the backbone communications network that will now be rolled out from 2013 connecting the education and research sector at speeds of up to 100 Gbps?

Chris Hancock, chief executive of Australia's Academic and Research Network, today told iTWire that although universities' AARNet fees would be flat for the fourth year in a row in 2012, the organisation was confident it could fund AARNet 4 out of existing funds and would not have to turn to the universities or Government for a top up. 'We are funding this from within our own cash flows and from member subscription,' said Mr Hancock.

AARNet 3, which connects universities and research organisations over a 10 Gbps backbone, has been in the field since 2004. He said that AARNet 4, which is currently being designed and which will be rolled out in 2013, would replace 'equipment that's slightly tired.'

It will be even more tired by then as a year ago, when Mr Hancock was discussing AARNet 4 - then tipped to offer an IP network running at 100 Gbps, and customer premises access rated at 40 Gbps - he was indicating that the network could be rolled out in 2012. However the AARNet five year plan when it was finally signed off by the board, and publicly released in August revealed that the timetable had been pushed out to 2013-14.

Mr Hancock declined to estimate how much AARNet 4 might cost - but it seems fair to expect the cash strapped universities will be keeping a very tight leash on spending.

Despite the delays with AARNet 4, the organisation however still hopes to have signed a deal by Christmas which will lead to what he described as a 'quantum upgrade' in the general capacity of AARNet to connect with international institutions. At present AARNet has one general 10 Gbps connection to the US for internet traffic and two dedicated 10 Gbps connections for research and education data.

Mr Hancock said that he hoped in 2012 to be able to introduce a 100 Gbps international connection to the US.