Lancaster University

Information Systems Services

Regional Networking

By
Barry Forde
B.Forde@Lancaster.ac.uk

Regional Networking 1
28th September 2005
 Background

• University Network
• Cumbria and North Lancashire MAN (C&NLMAN)
• Cumbria and Lancashire Education Online (CLEO)
• Trans Regional Broadband Super Highway (TRBSH)
• UKLight

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 C&NLMAN

• Funded by HEFCE and members money in 1999

• Lancaster is access point for C&NLMAN
• Lancaster University is RNO (Regional Network Operator)
• Fibre around Lancaster and Carlisle city centres linking 18 sites (1GbE
used)
• Another 12 sites linked into network
• Carlisle linked back to Lancaster with 10Gbs circuit (via TRBSH)
• 155Mbs microwave link into central lakes area
• 155Mbs circuit to Barrow
• Currently connected to SJIV node at Warrington with 1Gbs circuit (via
TRBSH wavelength)

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28th September 2005
 2.4Metre Microwave Dish – Langthwaite Hill

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28th September 2005
Standard 30m
Microwave
mast

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28th September 2005
 C&NLMAN

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 Broadband NgFL

• 1999 announced Pilot Broadband for schools

– =>2Mbs Symmetrical schools
– 2001 changed Secondary Schools to =>8Mbs
• 100% of schools by 2006
• Funding 50% DfES and 50% County Councils
• After 2005-2006 funding year it ends.
• Must be self funding when capital money ends
• 2000/2001 Year allocation £1.6M

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28th September 2005
 Carlisle

Penrith

Workington

Whitehave n
2
Cumbria 6810 Km 487,000
Geography
Kenda l

Barrow-in-Furne ss

Lancaster

1,429,000

Lancashire 3063 Km2

Bla ckpool
Burnle y
Bla ckburn
Preston

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28th September 2005
 Longtown

Bra mpton

Dalston Carlisle
Silloth Wigton

Als ton

Aspa tria CUMBRIA

Maryport
Penrith

Workington Coc kermouth

Keswick
Frizington Appleby
Whitehave n
Cle ator Moor

Egremont

Amble side
Kirkby Stephe ns

Schools Coniston
Windermere

Sedberg
HEI Primary Sites = 5
and other Kenda l

HEI Secondary Sites = 5

sites
Millom
Ulv ers ton
Grange
Kirby Lonsda le FEI Sites = 20
Secondary Schools = 131
Barrow-in-Furne ss Carnforth

Hornby
Primary Schools = 1103
Moreca mbe
Lancaster

Flee twood
LANCASHIRE
Garstang Barnoldsw ick
Clitheroe
Padiha m Colne
Bla ckpool Kirkham Bla ckburn Nelson

Preston Bla ckburn Burnle y

Ly tha m St Anne’s Preston Accrington Haslingdon
Leyland Darwen
Bacup
Rawtenstall
Tarle ton
Whitworth
Croston
Chorle y
Southport
Regional Networking 9
Ormsk irk
28th September 2005 Ske lme rs dale
 Phase 1
Backbone

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 2.4GHz Microwave
Links

• No licence needed
• Point to Point and Point to Multipoint
• Ranges out to 15Km
• Speeds up to about 10Mbs

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 2.4GHz
radio Unit

18dBi Aerial
39x45cm
15Km Range

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28th September 2005
 Client Groups

• HEI/FEI funded (UKERNA/JANET MANs)

• DfES/LEA/CC funded (schools)
• Learn Direct
• Adult Community Learning
• Libraries
• Museums
• Health/GPs
• Youth and Communities
• Inclusion/Exclusion

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 TRBSH

• Funded by NWDA (£1.77M)

• Four 10GbE links
– 10GbE Carlisle to Lancaster
– (10Gbs = 160,000 telephone calls)
– 2x 10GbE Lancaster to SJIV C-PoP at Warrington
– 10GbE Lancaster to Daresbury Labs
• Eight 1GbE links
– Carlisle – Lancaster, Carlisle-Penrith
– Penrith-Kendal, Kendal-Lancaster
– Lancaster-Preston, Lancaster-Chorley
– Lancaster-SJIV at Warrington

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 TRBSH DWDM

• Carlisle to Daresbury Laboratory 184Km

• 8 Wavelengths available on each leg
• ADVA FS3000 DWDM equipment
• Mixed 10GbE and 1GbE
– Wavelength can be either 10Gbs or 1 or 2 1Gbs
• Upgradeable to 8x10GbE if necessary
• ADVA working on 40Gbs varient

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Regional Networking 16
28th September 2005
 Longtown

Bra mpton

Dalston Carlisle
Silloth Wigton

Als ton

Aspa tria CUMBRIA

Maryport Moota Hill Mast
Penrith
Bassenthwaite
Great Dun Fe ll
Workington Coc kermouth
Threlkeld
Bra ithwaite
Keswick
Frizington Appleby
Whitehave n
Cle ator Moor Borrow da le

Egremont Shap
Grasm ere
Langdale Amble side
Kirkby Stephe ns
Sea scale
Hawks hea d
Windermere
Ravenglas s Coniston

Network Millom
Kenda l
Sedberg
10GbE Fibre
1GbE Fibre
Ulv ers ton Kirby Lonsda le
Grange 155Mbs Terrestial
155Mbs Microwave
Carnforth
Barrow-in-Furne ss Internet 100Mbs
Hornby RBC Peering
10Mbs
Moreca mbe
Lancaster

Flee twood
LANCASHIRE
Preesa ll

Garstang Barnoldsw ick

Clitheroe
Padiha m Colne
Bla ckpool Nelson
Kirkham
Burnle y
Preston Bla ckburn
Ly tha m St Anne’s Accrington Haslingdon
Leyland Darwen
Bacup
Rawtenstall
Tarle ton
Whitworth
Croston
Chorle y
Southport

Ormsk irk
Ske lme rs dale
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 Developments - Radio

• Radio being shifted to 5.8GHz from old 2.4GHz

– http://www.alvarion.com/RunTime/Products_2020.asp?tNodePara
m=30
– Higher bandwidth 34Mbs v 10Mbs
– OFDM better able to withstand interference
– Some, but marginal, NLOS capability
– Higher power 2W v 0.1W
– Still only 4 non-overlapping channels
– Ranges very good ~ 30Km
– Wide beam aerials 90 or 120 deg are effective
• Migration has significantly improved performance
• 95% geographic coverage @ >2Mbs, 90% >10Mbs
• 98% population coverage

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 Developments - LLU

• Unbundling 122 exchanges across Cumbria and

Lancashire
• First exchange delivered October 2004, rest coming
on stream rapidly with last ones by end December
2005.
• About 95% of populations served
• Using Lucent Stinger FS+ DSLAMs
– Up to 1008 subscribers per DSLAM
– ADSL2+ (up to 25Mbs speed)

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 ADSL2+ Performance

CC6808-ALCA-48P ADSL2+ Down Stream Data Rate

30000
Data Rate (unit: Kbps)

25000

20000

15000

10000

5000

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Distance (unit: Kft)

Down Stream (Kbps)

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 LLU Pricings

Current Costs Handover Annual

Shared MPF £34.86 £15.60

Transfer
MPF Transfer £34.86 £80

MPF New £168.38 £80

Provide

http://www.btwholesale.com/content/binaries/service_and_support/pricing_information/carrier_price_list_browsable/B6_03.rtf

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 New Services

• Video Streaming MPEG2/MPEG4 Multicast

• Lectures and other educational content.
• Foreign language programmes from European Public
service broadcasters
• Video on Demand services for time shifting
• Community TV channels
• 8Mbs data service (up to 24Mbs possible)
• Strong collaboration with Local Government/Health
and Education in content development/distribution

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 UKLight

• Research network separate from IP production one

• Uses one wavelength of TRBSH network from
Warrington (SJV) PoP to Lancaster
• Running STM192 (SDH framing rather than 10GbE)
• Ability to cut out 1GbE chunks of bandwidth for
specific research projects.
• High bit rate/low latency applications
• Non production IP protocols

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 Challenges

• LLU to 95% but what about others

– Exchange populations make it uneconomic to do them!
– Remaining exchanges have < 2500 subscribers on them
– LLU industry lower limit about 25000 subscribers
– Only about 10 exchanges out of over 200 in our area meet
that criteria
• What about subscribers beyond 2Mbs range
– ~ 4.5Km as the copper goes – not radial distance
• What about subscribers who are served by poor
quality lines
– Aluminium!

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LCBLK Blackburn 5415 30421
LCBUR Burnley 4274 25700
LCCHO Chorley 2992 19338
LCLAN Lancaster 3236 18200
LCACC Accrington 3275 17973
LCNEL Nelson 2529 16353
LCCLV Cleveleys 1879 15796
LCBAB Bamber Bridge 1807 14541
LCMOR Morecambe 1951 14404
LCRIB Ribbleton 1569 14352
LCLEY Leyland 1644 14074
LCAOR Ashton On Ribble 1794 13818
LCMAT Marton 1990 13197
LCROS Rossendale 2575 13025
LCSTA St Annes 1753 11255
LCPRE Preston 4239 11254
LCSSH South Shore 2771 10914
LCDAR Darwen 1535 10825
LCNSH North Shore 1362 9749
LCFLW Fleetwood 1385 9497
LVSKE Skelmersdale 1277 9237
LCLAY Layton 1049 8612
LCCOL Colne 1436 8501
LCPEW Penwortham 727 7914
LCBLP Blackpool 4327 7462
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 How to reach them

• Regional funding to get rest of exchanges

• Bonding of circuits
• Sub-Loop unbundling
• Wireless
– 5.8GHz
– 2.4GHz
– WiMax

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