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NATIONAL KNOWLEDGE NETWORK: Build a National Knowledge Network with
gigabit capabilities to connect all universities, libraries, laboratories, hospitals and
agricultural institutions to share data and resources across the country. This will
require us to ultimately provide connectivity to around 5,000 nodes covering all
major institutions. The actual implementation could be in phases targeting 500 to
a 1,000 nodes in the first phase. However, the design of the network will have to
be based on the final network. The prioritization of the nodes for implementation
purposes should be on the basis of the institutions which are most likely to use the
network from day one and which would be able to demonstrate the benefits of
such a network. Based on a detailed analysis of the country's existing optic fibre
infrastructure and technologies available, it is estimated that a 500 to 1000 node
network can be commissioned within 3-6 months.
OPTIONS: Wide consultations with experts and technology providers suggest that
there are four possible networking options:
- The first one involves hiring dark fibres that have been extensively laid
out by various telecom service providers and lighting them.
- The second involves lit fibres and differs from the first in not requiring
transmission equipment procurement and its maintenance.
- The third involves using existing commercial networks and therefore no
capital investment in equipment is necessary. It also requires minimum
maintenance and operations organization.
- The fourth is a hybrid approach where the Core consists of two layers in
which the inner higher speed layer is wholly owned by the stakeholders
while the lower layer is provided by commercial service providers.
From the viewpoint of cost, the third approach based on the utilization of the
available commercial networks appears to be most attractive to start with. This is
because the capital expenditure is negligible if the operator chosen has a well
established network which is being used by a large number of existing customers.
However, lack of experience of architectural flexibility and security aspects of
virtual private networks (VPN) set up on a commercial basis, do not allow
prospective users to be entirely comfortable with this approach. Therefore, we
recommend that to begin with, existing commercial networks be utilized.
Subsequently, based on feedback from this exercise we could slide into a hybrid
network with a central Core, preferably of a relatively few nodes, and an outer
network constituted by practically each one of the other operators' network.
ARCHITECTURE: The network should consist of a Core using Internet Protocol (IP)
and Multi-Packet Labeled Services (MPLS) technology, an Aggregation or
Distribution network, and an Access or Edge network linking the institution's
local area network (LAN) to the Core. The Core network could be a single
hierarchy or a two stage network with a higher speed network at the top to
accommodate architecture flexibility and security concerns in a VPN based
commercial IP-MPLS network. The detailed specification of the network will
have to be drawn with a view to inviting bids for speedy implementation. The
network should be implemented in phases. The first phase should cover about
1000 institutions and should be commissioned in 3-6 months.
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