Dear colleagues,
It gives me great pleasure to announce the activation of a major upgrade to the international network that connects KAUST to the world.
Today the IT department launched new 400Gbps of international connectivity capacity, a significant upgrade from the previous 10Gbps connection speed, and an upgrade that puts us on par with many other top research institutions around the world.
The new capacity, comprising 200 Gbps from KAUST to Amsterdam and 200 Gbps to Singapore connects KAUST to major research and education network hubs in Europe and East Asia. The new connections provide our researchers with fast, efficient data transmission and reliable access to scientific resources and cloud service providers anywhere on the planet. Using the data transfer tools available here at KAUST, the new links will enable high-performance science applications, including high-volume bulk data transfer, remote experiment control and data visualization. With this capability, a KAUST researcher will be able to collaborate with peers anywhere on earth without geographical limitations. The new links also give the community additional redundancy and resiliency when connecting to the internet providing a more reliable internet experience.
While multiple 100 Gbps links for research and education institutions are common in most other parts of the world, the high-speed connections at KAUST are unprecedented in the Middle East. To deliver the service, Mobily supplies four 100 Gbps dedicated circuits which KAUST is using to get to Amsterdam and Singapore. This arrangement has enabled KAUST to build direct connections into the SURF and NORDUnet research and education networks in Europe as well as the SingAREN network in Singapore. These interconnects provide KAUST researchers with fast and reliable access to resources in Europe and Asia as well as the U.S.
Tony F. Chan
KAUST president
Jason Roos
Chief Information Officer
