Guam-Singapore Connectivity Consortium Expands Support for Data-Intensive Science in the Asia Pacific Oceania Region

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The recently formed Guam–Singapore Connectivity Consortium announced today new high-speed connectivity in support of data-intensive science in the Asia Pacific Oceania Region. The consortium – comprising Internet2 and International Networks at Indiana University (IN@IU) in the United States, Australia's Academic and Research Network (AARNet), and the Arterial Research and Educational Network in the Asia Pacific (ARENA-PAC) – has acquired a 100 gigabits per second (Gbps) circuit between Guam and Singapore through a 15-year agreement. SingAREN in Singapore and the University of Hawaii are contributing connectivity at the exchange points they operate.

The connection marks a major milestone in securing a trans-Pacific network topology for research and education (R&E), providing critical capacity and resiliency in the network fabric that connects the R&E community across three continents: Asia, North America, and Oceania.

The new link adds 100 Gbps of capacity directly connecting Singapore and Guam. It also creates resiliency for the region by providing alternate paths between Japan and Singapore; Australia and Singapore; as well as the United States and Japan, Australia, and Singapore.

The consortium members are also part of a larger collaboration of 11 global R&E networks in North America, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania known as the Asia Pacific Oceania Network (APOnet).

The new 100 Gbps link contributes to APOnet and its efforts to provide high-speed trans-oceanic network services that offer flexibility and dependability, increase data transfer speeds, support end-to-end connectivity analysis, and ensure the advancement of quality service through emerging network technologies.

Comments from the Consortium

"When our team comes to work each day, our goal is simple: we strive to enable high-speed data sharing for collaborative research all over the world. By being part of this new circuit between Guam and Singapore, we are proud to be doing just that," said Dr. Jennifer Schopf, Indiana University's director of International Networks. "I'm excited by the possibilities this collaboration will engender in all areas of science, research, and discovery in general. The world just got a little smaller thanks to this new circuit but its benefits know no bounds."

"Collaborating with NREN partners to provide the international connectivity Australia and our neighboring countries need to support life-changing research and innovation in education is central to what we do," said Steve Maddocks, director international at AARNet. "We're very excited to be part of this new collaboration that will further strengthen the resiliency of connectivity in our region."

"There are three reasons why we celebrate the Guam-Singapore link," said Professor Jun Murai, co-director of ARENA-PAC. "First, this link establishes a new bridge between the east and the west of the Pacific. Secondly, this link is the very first collaboration among these four entities working together as a new consortium in the Pacific region. Lastly, this link extends the existing APRing collaboration to APOnet, which doubles the partnership in the Asia Pacific region."

"Global collaborations are increasingly vital to the acceleration of big science, and new initiatives like the Guam–Singapore Connectivity Consortium reflect that," said Rob Vietzke, Internet2 vice president of network services. "As a transcontinental community of R&E networks, our joint work allows us to collaboratively offer robust and reliable connectivity in support of researchers and their peers across Asia, North America, and Oceania."

"Activation of this new Guam-Singapore capacity gives us direct and resilient connections in every direction from the GOREX exchange point on Guam," said Garret T. Yoshimi, vice president for information technology and CIO at the University of Hawai'i. "As collaborative efforts increase throughout the region, connectivity supported by APOnet is the critical link that supports robust, real-time work among our world-class research and education teams."

"The Guam-Singapore link further enhances trans-continental network resilience that will benefit the R&E communities, and SingAREN is delighted to contribute to this collaborative effort," said Professor Lawrence W. C. Wong, president of SingAREN.

About the Guam–Singapore Connectivity Consortium
The Guam-Singapore Connectivity Consortium is a partnership between Australia's Academic and Research Network (AARNet), the Arterial Research and Educational Network in the Asia Pacific (ARENA-PAC), Internet2, and International Networks at Indiana University (IN@IU). The consortium supports research and education network capacity and resiliency between Japan and Singapore; Australia and Singapore; as well as the United States and Japan, Australia, and Singapore.

AARNet, Australia's Academic and Research Network, provides advanced telecommunications services, along with an expanding range of cybersecurity, data, and collaboration services, all designed to meet the unique and changing needs of Australia's research and education sector. AARNet serves over two million users at universities, research institutes, schools, vocational training providers, and cultural organizations who rely on the AARNet network and services for teaching, learning, and research.

ARENA-PAC is a backbone network with the purpose of research and education and is made up of an international submarine cable network constructed with the goal of expanding the Internet in the Asia Pacific region. ARENA-PAC is a project of the Asia Pacific Internet Development Trust (APIDT) and is operated by WIDE Project with support from APNIC (Asia Pacific Network Information Centre).

Internet2 is a non-profit, member-driven advanced technology community founded by U.S. leading higher education institutions in 1996. Internet2 delivers a diverse portfolio of technology solutions that leverages, integrates, and amplifies the strengths of its members and helps support their educational, research, and community service missions. Internet2's core infrastructure components include the largest and fastest research and education network in the U.S. that was built to deliver advanced, customized services that are accessed and secured by the community-developed trust and identity framework.

IN@IU, International Networks at Indiana University, delivers network connectivity that fosters the scientific collaboration that drives research and education in every corner of the world. From niche projects to large-scale research efforts, IN@IU uses high-performance networking as a tool to advance scientific diplomacy.

Singapore Advanced Research and Education Network (SingAREN) is Singapore's national research and education network. It is the sole provider of local and international networks dedicated to serving the Research and Education community in Singapore. SingAREN's members consist of the Institutions of Higher Learning, Research Organizations, Government, and network industry players. SingAREN facilitates high-speed transfers of large datasets across international boundaries for scientific research and enables advanced network technology demonstrations through its resilient international links and high-speed fiber network. SingAREN Open Exchange (SOE) interconnects Singapore's research and education community to the Research and Education Networks (RENs) in other countries, including Asia, Australia, Europe, and the US. SingAREN offers value-added services to Singapore's Research and Education community, including Eduroam, Singapore Access Federation (SGAF), and Database Mirroring Services.

University of Hawaii (UH) is Hawaii's system of public higher education, founded in 1907, consisting of ten campuses and dozens of research facilities and community-based learning centers located across the Hawaiian Islands. Together with our regional and international partners, UH supports high-capacity research and education networks that interconnect with most of the major network operators throughout the Pacific region.

SOURCE Internet2