The challenge
Neos Networks has partnered with Jisc, the digital solutions provider for the UK education sector, for almost 20 years, bringing critical connectivity to many of the UK’s higher education institutions. Jisc’s priority is to continually develop to meet the needs of its customers, which are constantly evolving around distance learning, remote working and the general internationalisation of education.
Over the past two decades several key networking projects have been delivered by Neos Networks leading to a strong relationship with Jisc. These projects have often involved complex network design challenges, providing the diverse and secure networks required to enable centres of learning to connect with their global counterparts.
Jisc chose Neos Networks in the knowledge it could deliver the highest standards alongside the most precise delivery requirements, involving hundreds of individual facilities and numerous suppliers. Neos Networks also enabled Jisc to move away from managed service agreements, giving them more autonomy over systems and specifications.
In 2019, Jisc needed to refresh its Janet South Network, which provides UK academic facilities with a highly reliable and secure world-class network, enabling national and international communication and collaboration. Jisc was also looking to extend its core backbone network contract, which provides the critical connectivity required to enable access to global research centres such as CERN’s Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland. Neos Networks was brought on board to support both projects.
Jisc plays a crucial role in ensuring that the UK has best-in-class educational facilities and remains at the forefront of scientific advancements. To provide this, Jisc must invest in state-of-the-art, high capacity autonomous networks to remain digitally relevant.
The outcome
Neos Networks’ core fibre network will continue to be utilised by Jisc’s UK backbone network until 2028. This will enable data-intensive research centres, including The Science and Technology Facilities Council’s Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, and Imperial College London, to have access to significant bandwidth and speeds of up to 100Gbps, ensuring their critical work remains uninterrupted thanks to Neos Networks’ reliable network.
In addition, the project includes the unbundling of seven BT exchanges and utilising four existing Points of Presence to refresh the Janet South network, part of Jisc’s programme to develop a new Janet Network access infrastructure. This will provide improved connectivity to 11 universities, including Southampton and Surrey, and 80 local colleges between Aldershot and Bournemouth, ensuring classroom and distance learning experiences remain both seamless and faultless.
With a scalable and flexible network in place, Jisc will be able to continue to extend its reach and accessibility, supporting the future of UK education and research.
“The relationship between Jisc and Neos Networks originated in the early 2000s and, nearly 20 years later, the relationship continues to grow from strength-to-strength. A substantial level of trust has built up between our two companies and these new network contracts show our continued commitment to further develop this relationship. Over the past decade, we have rolled out a series of projects that have involved complex network design challenges and the Neos Networks team has always stood up to the challenge, providing reliable and diverse networks, and excelled at meeting all expectations.”
Jeremy Sharp, Janet Infrastructure Director, Jisc
About Jisc
Jisc is a not-for-profit company, providing the UK’s national research and education network, Janet, and technology solutions for its members – colleges, universities and research centres. It is funded by the UK higher and further education and research funding bodies and member institutions.
Jisc does three main things for its members:
- Operates and develops the super-fast and secure Janet Network, as well as its built-in cyber security protection.
- Helps save time and money by negotiating sector-wide deals with IT vendors and commercial publishers
- Provides trusted advice and practical assistance on digital technology
Jisc’s vision is for the UK to be the most digitally advanced education and research nation in the world.
