King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) announced on Tuesday plans to establish a high-speed communications network that will for the first time enable Saudi research and educational institutions to collaborate using high-performance computing facilities at KAUST and other universities around the world. KAUST, a new graduate-level research university, will serve as the hub of the Saudi Arabian Advanced Research and Education Network (SAREN). In partnership with Saudi Telecom Company (STC), KAUST is developing SAREN as a high-speed optical network that will connect research and educational institutions within the Kingdom. Using STC state-of-art next generation IP/MPLS network, SAREN will give other Saudi institutions access to Shaheen, the KAUST supercomputer, and CORNEA, which will be one of the world's most advanced visualization labs, as well as other core lab facilities at KAUST. At the same time, KAUST is connecting via an optical submarine fiber optic cable that allows researchers to transmit data at a rate of 10 gigabits per second (Gbps) - comparable to the capacity available to researchers at MIT. The cable will connect to NetherLight, a leading optical exchange network that links international scientific computing and grid applications to other high-capacity global research networks. NetherLight, operated by SURFnet, the Netherlands' national network organization for higher education and research, will make it possible for researchers in more than 50 countries to use KAUST's computing capabilities and collaborate with scientists across Saudi Arabia - and vice versa. “These two new networks represent KAUST's mission to bring the world to Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabia to the world”, Nadhmi Al-Nasr, KAUST executive VP for Administration and Finance, said. “With this essential connectivity, researchers at KAUST and at institutions throughout the Kingdom will have access to the great work they carry out on their own campuses, as well as to the best research minds and facilities around the world. Likewise, researchers across the globe will be able to tap into our extraordinary tools and intellectual talent,” he pointed out. “This advanced network will enable cloud computing - which allows users to access a combination of connections, software, and services accessed over a network - high-fidelity video conferencing, telepresence technologies, and remote-controlled equipment, laboratories, and sensors” Majid Al-Ghaslan, KAUST's interim chief information officer, said. “The KAUST Research and Education Network will include the University's labs, core facilities, and scientific data,” he further said. Through NetherLight, researchers will have access to high-speed connections that link them to the biggest international research networks, such as Internet2, which serves more than 5,000 scientific research institutions in the United States, and GEANT2, which connects more than 30 million European researchers in 34 countries. “With this endeavor, STC is making significant contributions to the advancement of science in the Kingdom and beyond,” said Engineer Samir Matbouly, vice president - STC Data Services Business Unit. We believe that the technical possibilities of SAREN will provide the foundational cornerstone towards a Saudi knowledge-based economy.”
