National research and education networks (NRENs) are a group of highly specialised Internet service providers, operating from every corner of the world.
At their core, these networks exist to enable efficient, reliable data communications and networking services for their nation’s research and education communities.
Many of the world’s NRENs, of which there are over 125, have also connected to form an international research and education network, allowing global collaboration.
REANNZ is New Zealand’s own NREN, driving this unique service for Kiwi researchers and innovators.
Our mission at REANNZ is to provide outstanding network services, infrastructure and tools that enable collaboration and accelerate education, science and innovation.
Put more simply, we accelerate the transformation of data into knowledge, using our globally innovative platform, which connects Kiwi researchers and educators to one another, and the world.
Our members include New Zealand’s universities, Crown Research Institutes, wānanga, Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics, and other entities in the research and education community.
At REANNZ we work, day in and day out, to provide leading edge services for our country’s top researchers, who often need access to technology that cannot be provided by commercial networks.
At the heart of REANNZ is our advanced network, which connects members of our community to one another as well as to their international peers, via high-capacity, high-quality broadband, designed to meet the exacting requirements of 21st century science, education and innovation.
We also provide tools that facilitate collaboration between institutions, specialised services that enhance our members’ ability to use our network, and products and services that improve the effectiveness and efficiency of our members’ businesses.
Some of our newest services and upgrades include Software Defined Networking (SDN), a forty-fold increase in international bandwidth capacity to Australia, the United States and beyond and deployment of eduroam throughout the country, providing free roaming Internet for university staff and students.
In understanding REANNZ’s role in New Zealand, it helps to understand the fundamental differences between a research and education network and a commercial Internet service provider (ISP).