Universities and Telekom Austria: high tec infrastructure for Austrian science network implemented

A first-class, fail-safe national and international data link has been assured with the renewal of the ACOnet infrastructure through the creation of a redundant, wavelength-transparent fibre optic backbone. With this new ACOnet backbone, a high performance infrastructure is made available which enables projects with high data transfer volumes to operate problem-free and cost-efficiently, which in the past has been either difficult or impossible to realise. “Scientific research hasn't been restricted to the closed laboratory for a long time now. High-performance data links are part of necessary research conditions, in order to facilitate the exchange and networking of knowledge worldwide. The data volumes transferred across the internet almost double every year. Together with the University of Vienna, we are already creating connections for tomorrow and making the ACOnet fit for the future”, according to Dr. Hannes Ametsreiter, general director of Telekom Austria TA AG and the marketing director of mobilkom Austria AG.

“The generous provision of connections to the international knowledge network assures that optimal frameworks for research and teaching are provided for all Austrian universities", rejoices Georg Winckler, Rector of the University of Vienna. Scientific projects have for a long time no longer orientated themselves along national borders. New, innovative research findings are often based on international co-operation, which also require the efficient exchange of large amounts of data. "Here, there are almost no limits to fantasy - in the international field, there are already a few projects which make use of dedicated Gigabit and even 10 Gigabit transmission channels", explains Peter Rastl, the director of the Vienna University Computer Center (ZID), which make demands on a contemporary scientific network "made possible via the worldwide sharing of computer and data-cluster applications (e.g. the LHC Grid in high energy physics), the transmission of live video streams in HDTV quality (e.g. telemedicine), the co-operative access to high quality media libraries, modern e-learning networks applications, or remote access to unique large equipment worldwide (e.g. astronomy).”

ACOnet - Austrian Academic Computer Network – http://www.aco.net/ ) is the Austrian data communications network for non-profit organisations in research, education and culture, which offers its participants access to other National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) and to the Internet. Alongside universities and technical colleges, schools, museums and libraries are also taking part. ACOnet is operated by the Vienna University Computer Center (ZID), a department of the University of Vienna, in co-operation with partners in all Austrian university locations. ACOnet, the Austrian science data network entered service in 1990 and is a partner in the pan-European multi-gigabit research network GÉANT, coordinated by DANTE, located in Cambridge. ACOnet operates connection points in Vienna, Linz, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Dornbirn, Klagenfurt, Leoben, Graz and Eisenstadt and is currently preparing nodes in St. Pölten and Krems.

Further enquiries:
Mag. Cornelia Blum
Universität Wien
1010 Wien, Dr.-Karl-Lueger-Ring 1
T  +43-1-4277-10012
M +43-664-602 77-10012
cornelia.blum(at)univie.ac.at

Mag. Gudrun Zimmerl
TELEKOM AUSTRIA TA AG
Kommmunikation
1020 Wien, Lassallestraße 9
T +43 (0)59 059 1 11016
gudrun.zimmerl(at)telekom.at