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Scope, resource plan and timeline for deliverables for a detailed investigation to Contracts for the GÉANT network dark fibre routes expire in 2020 & 2021. Cost prohibitive contract termination fees prevent ceasing the majority of the fibre routes before 2018. A detailed investigation needs to be started in GN4 year 1 to assess what layer 1 infrastructure is required if any and where for the future iteration of the GEANT network beyond 2020 and if the existing fibre can be replaced with more economical infrastructure after 2018. The study will need to determine how much this new  / replacement infrastructure is going to cost so affordability can be established and the necessary reserves accrued.

With the majority of European NRENs operating their own national fibre networks and as a small number of NRENs have or are building duplicate fibre infrastructure to the existing GEANT fibre network SA1 T1 in GN4 year 1, will investigate how European NREN operated infrastructure can be used and establish where the gaps are in that infrastructure that need to be filled by NREN investment or by commercial infrastructure.  SA1 T1 will establish the different optical platforms that exist now or that will exist in 2018 and undertake to investigate the GEANT Infinera optical platform’s ability to share that optical infrastructure. Establishing a program of vendor engagement and technology trials to conduct in GN4 year 2. The task will also establish if there is a need for a low cost scalable optical solution for the edges of the GÉANT network that have lower capacity requirements where the current Infinera DTNx 4/10 solution is not cost effective or suitable and where solutions based on “own optical transmission” capability make overall sense.

This study will be conducted so new service and future capacity needs are considered to determine the likely volume of capacity required between NRENs to justify the operation of fibre or appropriate wavelength capacity.  

The study will be conducted with affordability and technical and operational suitability as core principles to ensure costs are appropriate for the type of connectivity required and to ensure where possible NREN infrastructure is used.

The output from this study will be the following;

• List of optical vendors used by NRENs from 2018 onwards
• Comprehensive map of European NREN layer 1 infrastructure
• Options for how that infrastructure could be utilised and the gaps that need to be filled to replace existing GEANT fibre routes in 2018 and a plan to take into GN4 year 2 to establish the viability of those options to deliver a recommendation for approval in GN4 year 3.
• A plan to take into GN4 year 2 to establish the long-term requirement for layer 1 connectivity to deliver a recommendation for approval in GN4 year 3.

Milestones:

The above internal documents will provide input to the EC deliverables D5.2 and D5.6 "Revision of GÉANT Network Evolution Plan".