Can the new SANReN data transfer service help you move your data?

The South African National Research Network (SANReN) are looking for researchers, scientists and IT facilities of research institutes who need to transfer big data sets from/to one or more external sources to/from their institutions. SANReN wants to help you increase the speed and reliability of transferring large datasets across your networks by piloting a data transfer service utilising data transfer nodes (DTNs) in a Science DMZ (demilitarized zone) architecture.

The Challenge 

Moving masses of data is a challenge. In most cases, networks optimised for business operations are neither designed for, nor capable of, supporting the data movement requirements of data-intensive research. When scientists attempt to run data-intensive applications over these so-called ‘general purpose’ or enterprise networks, the result is often poor performance – in many cases poor enough that the science mission is significantly impacted. At its worst, this means either not getting the data, getting it too late or resorting to desperate measures such as shipping disks around.

The Solution

The SANReN Performance Enhancement Response Team (PERT) wants to change this for researchers/scientists – the network, as an instrument, aims to help – not hinder – you.

SANRen has set up three DTNs in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria that are now available to the South African research and education community to assist in data transfer movement, both nationally and internationally, as a pilot project on a trial basis.

If you would like to know more about this project, make use of these DTNs to transfer large datasets to and from your institution or know of a project that could benefit from utilising this service, please email engage@sanren.ac.za. 

To join SANReN in this exciting endeavour, contact: pert@sanren.ac.za.