KREONET

KREONET
Name	KREONET
Type	National Research and Education Network
Founded	1996
Headquarters	Daejeon, South Korea
Area served	South Korea
Services	High-performance networking, grid, cloud, optical transport

KREONET KREONET is South Korea's national research and education network linking universities, research institutes, and international partners. It connects major institutions such as Seoul National University, KAIST, POSTECH, Yonsei University, and Korea University to high-capacity backbone infrastructure supporting projects with partners like Internet2, GÉANT, ESnet, APAN, and SINET. The network underpins collaborations across fields associated with institutions including Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, Korea Aerospace Research Institute, KIST and IBS.

Overview

KREONET provides fiber-optic backbone connectivity, dedicated circuits, and advanced services to academic organizations such as Ewha Womans University, Hanyang University, Pusan National University, Chungnam National University, and Kyung Hee University. It supports research centers like KAIST Institute for IT Convergence, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Research Park, Center for Quantum Nanoscience, and National Cancer Center while interfacing with international infrastructures including CERN, Large Hadron Collider, Square Kilometre Array, Human Frontier Science Program, and International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor. Major collaborations involve agencies such as Ministry of Science and ICT, National Research Foundation of Korea, Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies, and Korean Society for Internet Information.

History

KREONET originated from early research networking initiatives that connected institutions like KAIST, Seoul National University Hospital, KIST, and Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology in the 1990s, evolving alongside projects involving Cisco Systems, Juniper Networks, NTT, KT Corporation, and LG U+. Milestones included adoption of optical transport with partners such as Alcatel-Lucent, Nokia Bell Labs, and Ciena Corporation, and integration with international research efforts like GLORIAD, TransPAC, TEIN, APAN Trans-Eurasia Information Network, and Asia Pacific Advanced Network. Investments were influenced by national initiatives led by Park Geun-hye administration and earlier administrations, and by scientific priorities set by bodies like National Research Council of Science & Technology, Korean Ministry of Education, and Presidential Committee on Science and Technology Policy.

Network Architecture and Services

The backbone uses dense wavelength-division multiplexing equipment from vendors such as Ciena, Huawei Technologies, Nokia, and Infinera, with routing provided by platforms from Cisco Systems, Juniper Networks, and Arista Networks. Services include Layer 2 and Layer 3 circuits, virtual private networks used by Sejong University, Chonnam National University, and Inha University, as well as grid and cloud integrations with KISTI, KREONET's computational resources, and external clouds like Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, and Microsoft Azure for collaborative science. Identity federations use standards implemented by projects such as eduGAIN, InCommon, and technologies developed by Internet Engineering Task Force working groups. Monitoring and performance tools draw on systems from perfSONAR, NetFlow, and collaborations with Center for Applied Internet Data Analysis and National Institute of Standards and Technology initiatives.

Research and Education Applications

KREONET supports large-scale scientific programs at facilities like Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Korea Polar Research Institute, and Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology. It enables data-intensive workflows for projects such as Large Hadron Collider experiments, Square Kilometre Array pathfinders, Genomics collaborations with Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, climate studies linked to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and remote instrumentation access for observatories like Mauna Kea Observatories and Atacama Large Millimeter Array. Educational deployments include distance learning platforms used by Korean National Open University, Massive Open Online Courses coordinated with Coursera partners, and virtual laboratories connecting STEM departments at multiple campuses. The network accelerates initiatives in disciplines pursued by researchers affiliated with Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information and National Institute for Mathematical Sciences.

Governance and Funding

Governance involves coordination among stakeholders including Ministry of Science and ICT, National Research Foundation of Korea, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information, and representative universities such as Sejong University and Korea University of Technology and Education. Funding combines allocations from national budgets, grants from entities like National Research Council of Science & Technology, infrastructure investments by KT Corporation and public-private partnerships with firms including Samsung SDS and LG CNS. Policy and strategic direction have been influenced by advisory panels with members from IEEE, ACM, World Bank consultancy projects, and committees formed under the auspices of Presidential Committee on Science and Technology Policy.

International Collaboration and Projects

KREONET maintains international peering and research links with Internet2, GÉANT, ESnet, APAN, TransPAC, and SINET, and participates in cross-border projects with institutions such as CERN, National Institutes of Health, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Max Planck Society, and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. It has been involved in global testbeds and initiatives coordinated with GLORIAD, FIRE testbeds, Open Grid Forum, and partnerships supporting experiments by groups at University of Oxford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of Cambridge, ETH Zurich, and Tokyo Institute of Technology. Collaborative programs include capacity-building engagements with ASEAN University Network, UNESCO-backed science programs, and bilateral projects with Japan Science and Technology Agency and National Institute of Informatics.

Category:Research and education networks