Intersite connection
Extend your local area network (LAN) to additional sites within your IT estate – such as campus buildings, research facilities or spin-off businesses - or build a Wide Area Network (WAN).
As an IT manager in research or education, do you need to extend your local network to smaller campuses or additional facilities within your IT estate?
If so, you may be concerned that procuring telecoms circuits will be time-consuming and complex – which is especially challenging if you have a deadline to hit.
The good news is that, as a Janet-connected member, you can use our intersite connection service to do the heavy lifting for you.
How we can help
Our dedicated and experienced connections team can act as a trusted partner – co-ordinating the process of connecting additional sites, from quoting and procurement to service delivery and first-line support.
This takes away the hassle of dealing with third-party providers, helping to ensure that the connectivity you procure fits your needs – which could help avoid project delays.
Intersite connectivity that is saving us money and time
"Our old Avenue site closed in December 2020. We had to move fast to decommission the intersite connections between it and our main Waterside campus, and procure new ones between Waterside and our datacentre".
Richard Jackson, senior network engineer, University of Northampton
View the University of Northampton case study (pdf)
How can the service help you?
Our intersite connection service helps you to:
Extend your LAN
An intersite connection can help you extend your LAN, which in turn develops your business – for example, by offering connectivity to new or merged campuses, to research facilities, or to spin-off companies.
Build your WAN
Use the intersite connection service to build your wide area network (WAN). When combined with our Netpath service an Intersite connection can connect sites that span the UK with private point to point connections.
Add resilience
Add resilient connectivity for key sites. Our portfolio of connectivity services combine to offer many options for resilience. You can match the level of resilience need for each site on a case by case basis.
Scale-up bandwidth for special projects
Intersite connections can also be delivered using dark fibre (unlit fibre optic cable that has been deployed, but is not yet activated) if required and available. Dark fibre gives your organisation maximum control and flexibility to add additional bandwidth, whilst controlling costs, to meet the requirements of specific projects, or to build into critical infrastructure.
More about intersite connection and dark fibre
The service is provided as a simple pair of fibres so you can choose what equipment is connected and simply upgrade the capacity of the link by upgrading or replacing that equipment.
Like all point to point connections, they are uncontended and physically dedicated to your organisation, with the underlying fibre-optic infrastructure procurement and delivery managed by the connections teams within Jisc.
Organisations will need to monitor and manage these connections, but the Jisc service desk will provide a single point of contact for fault resolution if required.
The service is provided as a simple pair of fibres so you can choose what equipment is connected and simply upgrade the capacity of the link by upgrading or replacing that equipment.
Like all point to point connections, they are uncontended and physically dedicated to your organisation, with the underlying fibre-optic infrastructure procurement and delivery managed by the connections teams within Jisc.
Organisations will need to monitor and manage these connections, but the Jisc service desk will provide a single point of contact for fault resolution if required.
Rely on us
Our dedicated and skilled connections team can take over the process of procuring telecoms circuits. We can:
- Gather your connectivity requirements – and determine the best-value fit for your needs, working within approved procurement channels
- Co-ordinate your order from procurement to delivery
- Help to spot potential issues in advance – helping to keep your project on schedule and meet deadlines
- Access service levels unavailable to organisations acting alone
- Handle invoicing, service cancellation and service renewal – checking prices at the end of your contract to check you are still getting the right connectivity for your needs and budget
Access first-line support
Once your intersite connection is installed, we offer first-line support via the Jisc service desk.
Because we understand the telecoms industry and its processes, our service desk can raise fault tickets, escalate issues and communicate progress on your behalf, in line with the service level you select.
Crucially, we understand the specific demands of working in the research and education sector – for example, the importance of having reliable connectivity during clearing or at the start of term.
Choose from design options
We can work with you on a bespoke basis to help make sure you have the right network design for your needs – from a simple LAN extension to a star network or triangulated network for resilience.
We combine Janet IP connections with intersite connections and netpaths to meet all your connectivity needs.
How to get an intersite connection
- Existing members - if you are an existing Jisc member, you could benefit from an additional connection, for example to connect a campus or research facility. Contact your relationship manager for more information
- Customers - if you are an organisation with links to research and education, you may be eligible for a Janet IP connection as a customer – for example, if you are a not-for-profit or public-sector organisation, or a research-linked enterprise. Find out more about our work with customers
To get started, contact your relationship manager.
Service level description
Service description
Point to point network connectivity to support your organisation.
Administration of services
The connections team administer the commissioning of all connection services for Jisc.
Eligibility
Organisations wishing to take up service from the broader connectivity portfolio should adhere to the Janet Network connection policy (pdf).
Service delivery time
We aim to install new connections within 60 working days of receipt of all necessary information, unless delivery of service is prevented by reasons beyond our control.
Cancellation of connections will be implemented within 20 business days of approval by us, unless the cancellation is prevented by reasons beyond our control.
Service continuity
Intersites are not resilient connections by default unless a resilient circuit is specifically procured. Should there be a fault on the circuit, or with the NTE, Jisc will work to resolve it. There is likely to be a partial or total loss of connectivity in this event. If a resilient service has been procured switch over of traffic to the alterative circuit is very likely to be manual, so again there will be a temporary loss of service.
Auto-negotiation
Intersite connections are provided with a default ‘auto-negotiate’ setting. Auto-negotiation is mandatory for 1000BaseT, 1000 BaseLX and 1000BaseSX; it is not possible to offer these 1000Mbps interfaces without auto-negotiation. It is your responsibility to ensure your networking equipment is able to support this.
Fault management and escalation
Intersites provide an unmonitored point-to-point connection between sites, which should be configured at a local level by the customer using their own networking equipment or that provided by a telco provider. It’s the member or customer responsibility to inform Jisc service desk of any issues with the circuit or NTE.
Jisc will work with the supplier, to their specific service level agreement (SLA), to resolve the problem. For these reasons Jisc’s service levels on unmonitored connections differ, and are lower, than those offered by Janet IP connections in Jisc's service level commitment.
Jisc will however provide on request basic telephone assistance in the diagnosis of faults on the service and, if necessary, raise any issues with the telecom supplier. In these circumstances the time to resolve any problems will be in accordance with the telecom supplier’s SLA.
This fault management service is available via the Janet service desk on:
- Monday - Friday from 07:00 - 23:59
- Saturday - Sunday from 09:00 - 19:00
- Public holidays from 09:00 to 17:00
Faults with the service may also be reported via the service desk by calling 0300 300 2212 or emailing help@jisc.ac.uk.
Security
As private point-to-point service the onus is on your organisation to manage the security of the connection.
Your responsibilities
You are responsible prior to being connected, or when requesting a change to your connection, for:
- Providing all relevant site information as requested
- The provision and maintenance of its own internal network and facilities in order to utilise the Janet Network
Charges and price changes
Intersite connections are charged-for services.
We have a standardised timeline for the rollout of pricing changes on existing live services. We aim to issue price change notifications in January, ahead of their application in the August invoicing of the same year. We understand that this better aligns with HE and FE budget setting cycles and gives a notification period which is more helpful to members. However, our terms stipulate a notice period of three months.
Typically, service price change notifications will be issued via email to the relevant organisational contacts. We will not email you if are not affected by a price change; for example if the change does not apply to your service or sector.
Terms and conditions
Organisations must ensure they understand and adhere to our terms and conditions.
Service description
Point to point network connectivity to support your organisation.
Administration of services
The connections team administer the commissioning of all connection services for Jisc.
Eligibility
Organisations wishing to take up service from the broader connectivity portfolio should adhere to the Janet Network connection policy (pdf).
Service delivery time
We aim to install new connections within 60 working days of receipt of all necessary information, unless delivery of service is prevented by reasons beyond our control.
Cancellation of connections will be implemented within 20 business days of approval by us, unless the cancellation is prevented by reasons beyond our control.
Service continuity
Intersites are not resilient connections by default unless a resilient circuit is specifically procured. Should there be a fault on the circuit, or with the NTE, Jisc will work to resolve it. There is likely to be a partial or total loss of connectivity in this event. If a resilient service has been procured switch over of traffic to the alterative circuit is very likely to be manual, so again there will be a temporary loss of service.
Auto-negotiation
Intersite connections are provided with a default ‘auto-negotiate’ setting. Auto-negotiation is mandatory for 1000BaseT, 1000 BaseLX and 1000BaseSX; it is not possible to offer these 1000Mbps interfaces without auto-negotiation. It is your responsibility to ensure your networking equipment is able to support this.
Fault management and escalation
Intersites provide an unmonitored point-to-point connection between sites, which should be configured at a local level by the customer using their own networking equipment or that provided by a telco provider. It’s the member or customer responsibility to inform Jisc service desk of any issues with the circuit or NTE.
Jisc will work with the supplier, to their specific service level agreement (SLA), to resolve the problem. For these reasons Jisc’s service levels on unmonitored connections differ, and are lower, than those offered by Janet IP connections in Jisc's service level commitment.
Jisc will however provide on request basic telephone assistance in the diagnosis of faults on the service and, if necessary, raise any issues with the telecom supplier. In these circumstances the time to resolve any problems will be in accordance with the telecom supplier’s SLA.
This fault management service is available via the Janet service desk on:
- Monday - Friday from 07:00 - 23:59
- Saturday - Sunday from 09:00 - 19:00
- Public holidays from 09:00 to 17:00
Faults with the service may also be reported via the service desk by calling 0300 300 2212 or emailing help@jisc.ac.uk.
Security
As private point-to-point service the onus is on your organisation to manage the security of the connection.
Your responsibilities
You are responsible prior to being connected, or when requesting a change to your connection, for:
- Providing all relevant site information as requested
- The provision and maintenance of its own internal network and facilities in order to utilise the Janet Network
Charges and price changes
Intersite connections are charged-for services.
We have a standardised timeline for the rollout of pricing changes on existing live services. We aim to issue price change notifications in January, ahead of their application in the August invoicing of the same year. We understand that this better aligns with HE and FE budget setting cycles and gives a notification period which is more helpful to members. However, our terms stipulate a notice period of three months.
Typically, service price change notifications will be issued via email to the relevant organisational contacts. We will not email you if are not affected by a price change; for example if the change does not apply to your service or sector.
Terms and conditions
Organisations must ensure they understand and adhere to our terms and conditions.