What is Janet and what is its primary function?

Janet is a high-speed network specifically designed for the research and education community within the United Kingdom. Its primary function is to manage the operation and development of the UK's national education and research network.

Which organization provides the Janet network, and what is its nature?

The Janet network is provided by Jisc, which is a not-for-profit company established to offer computing support for education. Jisc Services Limited, a part of Jisc, currently operates the Janet network.

How many users does the Janet network serve, and what is its standing in Europe?

The Janet network serves 18 million users and is recognized as the busiest National Research and Education Network (NREN) in Europe, based on the volume of data it carries.

What was Janet's organizational status prior to its current structure?

Previously, Janet operated as a private organization funded by the UK government. In this capacity, it provided the JANET computer network and related collaborative services to the UK's research and education sectors.

Which types of organizations are connected to the Janet network within the UK?

All further and higher education organizations in the UK are connected to the Janet network, as are all the UK Research Councils. Additionally, the network carries traffic between schools across the UK, although many schools also maintain their own general Internet connectivity.

How are most of the sites connected to the Janet network structured geographically?

The majority of sites connected to the Janet network are linked via 20 metropolitan area networks across the UK. Janet refers to these as regions, emphasizing that connections extend beyond just metropolitan areas.

What was the original meaning of the name 'Janet'?

The name 'Janet' was originally an acronym, standing for 'Joint Academic NETwork'. However, it is now simply known as Janet in its own right.

How does Janet connect to other international research and education networks?

The Janet network is linked to other National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) across Europe and worldwide through GÉANT. It also extensively peers with other Internet Service Providers (ISPs) at Internet Exchange Points within the UK.

How does Janet handle traffic to networks not directly peered with it?

Any other networks not directly peered with Janet are accessed through transit services provided by commercial Internet Service Providers (ISPs), in accordance with Janet's Peering Policy.

What top-level domains is Janet responsible for managing?

Janet is responsible for managing the .ac.uk and .gov.uk domains, which are used for academic and government institutions in the United Kingdom, respectively.

Describe the organizational changes Janet underwent in 2012 and 2015.

On December 1, 2012, Janet and Jisc Collections merged to form Jisc Collections and Janet Limited, operating as subsidiary organizations to Jisc. Subsequently, in March 2015, Jisc Collections and Janet Limited was renamed to Jisc Services Limited, which continues to operate under the Janet brand with the same responsibilities.

What were the previous names of the organization now known as Janet?

Before its current name, Janet was known as the JNT Association, and prior to that, it was called UKERNA, which stood for the United Kingdom Education and Research Networking Association.

What were the origins of academic networks in Britain that led to Janet's development?

Janet evolved from academic networks that began to be built in Britain in the late 1960s. The planning for the first regional network, the South West Universities Computer Network (SWUCN), centered on Bristol, started in 1967, with work commencing in 1969.

How did national computer facilities contribute to early academic networking in the UK?

In the early 1970s, several national computer facilities were developed to serve the Science Research Council (SRC) community. Each of these facilities, including ULCC London, UMRCC Manchester, and Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, operated with their own star networks.

What was the nature of regional academic networks in the UK during the mid-to-late 1970s?

During the mid-to-late 1970s, other regional networks emerged around cities like Edinburgh (RCOnet), London (METROnet), the Midlands (MIDnet), and Newcastle (NUMAC), as well as in Yorkshire and the South East. These groups of institutions pooled their computing resources to provide better facilities than they could afford individually.

What challenges did early academic networks face regarding compatibility and structure?

Early academic networks, which evolved from star networks into distributed computer networks, faced significant challenges because each was based on a single manufacturer's standards, making them mutually incompatible and often overlapping.

When did the standardization and interconnection effort for JANET begin, and what technology was it based on?

In the early 1980s, a standardization and interconnection effort for JANET began. This effort was hosted on an expansion of the SERCnet X.25 research network and was based on the Coloured Book protocols developed by the British academic community.

What significant achievement did the Coloured Book protocols represent for the UK?

The Coloured Book protocols, developed by the British academic community, provided the first complete X.25 standard, which gave the UK 'several years lead over other countries' in networking technology.

How did JANET influence the development of top-level domains for the Internet?

The JANET NRS naming scheme established 'UK' as its top-level domain. Later that year, the Internet's Domain Name System adopted the British researchers' recommendation to use country code top-level domains, leading to the retention of the UK's pre-existing national standard as the .uk Internet country-code top level domain.

When did JANET officially commence operations, and how did its launch compare to NSFNET in the United States?

JANET officially went live on April 1, 1984. This was two years before the NSFNET, a similar academic network, initiated its operations in the United States.

What were the initial specifications of the JANET network upon its launch?

Upon its launch, JANET hosted approximately 50 sites with initial line speeds of 9.6 kilobits per second (kbit/s).

Describe the early upgrades to JANET's backbone and access links in the mid-1980s.

In the mid-1980s, the JANET network's backbone was upgraded to 2 megabits per second (Mbit/s), while its access links were improved to 64 kbit/s.

When did JANET establish a connection with the NSFNET?

JANET connected to the NSFNET in 1989.

What was the purpose and timeline of the JANET Internet Protocol Service (JIPS)?

Planning for the JANET Internet Protocol Service (JIPS) began in January 1991. It was launched as a pilot project in March 1991 with the aim of hosting Internet Protocol (IP) traffic on the existing network. Within eight months, IP traffic surpassed X.25 traffic levels, and IP support became official in November of the same year.

How did JANET's network speeds evolve in the early 1990s, and what distinction did it achieve?

In the early 1990s, a further upgrade increased JANET's backbone speed to 8 Mbit/s and its access links to 2 Mbit/s, making it the fastest X.25 network in the world at that time.

What was the fate of the X.25 service on Janet, and why did it not transition to OSI protocols?

Although there was discussion in the 1990s about moving Janet to Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) protocols, this transition never occurred due to changes in the networking world. Consequently, the X.25 service was eventually closed in August 1997.

What was the objective of the SuperJanet project, and when did it begin implementation?

The SuperJanet project was proposed in 1989 with the objective of re-hosting JANET onto a fibre optic network to address speed concerns. Work on this project commenced in late 1992.

Describe the initial migration and technology used in the first phase of SuperJanet.

By late 1993, the first 14 sites had migrated to the new SuperJanet system, which utilized a 34 Mbit/s Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) system. This phase also marked SuperJanet's exclusive reliance on Internet Protocol (IP).

What advancements did SuperJanet2 introduce in 1995?

In 1995, SuperJanet2 was launched, which added 155 Mbit/s ATM backbones and a 10 Mbit/s Switched Multimegabit Data Service (SMDS) network. This expansion also encompassed some of the original JANET nodes, and JANET's mandate was broadened to include the operation of metropolitan area networks centered on these sites.

How did SuperJanet3 enhance connectivity for major and smaller sites?

SuperJanet3 involved the creation of new 155 Mbit/s ATM nodes to fully connect all major sites, including London, Bristol, Manchester, and Leeds. Additionally, it established 34 Mbit/s links to smaller sites located across the country.

When was SuperJanet4 launched, and what were its main objectives?

SuperJanet4 was launched in March 2001. Its main objectives were to significantly increase network capacity and to strengthen the design and management of the JANET network to accommodate a similar increase in its user base.

Detail the backbone and regional connection speeds implemented with SuperJanet4.

SuperJanet4 implemented a 2.5 Gbit/s core backbone. Connections from this backbone to regional network points of presence were established at speeds ranging from 155 Mbit/s to 2.5 Gbit/s, depending on the size of the regional network.

When was the core SuperJanet4 backbone upgraded, and to what speed?

The core SuperJanet4 backbone was upgraded to 10 Gbit/s in 2002.

How did SuperJanet4 expand the user base of the JANET network?

SuperJanet4 expanded the user base of the JANET network by including the Further Education Community and by using the SuperJanet4 backbone to interconnect schools' networks.

Which cities served as core backbone sites for SuperJanet4?

The core backbone sites for SuperJanet4 were Edinburgh, Glasgow, Warrington, Reading, Bristol, Portsmouth, London, and Leeds.

When was SuperJanet5 launched, and what was the investment amount?

The SuperJanet5 project was launched in October 2006, following an investment of 29 million British Pounds.

What were the key features and future upgrade path of the SuperJanet5 backbone?

SuperJanet5 provided a 10 Gbit/s backbone, with an upgrade path designed to reach 40 Gbit/s over the subsequent years. This new backbone was a hybrid network, offering both a high-speed IP transit service and private bandwidth channel services provisioned over a dedicated fibre network.

What new user groups was SuperJanet5 designed to accommodate?

SuperJanet5 was designed to fully accommodate the requirements of the traditional JANET user base, which includes all research institutes, universities, and further education institutions. Additionally, it was built to meet the needs of a new user base in the UK's primary and secondary schools.

How did Janet's network performance compare internationally after its April 2011 upgrade?

In April 2011, with assistance from Verizon, Janet upgraded four central locations to operate at 100 Gbit/s. This upgrade brought Janet to a national research and education network performance parity with Internet2, which had upgraded its backbone to 100 Gbit/s in October 2007.

When did Janet6 begin operations and what was its initial capacity?

Janet6 began to go live in July 2013 and was officially launched on November 26, 2013, at the London Film Museum. At its launch, Janet6 had an initial capacity of 2 Tbit/s.

How many regions comprise the Janet network, and what is their role?

The Janet network is implemented through 18 regions. These regions are responsible for connecting universities, colleges, and schools to the broader Janet network.

Are all Janet regions operated directly by Janet?

While most regions are operated directly by Janet, a few operate as independent entities under specific contracts.

List some of the regional networks connected to Janet as of 2014.

As of 2014, some of the regional networks connected to Janet included C&NLMAN (Cumbria and North Lancashire), East of England, East Midlands, London, North West, North East, Northern Ireland, South, South West, Thames Valley, West Midlands, and Yorkshire and Humberside. Specific bespoke contract regions mentioned are KPSN (Kent Public Services Network), PSBA Wales, and The Highlands and Islands (with University of the Highlands & Islands).

Janet Wiki: JANET: The UK's Academic Network Backbone

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Overview

A High-Speed Academic Network

JANET, originally an acronym for Joint Academic NETwork, is a high-speed computer network specifically designed for the United Kingdom's research and education community. It is provided by Jisc, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to offering computing support for education.^[2] Serving an impressive 18 million users, JANET stands as Europe's busiest National Research and Education Network (NREN) in terms of data volume.^[3]

Extensive Reach and Connectivity

The JANET network connects all further and higher education institutions across the UK, along with all Research Councils. A significant portion of these sites are linked via 20 metropolitan area networks, which JANET refers to as "regions" to emphasize their broader geographical coverage beyond just urban centers.^[4] Additionally, the network facilitates traffic between schools within the UK, although many school networks manage their own general internet connectivity.

Global Interconnections

JANET is not an isolated network; it maintains vital links with other European and worldwide NRENs through GÉANT, a pan-European research and education network.^[5] It also engages in extensive peering with various Internet Service Providers (ISPs) at Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) throughout the UK. Any other networks not directly peered with are accessed via transit services from commercial ISPs, adhering to JANET's specific Peering Policy.^[6]

History

Genesis of Academic Networks

The foundation of JANET lies in academic networks established in Britain as early as the late 1960s. Initial planning for the South West Universities Computer Network (SWUCN) commenced in 1967, with work beginning in 1969.^[8]^[9] The early 1970s saw the development of national computer facilities for the Science Research Council (SRC) community, each operating its own star network, such as ULCC London and Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.^[8] Subsequent regional networks, including RCOnet (Edinburgh), METROnet (London), MIDnet (Midlands), and NUMAC (Newcastle), emerged in the mid-to-late 1970s.^[8] These early networks, while pooling resources, were often based on proprietary manufacturer standards, leading to mutual incompatibility and overlapping functionalities.^[8]^[11]

The Dawn of JANET

The early 1980s marked a pivotal standardization and interconnection initiative, building upon an expansion of the SERCnet X.25 research network.^[13] This effort, known as JANET, was rooted in the "Coloured Book protocols" developed by the British academic community, which notably provided the world's first complete X.25 standard.^[16]^[17] This innovation granted the UK a significant lead in networking technology.^[18] The JANET Naming Registration Scheme (NRS) established "UK" as the top-level domain, a recommendation later adopted by the Internet's Domain Name System for country code top-level domains, leading to the enduring .uk domain.^[19] JANET officially launched on April 1, 1984,^[2] predating the NSFNET's operations in the United States by two years.^[13] Initially, it connected approximately 50 sites with line speeds of 9.6 kbit/s, which were upgraded to 2 Mbit/s for the backbone and 64 kbit/s for access links by the mid-1980s. JANET established its connection to NSFNET in 1989.^[22]

The IP Transition: JIPS

In January 1991, planning commenced for the JANET Internet Protocol Service (JIPS).^[18] A pilot project was initiated in March 1991 to integrate Internet Protocol (IP) traffic onto the existing network.^[24] Remarkably, within eight months, IP traffic surpassed X.25 traffic levels, leading to official IP support in November 1991.^[8] JANET subsequently transformed into a high-speed IP network. Further upgrades in the early 1990s boosted the backbone to 8 Mbit/s and access links to 2 Mbit/s, making JANET the fastest X.25 network globally at that time. Despite discussions about migrating to Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) protocols, this shift did not materialize, and the X.25 service was eventually discontinued in August 1997.^[25]

Network Evolution

The SuperJanet Eras

To meet the escalating demand for speed and capacity, JANET underwent a series of significant hardware upgrades, leading to the "SuperJanet" projects. These initiatives progressively enhanced the network's capabilities, incorporating advanced technologies and expanding its reach to a broader user base.

The table below outlines the key phases of SuperJanet's development, highlighting the advancements in network capacity and technology:

Version	Launch Year	Core Speed	Access Speed	Key Technologies	Userbase Expansion
SuperJanet	1992-1993	34 Mbit/s	-	Fibre optic, ATM, IP-only	-
SuperJanet2	1995	155 Mbit/s	10 Mbit/s	ATM, SMDS	Included Metropolitan Area Networks
SuperJanet3	-	155 Mbit/s	34 Mbit/s	ATM	Fully connected major sites, smaller sites
SuperJanet4	2001 (core 2002)	2.5 Gbit/s (upgraded to 10 Gbit/s)	155 Mbit/s to 2.5 Gbit/s	-	Further Education, schools' networks
SuperJanet5	2006	10 Gbit/s (upgrade to 40 Gbit/s)	-	Hybrid network, dedicated fibre	Primary and Secondary schools
Janet6	2013	100 Gbit/s (initial 2 Tbit/s capacity)	-	-	Performance parity with Internet2

By April 2011, Verizon assisted JANET in upgrading four central locations to 100 Gbit/s, achieving performance parity with Internet2, and by October 2011, the network served over 18 million end-users.^[27] Janet6, launched in July 2013^[28] and officially unveiled in November 2013,^[29] boasted an initial capacity of 2 Tbit/s.^[30]

Regions

Geographical Coverage

The JANET network's extensive reach across the UK is facilitated through 18 distinct regional networks. These regional networks are responsible for connecting universities, colleges, and schools directly to the broader JANET infrastructure. While most of these regions are directly operated by JANET, a few function as independent entities, working under bespoke contracts to deliver connectivity services.^[4]

As of 2014, the following regional networks were connected to JANET:

C&NLMAN – Cumbria and North Lancashire
East of England
East Midlands
KPSN Kent Public Services Network (under bespoke contract)
London
North West
North East
North East Scotland
Northern Ireland
PSBA Wales (under bespoke contract)
South
South East Scotland
South West
South West Scotland
Thames Valley
The Highlands and Islands (bespoke contract with University of the Highlands & Islands)
West Midlands
Yorkshire and Humberside

Organization

Governance and Evolution

JANET is currently operated by Jisc Services Limited, which is a part of the broader Jisc organization. Historically, JANET was a private, UK-government funded entity. Over the years, its organizational structure has evolved to better serve the dynamic needs of the UK's research and education sectors. Notably, JANET is also entrusted with the crucial responsibility of managing the .ac.uk and .gov.uk domains, which are vital for academic and governmental online presence in the UK.

Corporate Restructuring

On December 1, 2012, JANET and Jisc Collections merged to form Jisc Collections and Janet Limited, operating as subsidiary organizations under Jisc. This restructuring aimed to streamline operations and enhance collaborative services. Further changes occurred in March 2015, when Jisc Collections and Janet Limited were renamed to Jisc Services Limited.^[7] Despite these corporate name changes, Jisc Services continues to operate under the well-recognized JANET brand name, maintaining its original remit and commitment to the UK's research and education networking needs. Prior to these changes, JANET was known as the JNT Association, and even earlier, as UKERNA (the United Kingdom Education and Research Networking Association).

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References

The Science Research Council (SRC) was renamed the Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC) in 1981 and the computer network was renamed accordingly.

Peering Networks Detailed View

Janet Peering Policy

Companies House

A full list of references for this article are available at the JANET Wikipedia page

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Disclaimer

Important Notice

This page was generated by an Artificial Intelligence and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The content is based on a snapshot of publicly available data from Wikipedia and may not be entirely accurate, complete, or up-to-date.

This is not professional advice. The information provided on this website is not a substitute for professional network engineering, IT infrastructure planning, or cybersecurity consultation. Always refer to official Jisc and JANET documentation and consult with qualified professionals for specific network requirements. Never disregard professional advice because of something you have read on this website.

The creators of this page are not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for any actions taken based on the information provided herein.

JANET: The UK's Academic Network Backbone

💡 Dive in with Flashcard Learning! 💡

Overview ℹ️

🚀 A High-Speed Academic Network

🏫 Extensive Reach and Connectivity

🔗 Global Interconnections

History 📜

🕰️ Genesis of Academic Networks

🌐 The Dawn of JANET

➡️ The IP Transition: JIPS

Network Evolution 📈

⚡ The SuperJanet Eras

Regions 🗺️

📍 Geographical Coverage

Organization 🏢

🏛️ Governance and Evolution

🔄 Corporate Restructuring

Teacher's Corner 🧑‍🏫

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References

📜 References

Feedback & Support 👍

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Disclaimer ⚠️

📜 Important Notice

Dive in with Flashcard Learning!

Overview

A High-Speed Academic Network

Extensive Reach and Connectivity

Global Interconnections

History

Genesis of Academic Networks

The Dawn of JANET

The IP Transition: JIPS

Network Evolution

The SuperJanet Eras

Regions

Geographical Coverage

Organization

Governance and Evolution

Corporate Restructuring

Teacher's Corner

True or False?

Test Your Knowledge!

Gamer's Corner

Discover other topics to study!

References

Feedback & Support

Disclaimer

Important Notice