The Department of Defence is on the hunt for a new Deployable Wide Area Network (D-WAN) to replace its existing D-WAN.
According to department documents, the replacement D-WAN will deliver an integrated “system of systems” D-WAN, ranging from interfaces to the Defence terrestrial communications network (DTCN) to deployable service extension and aggregation systems.
The new D-WAN — being sourced under Defence’s Specialist Communications Modernisation Program – Land (SCMP-L) program — will differ from its existing D-WAN in that it will use a many to many (mesh) topology instead of traditional hub and spoke topology.
The new D-WAN will also help Defence avoid an exponential increase in D-WAN operating costs, as well address numerous critical equipment obsolescence issues and capacity constraints.
“For almost a decade, the D-WAN network design has been based on individual point to point serial circuits, predominantly using fixed ISDN leased lines and Global Access Network (GAN) Inmarsat services,” the documents read.
“This type of network configuration offers little flexibility, and is typified by low throughputs, high configuration overheads, high operating costs and protracted implementation timeframes which are not suitable for most deployment scenarios.”
The D-WAN is expected to be delivered between 2012 and 2013.
In November, the Department of Defence delayed releasing a request for tender for its “Next Generation Desktops” project until January, pushing its thin client deployment back by two months.
The project, which will see 15,000 thin clients rolled out across the department, was initially planned for tender in November among a shortlist of four providers - Raytheon, BAE Systems, Thales and HP - following market solicitation earlier in the year.
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