Tagged: school

REANNZ Connected Schools and their Network Use

Value for Schools Being Part of the REANNZ Community is Demonstrated

We have recently completed projects to monitor schools network traffic. The Mid Canterbury Schools cluster connected to the REANNZ Network in 2011. During Term 2, 2012, as part of a project for the Ministry of Education, we monitored the traffic that this cluster of 23 schools generated. The data collected clearly shows the value of being part of the REANNZ community.

The numbers - for the total cluster traffic:

    • 48.5% travelled over the REANNZ Network
    • 26.7% came across REANNZ’s international link from Sydney
    • 33.3% was sourced from New Zealand based caches

Once a school is connected and part of the REANNZ community they have “all you can eat” access to the network for a fixed fee, unlike most ISPs.

The more content and services that are available on our network, the greater the value is to our members. Through our “settlement-free-peering policy” REANNZ is continuously adding content to the network, meaning that as more content is carried on the REANNZ Network, ISP fees that our members have to pay, will go down.

Find the report here, and see our website if you want to join the REANNZ community.

Are you interested in how well your home, school or work broadband connection is? Join the thousands who have tested and compared their ISP’s performance on the New Zealand Broadband Test website.

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An Update for Schools

REANNZ has an ongoing and enduring interest in working with and connecting schools to KAREN, and have recently completed the connection of the 101 NEN Trial Extension schools as well as a number of schools outside the Ministry of Education’s programme.

If your school is part of a cluster that wants to be connected, we’ve recently published design documents and diagrams as a report called KAREN School Cluster high-level design (pdf, 1.72MB) to help.

For more information, you can download the full update (pdf, 770KB) or visit the KAREN school network backbone page.

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Diocesan School for Girls Welcomed to KAREN

New KAREN member school

More great news today. Diocesan School For Girls in Epsom is now connected to KAREN, enabling them access to the global research and education community, as well as to resources and content including those services that are part of the NEN trial.

Schools joining KAREN

Schools that are not part of the NEN trial, can connect to KAREN in one of two ways. See our information about how to join KAREN to find out more.

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A further 23 schools connect to KAREN

Another 23 Greater Christchurch Schools Network schools connect to KAREN.

Connection of Christchurch NEN trial extension schools completed

This week we celebrated the connection of an additional 23 Greater Christchurch Schools Network (GCSN) schools to the National Education Network Trial Extension. This brings the number of GCSN National Education Network Trial Extension schools on KAREN to 30, and completes this component of the project.

We welcomed the first seven Christchurch NEN extension schools back in October: Seven schools welcomed to KAREN (18 October 2010)

More information

KAREN member list
NEN trial extension

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REANNZ offers KAREN as backbone for NZ schools network

REANNZ has issued architecture, operational and commercial standards and information on KAREN for responders to the managed network component of the Ministry of Education’s schools broadband RFI released today.

RFI responders are encouraged to use KAREN

Today, the Ministry of Education released a “Request for Information” about the provision of a Managed Ultra-fast Broadband Network and Managed Network Services for schools.

KAREN is designed to be neutral, open and collaborative. KAREN is not a managed network as asked for in this RFI. However, we encourage responders to the managed network component of the RFI to make use of KAREN as their core network backbone.

To support supplier community responses to this RFI, REANNZ has produced an information pack that contains relevant architecture, operational and commercial standards and information. We will also be offering the supplier community information briefings on KAREN.

Download the information pack and more…

Visit our KAREN school network backbone page for further details and a copy of the information pack.

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NEC Edge Routers procured for NEN trial extension schools

Routers procured for NEN trial extension schools

REANNZ has procured Juniper SRX 210 and SRX 240 routers from NEC to be used by participating schools for the duration of the NEN trial extension. The SRX 210 model is suitable for schools with less than 300 students while the larger SRX 240 is suitable for schools with 300 or more students.

Both units have gigabit Ethernet ports suitable for connecting directly to fibre networks (in line with government standards). They also have built-in firewall functionality that can block unauthorised access to schools’ internal networks.

Non NEN trial extension schools purchasing routers

Non NEN trial extension schools are able to purchase a router at the same price and on the same terms that REANNZ has negotiated for NEN trial extension schools. See our page on NEC Edge Routers for non NEN trial extension schools.

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Seven Schools Welcomed to KAREN

We’re really pleased to welcome seven schools from the Christchurch area to the KAREN community.

Welcome to KAREN…

  • Christchurch Boys’ High School
  • Fendalton Open Air School
  • Mairehau High School
  • Papanui High School
  • Riccarton High School
  • Shirley Boys’ High School
  • Villa Maria College

These schools are the 1st seven schools from the 30 GCSN (Greater Christchurch Schools Network) schools that will connect to KAREN by the end of the year. They join Christ’s College that has been a KAREN member since the original NEN trial and Rangi Rangi Ruru Girls’ College that has been an independent member of KAREN since earlier this year.

Greater Christchurch Schools Network

The Greater Christchurch Schools Network (GCSN) is a community of educators, learners and service providers in Christchurch. GCSN’s aim is to create a community of connected schools, teaching professionals and educational resources in the greater Christchurch region utilising the high-speed fibre optic infrastructure being installed by Enable Networks.

The development of GCSN began in 2006, and is supported by Canterbury Development Corporation, Enable Networks and CORE Education.

Greater Christchurch Schools Network (http://www.gcsn.school.nz)

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NEN trial extension updates

We’re keeping schools up to date with progress on the National Education Network trial extension via the ICT in schools magazine, Interface. If you’re interested in this project, you too can now see these regular updates on our website.

Keeping up to date on the NEN

To keep schools informed on our progress, REANNZ is publishing a regular project update in Interface Magazine. If you don’t subscribe to Interface, or missed an earlier article you can find them here:

These will be available from our NEN: information for schools page following their formal publication in the hard copy of Interface Magazine (http://www.interfacemagazine.co.nz/).

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NEN Edge Router RFP issued

REANNZ released a RFP for edge routers for the National Education Network trial extension last night.

NEN RFP released

A Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued last night by REANNZ for the supply of Layer 3 ethernet routers for schools participating in the National Education Network (NEN) Trial Extension.  REANNZ has been contracted by the Ministry of Education to procure network components, including routers, for up to 200 schools that are being invited to participate in the NEN trial extension which runs until June 2011.

The NEN provides dedicated network connectivity for schools using KAREN and provides high speed, unrestricted broadband (100 Mb/s or greater) to schools. The purpose of the NEN router is to allow trial schools to gain access to KAREN and commodity internet services using local fibre networks.

Copies of the RFP can be obtained from the Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS) at www.gets.govt.nz. The RFP, titled Supply of Routers for the National Education Network is document number 29480 on GETS.  Tenders must be submitted by 4pm on 14 May 2010.

All communications relating to this RFP, or requests for clarification or further information, should be directed in writing to nen-rfp@reannz.co.nz

More information

About the NEN trial extension

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NEN: Invitation to schools

If your school has open-access fibre or will have by June 2010, we want to hear from you. We’re holding executive briefings with Principals of schools that may qualify to participate in the National Education Network trial extension, beginning 15 February. We encourage you to register your interest now.

Invitation to participate in the NEN trial

In collaboration with the Ministry of Education, we’ve issued an invitation to schools that we think already have access to fibre through an open-access provider or that expect to have access by 30 June 2010, to take part in the NEN extension.

School meetings

Executive briefings with Principals of schools that may qualify for the trial will be held 15 February – 2 March in five locations across the country. These briefings will discuss the goals of the trial and explain what the implications might be for participating schools. Briefings are being held 12.30 to 2.00pm at the following locations/dates:

  • North Shore, Monday 15 February
  • Christchurch, Tuesday 16 February
  • Wellington, Wednesday 17 February
  • Nelson, Monday 22 February
  • Palmerston North, Tuesday 2 March

A light lunch will be served from midday at each briefing. Visit our schools information page for more details and to register for a meeting:

NEN: Information for schools

NEN School Survey

To register your interest in participating in the NEN trial extension, please complete the schools survey by Friday 26 February 2010.  This will provide us with the necessary information to proceed with detailed planning for connecting your school to the NEN.

NEN Schools Survey

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