In order to maintain service to users of this specialised network and keep costs under control, users of the network need to understand that there is a list of necessary restrictions. All connections are subject to approval by the Research Computing Team and subject to survey.
With apologies for the draconian tone but for the sake of clarity, please be aware that equipment attaching to this network:
- must be creating and shipping data at a rate greater than 20GB/day (where multiple, large instruments are collected together in a lab, the demand may be aggregated)
- as standard, will be connected at 1Gbps using CAT6 copper. (For devices capable of and requiring higher speeds or needing fibre optic links, a discussion with the Research Computing Team is essential. This will require an upgrade to the service. Additional costs are likely to be incurred.)
- is not required to automatically receive Windows updates or be an ADF connected system
- as a result of 3., will have very restricted connectivity, limited to access to the BEAR storage infrastructure and storage services as well as basic web access only
- must have a named person responsible
- must be some form of managed device i.e. have a mechanism for setting appropriate parameters to manage its interactions with the network.
- must never be dual connected to the campus wired or wireless networks (or any other network without prior written authority from the Research Computing team)
- may bring the local segment of the network down, cutting off other research equipment connecting to the local POP if not properly managed
- may only continue to attach if it is properly managed, respecting the principles above
- will be disconnected if it brings down a segment of the network
- will be disconnected if other network kit or unregistered devices are attached
- will be disconnected if any attempt is made to circumvent security or features of the network
- only registered and approved devices may be connected
- when connecting to the research data store, it may be necessary to register a special service account to authenticate to the data store
Note also that the data being transmitted are subject to the same restrictions currently applying to BEAR Storage services and should be included in Research Data Management Plans. In brief, the PI remains responsible for the data at all times and must be satisfied that the BEAR services are adequate to meet the security and confidentiality requirements of the data. At present this means sensitive data, including non-anonymised patient data, must be encrypted at source and so before transmission. If in any doubt, please consult the Research Computing Team when planning bids and connection.
Last Reviewed:
02 March 2019