The technical centre provides the technical details of how to connect to and tune for KAREN. The section is written for a technical audience and includes a user support guide, standards, specifications and protocols, technical FAQs, and technical documents.

Not a member yet? Then contact us to discuss getting connected.

Note to schools: This section provides information for making a core connection to KAREN. Only large, well resourced organisations usually connect to the KAREN core. Smaller organisations such as schools connect to KAREN via an Aggregator, a third party that manages the connection for you. See the National Education Network page on the KAREN wiki for information on school's connectivity.

KAREN network issues notification mailing list

Networking and technical contacts within KAREN members are notified of any network issues via our Network Notifications list. Please email techinfo@reannz.co.nz to be added to the distribution list.

KAREN snapshot

Visit the Weathermap to view a near real time representation of data traffic flows over KAREN at http://weathermap.karen.net.nz/

Network services KAREN offers

• A high speed network linking the New Zealand Research, education and innovation network and overseas research and education networks
• Jumbo (9000 byte) Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU)
• IP version 4
• IP version 6
• Multicast (both IPv4 and IPv6) which utilises Protocol Independent Multicast Sparse Mode (PIM-SM), Multicast Source Discovery Protocol (MSDP) and Multicast Border Gateway Protocol (MBGP)
• Private VLAN option

Key architectural principles

• KAREN provides very high-speed connectivity between research and education users wishing to collaborate with others in their national and international communities
• The connectivity is facilitated through open and accessible Points of Presence (PoPs)
  
• The PoPs are linked together to facilitate connectivity between users and resources, both national and international, with sufficient capacity to suit any research and education application, and in a manner able to support the ready inclusion of additional research and education resources (separable where incompatible with the production network)
• KAREN will peer, where appropriate, with local and regional networks to extend its reach and to minimise duplication of infrastructure
• KAREN is continually evolving, with emphasis on flexibility of functionality, supply, scalability and reach, subject only to the needs of its connected users

Updated 25 June 2010