Researchers

What does the REANNZ network mean for New Zealand's researchers?

Access to the REANNZ allows researchers to:

collaborate on research projects with their peers,
share massive data sets amongst their teams and international colleagues,
connect to high-performance computing sites like NeSI and scientific instruments around the world.

What is REANNZ?

REANNZ is the National Research and Education Network (NREN) for New Zealand. REANNZ operates a high-performance fibre network that connects its members to each other and to other research organisations around the world. Data can be transferred through REANNZ's network at up to 100 gigabits a second nationally meaning large datasets can be transferred in a fraction of the time.

REANNZ also has an international network, that connects from Auckland to Australia, the US, Guam and Hawai'i. REANNZ is New Zealand's contribution to a global system of more than 120 high performance NRENs around the world. REANNZ members in New Zealand are connected to these global partners overseas through peering exchanges, points around the world where data is handed over to other NREN providers to reach an international end point.

How do I get on to the REANNZ network?

If you work at one of our member organisations on site, either on campus or in a research facility, then you are already connected to the network. As an end user you may not realise it; REANNZ is not an additional plug in for your computer or an icon on your desktop. Data is routed automatically via REANNZ when the source and the destination of the data are recognised as being members.

Many existing applications like email clients and web browsers can be used to send traffic via REANNZ. There are also communication and collaboration tools that are supported by the network, for example the services that are accessible through Tuakiri and eduGAIN. What is Tuakiri?

In many cases, applications designed for large scale data transfers across advanced research networks like REANNZ are specialised; they reflect the workflows, resources and computational requirements of specific scientific and scholarly domains. An example of one of these tools is Globus, the software that supports NeSI's national data transfer platform. Globus has over 20,000 endpoints around the globe, supporting researchers worldwide by providing fast, secure, and reliable data transfers. It acts as an interface that looks a lot like a file management system, where you can simply drag and drop the dataset to initiate the transfer to your selected end point. Find out more about the national data transfer platform here at NeSI’s website.

Making the most of REANNZ will mean identifying, adopting and deploying tools and services that support the types of research that you do. Talking with international colleagues about the tools and services that they use for collaborative research is a good starting point. You own organisation's research support teams and a member of our engagement team can also help you to find the best solution. Get in touch with the team at engagement@reannz.co.nz.

What kinds of research can REANNZ support? Is it just for scientists?

REANNZ supports researchers to:

participate in national and international research collaborations,
transfer large quantities of data quickly and easily,
analyse and process data more efficiently through the sharing of resources.

Data intensive fields of research like the physical sciences are often early adopters of advanced networks. Researchers in the sciences often undertake large-scale data processing and data modelling and may require remote access to equipment and large datasets. Research networks support these kinds of activities and enable connections to overseas tools and initiatives in fields like astronomy, particle physics, bioinformatics, chemistry, epidemiology, surgical training and marine biology.

An example of this is the Australian Synchrotron, one of Australia's most significant pieces of scientific infrastructure. The Synchrotron’s intense beams of light reveal the innermost, sub-macroscopic composition of materials, from human tissue to plants to metals and more. Access to the Synchrotron through the REANNZ network enables a range of research applications.

But REANNZ is not just for scientists, the growth of data and computationally intensive research is happening across an increasing number of fields, both in New Zealand and internationally. Any research that requires collaboration or involves handling large quantities of data could benefit from the REANNZ network. Initiatives in sociology, health research, anthropology (including fieldwork), environmental planning, education, data management, digital archives and many other fields have successfully used research networks to share their work and collaborate on global projects.

Can REANNZ help my research?

If any of the following statements apply to you, then REANNZ may help to facilitate your research:

My research involves working with researchers from other organisations in NZ and/or overseas.
I do not collaborate with other researchers but I would like to in future.
Data and/or equipment that would be useful to me is located elsewhere.
I have data and/or equipment that other researchers would like to access.
I need to send/receive large quantities of data.
I use software programs to analyse data - it is very complex / takes a long time.
I am aware of international research initiatives in my area and would like to participate in them.

What do I do now to use REANNZ to support my research?

Get in touch with us! Our engagement team are here to work with you and the technology teams at your organisation to ensure that you benefit from the network and use it to take your research to the next level.

Email us at engagement@reannz.co.nz.

About REANNZ

What is an NREN?