A multi-year infrastructure program, the Next Generation Network (“NGN”) replaces Yale’s current aging network with a modern, resilient, secure, high-performance enterprise network. All aspects of Yale’s mission - including education, research, and healthcare – will benefit.
How will NGN impact researchers currently on ScienceNet? Current 10GE ScienceNet port connections will transition to the Next Generation Network at the same port capacity. The performance and functionality of NGN connections will be at least equivalent to the current ScienceNet connection.
While NGN will benefit the entire Yale community, benefits of specific interest to Yale researchers include:
- Visibility – traffic to/from the Internet and YCRC West Campus resources will traverse Yale’s high-capacity core policy device to both detect and prevent the transmission of common malware and other malicious intrusions.
- Capacity – increased bandwidth from buildings to the core network and from the core network to YCRC West Campus resources may manifest as faster intra-Yale data transfers.
- Resiliency – throughout NGN, redundant devices along with dual, geographically diverse connections decreases network service outages.
- Increasing Automation - the less frequent need for physical interventions will result in an overall faster response to service requests.
- Standardization - where applicable, groups managing their data centers and/or network constructs behind an NGN network connection will be responsible for securing and configuring these services to meet Yale’s increased security and network standards, including Yale’s risk- differentiated Minimum Security Standards (MSS).
Deploying and operating all network services compliant with Yale standards and best practices accomplishes three goals: 1) better adherence to expanding security regulatory requirements; 2) appropriate security controls based on risk level across a diverse set of network use, and 3) increased visibility and response capabilities supporting network operations.
The following resources and functionality are not changing as part of the NGN implementation; all will continue to operate as they do today with the potential for future enhancements:
- YCRC resources at West Campus (HPC, Storage, Data Transfer Node)
- Yale Data Centers, including Storage@Yale
- Cloud providers (Azure, Google, AWS)
- Yale’s network connections to external research and education (R&E) and commercial Internet providers
- Network interconnects between Yale and YNHHS
- Colocation centers (e.g. Equinix)
- Remote Yale locations beyond the New Haven metro area
- Network services into buildings not owned or leased by Yale
- Allowed separate networks managed by external vendors
- Network cabling from the building’s network switches to wall ports
You can find this document in Important Updates and Resources on the NGN website
For more information, contact the NGN team via the ITS Helpdesk or via —–