News

25 January 2007

GNS Science and FX Networks deploy Anycast solution for Public Safety Information.

GNS Science in collaboration with FX Networks have recently redeployed www.geonet.org.nz, NZ's primary source of Natural Hazards information using the innovative "Anycast" technique of global content distribution.

Anycast is a way of providing high volume and/or critical data into the Internet via well known Internet Exchange points. In GeoNet's case this means that the information is injected at the Wellington Internet Exchange, the Auckland Peering Exchange and the Palo Alto Internet Exchange in the US. This is done for both reasons of resilience and global load sharing - critical factors in terms of providing information about Earthquakes, Tsunamis and other similar natural hazards that New Zealanders need to know about.

Jamie Baddeley, GM Internet Services had this to say: "We've made sure that Earthquake Information and the like is made available to the Internet for some time now, and working with our friends at GNS Science, moving www.geonet.org.nz to an Anycast approach was a natural evolution. By ensuring we deliver the information to Internet Exchange points, any Internet Service Provider has the ability to carry this information quickly to their customers. The only requirement is that they peer at the exchange points in Auckland and Wellington. This adds a significant level of distributed resiliency - crucial given the potentially catastrophic situations that are being reported on"

Graham Alderwick, IT Manager at GNS Science added: "The move to Anycast has greatly enhanced the performance and security of our reporting systems - particularly at times of heavy load. FX Networks has been involved in a number of projects with GNS Science. The excellent outcome of this project is another example of the consistently, high standard of practical advice and service they provide."