Brazil’s research and educational network seeks datacenters for optical backbone integration

Brazilian research and educational network RNP, linked to the country’s science, tech and innovation ministry (MCTI), is seeking companies interested in sharing their datacenter capacity in exchange for the use of RNP's national backbone.

The entity launched a request for information (RFI) process, open until November 18, to consult interested parties. Details can be found here.

The objective of the call is to obtain information from potential partners that own or operate datacenters to integrate these sites into the backbone network operated by RNP, according to the company.

In exchange, datacenter firms would be able to use RNP's local and long-distance optical infrastructure. The initiative is an opportunity to reduce costs by sharing segregated and secure infrastructure, as well as to foster technical cooperation between the parties, according to RNP.

Subsequently, RNP expects to be able to offer data-hosting services, through these partners, to research institutes linked to the MCTI and the ministry of education, potentially including universities.

BNamericas has learned from a source at RNP that it is not expecting a large number of parties to be interested in the RFI. However, it is not concerned with quantity, but rather with the quality of the firms.

“The RFI is important for us to engage with those who express interest and then to have more direct talks about sharing infrastructure from both sides, from RNP and the partner,” the high-level RNP source told BNamericas.

The datacenters sought by RNP can be located in any city in Brazil, but the entity said that it is particularly looking at sites set up in São Paulo, Fortaleza and Brasília.

NETWORK

RNP has an operational backbone across Brazil consisting of 19 routes with 100Gb/s capacity, one with 40Gb/s (Bahia-Paraíba) and one with 200Gb/s. The network primarily serves research institutions and universities.

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Five new circuits of this backbone, which is called "Rede Ipê", were activated in 2022. Now RNP is in the process of duplicating “last mile” networks in the Alagoas and Sergipe states.

Most of this long-distance network is passed through the transmission lines of power companies, mainly those belonging to the Eletrobras system.

In Brazil's northeast, for example, the main partner has been Chesf since 2016. 

The project developed by RNP in partnership with Chesf in the region includes six routes and is currently 83.8% complete. By February 2023, Chesf is expected to finish the last two sections of the project.

For the southeast and midwest regions, the chief partner is Furnas, while for the south and midwest they are Furnas, Taesa and Eletrosul, while for the north and midwest RNP has partnered Taesa and IE Madeira, in addition to Brazilian state-run telco Telebras.

Other partners in the expansion of RNP's backbone include EDTE and Tropicália. 

Furthermore, the optical network in some of these routes is lit (activated) in partnership with internet service providers (ISPs).

Finally, RNP's terrestrial network also connects to international submarine cables, namely Monet, Ellalink and SACS, in addition to the South American RedCLARA research network.

Metropolitan networks

In addition to the long-haul, multi-state backbone, RNP is also expanding metropolitan fiber networks. In this case, these networks are usually built and deployed by RNP itself, rather than by power firms.

RNP is deploying metropolitan networks in 59 cities around the country, including 24 state capitals.

Among these developing metropolitan routes are:

- Blumenau-Chapecó (Santa Catarina state)

- Senhor do Bonfim-Ilhéus-Itabuna (Bahia)

- Barreiras-Santo Antônio de Jesus-Irecê (Bahia)

- Assú/Ipanguaçu-Caicó-João Câmara-São Gonçalo do Amarante-Santa Cruz (Rio Grande do Norte)

- Monte Alegre-Almeirim-Alenquer (Pará)

- Patos-Sousa-Cajazeiras-Santa Rita (Paraíba)

- Parnaiba-Feira de Santana (Piauí-Bahia)

RNP is also studying the deployment of metropolitan networks in Ariquemes, Vilhena, Guajará-Mirim and Ji-Paraná, all in Rondônia state.

ALAGOAS

One of RNP's major new projects is the expansion of the backbone and the metropolitan networks in Alagoas state.

For that, RNP is relying on Chesf's transmission routes for activations in the cities of Piranhas, Delmiro Gouveia and Messias, in addition to the expansion of the network in Alagoas state capital Maceió.

The initial planned investment is 24.7mn reais (US$4.64mn). 

The Alagoas project is divided into four phases and includes mobile internet for vulnerable higher education students, connection of schools under the connected education program, and activation of Wi-Fi points in public squares adjacent to the network.

It also includes the modernization of the existing metropolitan network in Maceió, its expansion in the city and its expansion to surrounding localities.

Some 70 Wi-FI points were activated in Maceió in March this year, installed through the RNP network and maintained in partnership with ISPs Aloo Telecom, ViuNet and Webfoco.

Meanwhile, the expansion of the metropolitan network in Maceió involves about 59km and construction of rings, aerial routes (poles) and underground routes (use of Telebras ducts). Delivery is scheduled for the first half of 2023.

Source: RNP