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optic fibre infrastructure and technologies available, it is estimated that a 500 to 1000 node

network can be commissioned within 3-6 months.

2.0 OPTIONS:

Wide consultations with experts and technology providers suggest that there are four possible

networking options:

·

The first one involves hiring dark fibers that have been extensively laid out by various

telecom service providers and lighting them.

·

The second involves lit fibers and differs from the first in not requiring transmission

equipment procurement and its maintenance.

·

The third involves using existing commercial networks and therefore no capital

investment in equipment is necessary. It also requires minimum maintenance and

operations organization.

·

The fourth is a hybrid approach where the Core consists of two layers in which the inner

higher speed layer is wholly owned by the stakeholders while the lower layer is provided

by commercial service providers.

From the viewpoint of cost, the third approach based on the utilization of the available

commercial networks appears to be most attractive to start with. This is because the capital

expenditure is negligible if the operator chosen has a well established network which is being

used by a large number of existing customers.

However, lack of experience of architectural flexibility and security aspects of virtual private

networks (VPN) set up on a commercial basis; do not allow prospective users to be entirely

comfortable with this approach. Therefore, we recommend that to begin with, existing

commercial networks be utilized.

Subsequently, based on feedback from this exercise we could slide into a hybrid network with a

central Core, preferably of a relatively few nodes, and an outer network constituted by practically

each one of the other operators' network.

3.0 ARCHITECTURE:

The network should consist of a Core using Internet Protocol (IP) and Multi-Packet Labeled

Services (MPLS) technology, an Aggregation or Distribution network, and an Access or Edge

network linking the institution's local area network (LAN) to the Core. The Core network could

be a single hierarchy or a two stage network with a higher speed network at the top to

accommodate architecture flexibility and security concerns in a VPN based commercial IP-MPLS

network. The detailed specification of the network will have to be drawn with a view to inviting

bids for speedy implementation. The network should be implemented in phases. The first phase

should cover about 1000 institutions and should be commissioned in 3-6 months.

4.0 CONGRUENCE WITH E-GOVERNANCE:

The question of whether the network for e-governance and the Knowledge network should be one

single network assumes importance and relevance depending upon the approach adopted for the

realization of the network. In the recommended approach in the first phase, namely VPNs on

commercial MPLS networks on Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM), this

question becomes irrelevant because several VPNs can be created on a commercial network and

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