I M T E C H T E L E C O M G LO B A L - C A S E S T U D Y

I mtech T elecom G LO B A L

i n teg r ates ' best - I N - C L A S S ' n et w o r k

usi n g ma r k et leadi n g solutio n s

f r om J u n i p e r Net w o r k s
Imtech Telecom Global integrates best-in-class
network using market leading solutions from
Juniper Networks.

Overview
The European Union’s vision of making Europe the most dynamic and
competitive knowledge economy has taken a major step forward with
GÉANT2, the high bandwidth, pan-European research network. Now,
thanks to a partnership between DANTE, who manage the GÉANT2
network, Imtech and Juniper Networks, the IP layer is ready to support the
highest available throughput currently achievable under open standards.
The EU has invested 93 million Euros in the project under its European
Research Area (ERA) strategy with an equal sum funded by the 30 National
Research and Education Networks (NRENs). The goals of achieving a
single European information area, stimulating growth in IT industries
and employment, as well as improving the quality of public services and
lifestyles of millions of Europeans, are now a reality.

Connect, Communicate, Collaborate

The GÉANT2 network reaches more than 30 million researchers and
educators, via the NRENs, at higher speeds and capacities than ever
before. It connects 34 European countries and has links to a number
of other global research networks. Connections can be made over high
speed, high capacity paths enabling breakthroughs in key research areas
such as particle physics, radio astronomy and weather predication.

The network facilitates communication by email, voice and video

conferencing. It also speeds up communications between servers enabling
critical, real-time application processes to take place instantaneously. In
some cases, previous networks caused results to be unavailable for days or
weeks because data had to be physically transported.

Nowadays, ground breaking research is the result of collaboration by

more than one great mind. Intellectual interaction across continents is
now more feasible because IT resources can be shared over high speed
networks and can be provisioned more economically with benefits to users
and the environment alike.
 The GÉANT2 deployment builds on
Imtech and Juniper’s success in creating
customised research and education
networks around the globe.

In Europe, Juniper’s technology is also

Working in partnership
Imtech was selected as prime contractor responsible for supplying the
Juniper routers for the GÉANT2 network, managing the migration program
from the older technology and administering the support contracts.
18 Points of Presence (PoP) were deployed in a 4-month program. The
installation had to be carried out on a live network. Diligent project
management was required to ensure no disruptions to service. Imtech used
its own deployment team, highly skilled in Juniper Networks, to undertake
the work.
utilised in CLEO, JANET, SUNET and the
London Grid for Learning.
GÉANT2 - Technical solution overview
100% technically compliant solution.
Design utilises the T1600, the world’s most
powerful scalable router. This platform fits
within half a standard rack and has the lowest
capacity based power draw in the industry.

Project rollout 6 node T1600 super-core within a 10 node

The project required precision deployment management matched equally by
the network design. Imtech Telecom's engineers carried out the equipment
implementation at each site, with a dedicated project management team
ensuring that the roll-out progressed seamlessly with minimum disruption.
Imtech Telecom was responsible for installation, testing services and field
maintenance of the systems while Juniper Networks T1600 series core
routers, Ethernet services and network management solutions formed the
foundation of the network.
Imtech Telecom Global's Project Management team combined innovative
and multidisciplinary methodologies. Offering advanced project
management solutions for technological infrastructure and upgrading of
the network. Due to the increased quantity of European data flow and
the highly increased bandwidth of data flow, education providers chose to
invest in overhaul, expansion and upgrading of existing ICT infrastructure
and capacity across the European network.
Imtech Telecom Global provided risk management analysis with full
deployment for high tech ICT infrastructure. All Imtech solutions are
characterised by optimum attention to detail at every step of the upgrade
to fit in seamlessly with the primary concerns of the customer.
T640 and 1 node M120 network.
40Gb interfaces available and shipping today
to other UK R&E customers.
100Gb ready with clear roadmap.
Hardware router virtualisation options.
Most extensive implementation of IPv4 and
IPv6 services from any router manufacturer
that will allow DANTE to offer today’s and
tomorrow’s services to the customer base.
JUNOS - the worlds most scalable and reliable
operating system across all platforms within
the proposed design that is proven within the
current DANTE network.
All proposed platforms have a 5 year
commitment of supply thus ensuring DANTE's
investment protection.

Improving network performance, scalability and reliability

The 18 PoPs are each connected to at least two adjacent PoPs to achieve
a high level of resilience. Within the GÉANT2 community there is fruitful Juniper routers in the GÉANT2 core are:
research and development into new and improved provision, performance • T1600
and monitoring tools. The achievement of effective solutions faces the • T640
challenge of integrating the many NREN domains, each of which is • M120
responsible for its own infrastructure.

Domains have different technologies, management and monitoring systems,

mostly open standards but some proprietary. GÉANT2 works alongside
engineers and academics in the 34 countries to create solutions that can be
implemented over the GÉANT2 backbone as well as within the NREN local
networks.

Dai Davies, General Manager of DANTE, commented,

"High speed networking has revolutionised research across the
globe. Working with Imtech Telecom has ensured a professional and
efficient planning process and deployment of the network upgrade.
The new Juniper T1600 offers us new functions and performance
and it changes the way we build and operate the GÉANT2 network,
allowing us to provide the fundamental infrastructure and services to
Europe’s research and education community."
 European Research and Education
The first international hybrid research and education network.
Lighting dark fibre for greater network performance.
Technical solution overview

The implemented solution provides Dark Fibre

10 Gbps
DANTE with a state-of-the-art, future 2.5 Gbps

proof, technically compliant solution 310 Mbps

155 Mbps
that addresses the services of today and 34/45 Mbps
Planned Upgrade
tomorrow. The core of the GÉANT2
network is based around Juniper’s newest “Dark Fibre” links
provide multiple
addition to its routing family; the T1600 wavelengths at
10 Gbps. “Dark Fibre”
links also have back-
Routing Node. Delivering up to 1.6 Tbps up IP connections.
Details of these can
of capacity (100 Gbps/slot) with the ability be found at
www.geant2.net
to forward up to 1.92 billion pps, the
T1600 Routing Node is the fastest, most
flexible and most operationally friendly
router on the market today.

The level of flexibility is demonstrated in

this architecture that permited DANTE to
upgrade the existing T640s at Frankfurt
and Geneva to T1600s via a smooth in
service upgrade. Along with Frankfurt
and Geneva, T1600s were installed in
Amsterdam, London, Paris and Milan.

Positioning these platforms at these

locations ensures that the design rules
pre 40G upgrade are addressed, with Backbone Topology January 2008

the option of migrating to 100GE in the

GÉANT2 is operated by DANTE on behalf of Europe’s NRENs.
future. Upgrade to 40G will be a non fork
lift procedure that can be executed in AT Austria CZ Czech Republic ES Spain HR Croatia IS Iceland * LV Latvia PL Poland SE Sweden *
Finland *
service with installation of the appropriate BE Belgium DE Germany FI HU Hungary IT Italy MT Malta PT Portugal SI Slovenia
BG Bulgaria DK Denmark * FR France IE Ireland LT Lithuania NL Netherlands RO Romania SK Slovakia
Flexible PIC Concentrators (FPC) and 40G CH Switzerland EE Estonia GR Greece IL Israel LU Luxembourg NO Norway * RU Russia TR Turkey
CY Cyprus * Connections between these countries are part of NORDUnet (the Nordic regional network) IL includes commodity IP back-up UK United Kingdom
Physical Interface Cards (PIC). The T1600
supports 100Gbps/slot of throughput GÉANT2 is co-funded by the European Commission
making it the only platform that is
GÉANT2 network. With only one code Imtech NV
within its 6th R&D Framework Programme.
train, JUNOS is standard across all of the Imtech N.V. is a European technical service
100GE ready today. Migrating to 100GE This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of DANTE and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.

proposed platforms providing DANTE provider in the fields of information &

interfaces will follow the same procedure
with operational simplicity and feature communication technology, electrical
as outlined for 40G; installation of the
superiority while alleviating the need engineering and mechanical engineering.
appropriate FPC and PIC.
for complex and costly mapping of With around 18,000 employees, Imtech
software releases to hardware versions. achieves an annual turnover of around
At the heart of this design lies Juniper’s
This common feature enables rapid 3 billion euro. Imtech holds strong
Operating System - JUNOS, a powerful,
development, rollout and consistency positions in the buildings, industry, marine,
feature rich, modular and secure
throughout the GÉANT2 network. infrastructure and telecoms markets in
operating system that delivers on all
Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and The
of the services offered today by the
Netherlands and is also active in Sweden,
UK and Spain. Imtech shares are listed on
the Euronext Stock Exchange (Amsterdam),
where Imtech is included in the Midkap
index (AMX) and the Next 150 index. For
more information on Imtech, visit its Web
site at www.imtech.eu

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