JANET Managed Router Service
The Janet Managed Router Service provides remote support to those sites that require additional assistance and expertise in supporting their Janet network router. The service runs in parallel with the existing maintenance contract held for Janet network equipment.
Benefits
- Router hardware and software are provisioned for you.
- Guaranteed expertise: Janet or its managing agent will configure and install the router at your site, manage configuration changes at your request, and deal with router faults during the service term.
- No additional expense: cost of the service is included as part of your Janet primary connection for FE Colleges, Sixth Form Colleges, Specialist Colleges, PCDL and HEIs up to bandwidths of 500Mbit/s.
- No ties: customers may opt in to or out of the service at any time.
- No extra administrative load: Router fault reporting mechanisms are integrated with Janet connection fault reporting.
What does the Managed Router Service offer?
The Managed Router Service comprises the following elements:
- Standard router provision.
- Router hardware maintenance.
- Router software maintenance, including operating system upgrades, bug fixes and security patches.
- Router configuration changes (limited to five changes per annum. Routers are initially configured with a standard set of access control and security filters and it is not envisaged that the configuration will need to be changed frequently).
- Router fault reporting mechanisms integrated with Janet connection fault reporting.
Eligibility
All Janet customers are eligible for the service; however it is aimed primarily at FE bodies and may not be suitable for all HEIs. The routers provided can support bandwidths of up to 1Gbit/s and router configuration changes provided by the service are limited to 5 per year. HEIs should look at their requirements carefully before opting for the MRS to ensure it is suitable.
If a customer has two (or more) connections to Janet, and wants to join the MRS then all of their connections must be included in the MRS. This is to ensure that all routers are within the same management domain.
What does the service cost?
The Further Education funding bodies fund Janet primary connections for FE Colleges, Sixth Form Colleges, Specialist Colleges and PCDL providers; a router and the MRS is available to all of these organisations without charge, up to a certain bandwidth.
The Managed Router Service is also available free of charge to HEIs: however the service has a limited scope and will therefore not suit all.
Funded organisations requiring additional connections and all other customers are charged for the service.
Charges may be levied for different categories of customer and router, as summarised below.
Customer |
Charge for MRS |
Charge for site Router |
|---|---|---|
FE sector primary connection - FE College, Sixth Form Colleges, Specialist College, PCDL/ACL provider |
No (connections up to 500Mbit/s) Yes (connections above 500Mbit/s) |
No (connections up to 500Mbit/s) Yes (connections above 500Mbit/s) |
HE sector primary connection |
No (connections up to 500Mbit/s) Yes (connections above 500Mbit/s) |
No (connections up to 500Mbit/s) Yes (connections above 500Mbit/s) |
Self funded customer |
Yes |
Yes |
Any Customer - additional connection |
Yes |
Yes |
Customers paying for the Janet MRS are charged annually, on or around the 1st August each year. This is paid in advance and is a non-refundable charge; it covers the customer for the full financial year. This means that if a site opts out and then rejoins the MRS half way through the year there will be no additional charge. It should be noted however that any site that has paid the MRS charge and then opted out will not be covered by the Janet MRS until they rejoin the service.
The standard router provisioned for new connections is a Cisco2951. However Cisco2851 routers may be provided for connection bandwidths up to 100Mb/s.
If a customer has to pay for both MRS and the router, as in the table above, the following charges will apply. These router costs are reviewed annually.
Routers supplied for the most commonly requested bandwidths are shown below.
Connection bandwidth |
Router |
Typical cost |
MRS Charge |
|---|---|---|---|
Up to and including 100Mb/s |
2851 |
£2,700 |
£1,000 |
Up to and including 500Mb/s |
2951 |
£3,500 |
£1,000 |
1 Gb/s |
7201 |
£13,500 |
Funded primary - £1,000 Self-funded or additional connection - £2,000 |
The maximum bandwidth supported by each router may be in excess of the bandwidth listed in the table above. Janet will advise on the suitability of routing equipment on a case by case basis.
Can the Janet MRS be offered on customer-owned routing equipment?
MRS can be offered on customer-owned routing equipment, subject to agreement of the managing agent (usually the Janet Network Operations Team, otherwise the Regional Network Operator delivering the service). In this situation router maintenance will not be covered by the Janet maintenance contract and the customer will be responsible for maintaining the router.
Customers should be aware that once Janet or its managing agent take on the management of the routing equipment the site will no longer have access to make any configuration changes.
What software is provided?
Routers are normally provided with the standard operating system supplied by the manufacturer. Additional feature sets can be supplied on request. Customers requiring additional feature sets above the standard for the particular router supplied may be charged for software upgrades at cost, unless a funding body is meeting this additional cost. Customers should specify their requirements at the initial contact stage.
A description of what the standard IOS includes can be found on the Cisco website: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/iosswrel/ps8802/ps5460/product_bulletin_c25-557278.html.
EXISTING MRS CUSTOMERS
Upgrading your existing bandwidth and Janet router
When a customer requests a connection bandwidth upgrade, unless paid for by a centrally funded programme, the upgrade will be funded by the individual customer. The customer will be expected to meet the costs of the upgrade, and if required, the full costs of a new site router or if upgrading an existing router any additional equipment that may be required.
Software Upgrades
For customers on the Janet MRS software upgrades will be funded by Janet up to the standard software and feature sets as provided on a Cisco2951 router. Customers can request software upgrades by contacting the Janet Service Desk. Additional feature sets above those provided as standard with a Cisco2951 will be chargeable to the customer, unless a funding body is meeting this additional cost.
How do you report faults and what is the service level agreement (SLA)?
The normal fault reporting procedure for a Janet connection should be followed as outlined in the fault reporting letter sent to the customer after the circuit has been delivered. Normal diagnosis of the fault by the managing agent will determine the nature of the fault and appropriate arrangements for repair will be made.
The hardware cover provided by our maintenance contract is 1 hour diagnosis plus 4 hours to site response. For complete hardware failures replacement hardware should be at the customer site within the 5 hours as above. In cases where the running of the router is not immediately affected, for example with a faulty fan, the hardware replacement may be provided the next working day.
How do you join the Janet MRS?
If you require MRS as part of your new connection or as part of a connection upgrade the MRS requirement will be included in the contractual documentation provided at the start of this process. This is counted as your written confirmation for joining or opting out of the Janet MRS.
For existing connections wanting to join the MRS please contact the Janet Service Desk. You will be sent the relevant MRS Provision form, which you must complete, sign and return to Janet. Please note verbal requests will not be accepted. The provision of your MRS will begin from the date Janet receives the completed form or where applicable, the date agreed by both parties. After completion of the form the managing agent will be in contact with the site to discuss router access details.
What if you no longer require the Janet MRS?
You may opt out of the Janet MRS by contacting the Janet Service Desk. You will be sent the relevant MRS Cease form, which you must complete, sign and return to Janet. Please note verbal requests will not be accepted, and the MRS will continue as usual until advised in writing.
The cease of your MRS will begin from the date Janet receives the completed form or where applicable, the date agreed by both parties. After completion of the form the managing agent will be in contact with the nominated contact at the site to provide the router access details.
By opting out of the Janet MRS the customer takes full responsibility for the management of the router. If at any point they wish to opt back into the Janet MRS the customer will need to complete the MRS Provision form as detailed above.
Self-funded customers wishing to provision and manage their own router may use the Janet routing and switching framework for purchasing routing equipment; information about this is located on the Janet website.
For further enquiries
For all enquiries, including applications for the Janet Managed Router Service, please contact the Janet Service Desk on 0300 300 2212 or service@ja.net.