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Advanced Network program projects
The three projects that the program funded were:
Further details are available on each project's website.
CeNTIE
The Centre for Networking Technologies for the Information Economy (CeNTIE) was allocated $24 100 million through the ANP. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) ICT Centre also provided matching funding from 2004 to 2007. During the first phase of the project (between 2001 to 2004) the CeNTIE consortium was led by CSIRO and included Nortel Networks, Amcom Telecommunications, the University of New South Wales, the University of Technology Sydney and the Western Australia Interactive Virtual Environments Centre. During the second phase of CeNTIE (between 2004 and 2007) CSIRO became the sole member of the CeNTIE project.
CeNTIE established a high capacity optic network test-bed (up to 10 Gbps), which linked Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane and Tasmania. This network, known as the Foundation Network, enabled research into and commercialisation of network technologies, virtual environments, trusted systems and the developing and testing of leading edge broadband applications to enable next generation information economy business systems.
CeNTIE also built gigabit-capacity networks in Sydney and Perth, including test-beds in Sydney for tele-health and the film post-production industry. Individual institutions were connected with 1 gbps tails and post-production film companies in Sydney were able to collaborate (for content production) using secure network facilities such as a large-scale shared storage system.
CeNTIE worked with a range of industry sector Focus Groups (for example, e-Health, Digital Media, Enterprise Systems and Regional Australian) to link research to develop new applications, services and processes not addressed by private sector initiatives. Some of CeNTIE’s research that is being commercialised includes the Virtual Critical Care Unit with Telstra and the haptic surgical training system with Medic Vision.
GrangeNet
GrangeNet (GRid And Next GEneration Network) was allocated $18 100 million funding through the ANP. GrangeNet was a consortium comprising Australia 's Academic Research and Education Network (AARNet), Australian Partnership for Advanced Computing (APAC), the former Distributed Systems Technology Centre (DSTC), Cisco and Powertel .
GrangeNet built a 10 gbps backbone network between Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney, with a 5 gbps backbone from Sydney to Brisbane, using PowerTel's infrastructure. Individual institutions were connected with 1 gbps tails.
GrangeNet was used by universities for e-Research projects such as the Nano Telemicroscopy project, the Distributed Atmospheric Science project, Pacific and Regional Archive for Digital Sources in Endangered Cultures (PARADISEC) and the Australian Nimrod Testbed. GrangeNet interconnected with CeNTIE's Foundation Network and with AARNet to provide members with access to AARNet's international links, including its dual 155 mbps links across the Pacific. GrangeNet provided high speed access to large amounts of information for researchers working in the areas of astronomy, electron microscopy, media, genomics and linguistics. GrangeNet also supported research into advanced networks and technologies, including instrument grids and tele-science, computational grids, access grids, data grids and grid middleware and security. GrangeNet also developed a portable access grid and installed the eduroam system in universities across Australia.
GrangeNet concluded on 30 November 2006 following the expiry of its funding. A majority of GrangeNet's clients were migrated to the AARNet3 network.
m.Net
m.Net was allocated $15 072 million of funding through the ANP. m.Net's major consortium members include the three Adelaide Universities, Agile Communications, Alcatel, Austereo, Cisco, DSpace Pty Ltd, Telstra, Yahoo!7 and the City of Adelaide.
m.Net pioneered third generation (3G) mobile usage in Australia through the establishment of a pre-commercial 3G mobile network in Adelaide with nodes in Whyalla, Melbourne and Sydney and a wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) test-bed in Adelaide. In parallel with stimulating customer demand through industry programs, the network provided researchers and industry (including SMEs) with a leading-edge technical environment for the development, trialing and commercialisation of advanced mobile applications, digital content and services in areas such as health, transport and new media/entertainment.
m.Net also established itself as a provider of Media Managed Mobile Services and established marketing linkages in North Asia and Europe for distribution of Australian applications and content for 3G mobile telephone services. m.Net is a founding partner in the Mobile Entertainment Growth Area – South Australia (MEGA-SA) which assists teams of industry people and students create new enterprises around mobile entertainment projects.