Canada's National Research and Education Network

Connecting Canadaโ€™s researchers, educators and innovators to each other around the world.

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The National Research and Education Network (NREN) is an essential collective of infrastructure, tools, and people that bolsters Canadian leadership in research, education and innovation. CANARIE and its thirteen provincial and territorial partners form Canadaโ€™s NREN. We connect Canadaโ€™s researchers, educators and innovators to each other and to data, technology and colleagues around the world.

In Alberta, +744,000 students, educators, researchers and innovators connect to Canadaโ€™s NREN and the world through Cybera.

What are the benefits of connecting?

  • Participate and collaborate in data-intensive research with partners in Canada and across the globe.
  • Receive support for both IPv4 and IPv6 routing (all IPv6 transit or peering traffic that runs over the NREN is free, creating further network savings).
  • Access the fastest and โ€” sometimes โ€” only way to transmit large data files (terabyte or petabyte level files) to other institutions.
  • Participate in the Canadian Access Federation to benefit from eduroam and federated identity management services.

Cybersecurity Initiatives at the National Level

The partners in Canadaโ€™s NREN are also working collaboratively to strengthen the security of this critical infrastructure. An unprecedented pan-Canadian effort is underway to provide coordinated cybersecurity services to connected institutions.

Who is Eligible to Connect?

All connected Cybera members have access to the NREN. This network is designed to support innovation and can be used for non-commercial traffic, including direct connections to other Cybera members.

Case Study: How One Alberta Researcher is Making the Most of the NREN

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Scientists at the University of Calgary have created a project to collect and categorize massive amounts of Aurora Borealis data. This cross-Canada data collectionย project relies on the high-speed network of Cybera and theย NREN.

Our NREN partners

Atlantic Canada Organization of Research Networks, Newfoundland and Labrador
ACORN-NL is dedicated to the implementation and formalization of a regional advanced network in Newfoundland and Labrador that will link post-secondary institutions, their major research centres and the K-12 system.

Atlantic Canada Organization of Research Networks, Nova Scotia
ACORN-NSโ€™s objectives are to refine, implement and maintain a resilient, secure, advanced research and education network architecture; reliably operate Nova Scotiaโ€™s advanced research and education network including the CANARIE GigaPoP; promote the value and innovation created by the advanced research and education network; and maintain a sustainable model for ACORN-NS.

Aurora College
Aurora College provides advanced-network services for the Northwest Territories.

BCNET
BCNET is a not-for-profit, shared information technology services organization that represents the interests of our membersโ€“โ€“colleges, universities and research institutes in British Columbia. We continuously engage with our members to explore, evaluate and develop solutions that meet their unique needs. Our aim is to build value through collaboration, drive down costs, maximize efficiencies and further the mission of our members.

CANARIE
CANARIE is the federal partner in Canadaโ€™s National Research and Education Network, providing interprovincial and international connectivity. Beyond the network, CANARIE funds and promotes reusable research software tools and national research data management initiatives to accelerate discovery, provides identity management services to the academic community, and offers advanced networking and cloud resources to boost commercialization in Canadaโ€™s technology sector.

MRNET
MRnet is Manitobaโ€™s Regional Advanced Research and Education Network. MRnet provides a very-high-speed, fibre optic network linking its research and education members to the worldโ€™s R&E networks. The MRnet network supports research, education and advanced application development among Manitobaโ€™s research, education and industry organizations.

New Brunswick Educational Computer Network (ECN)
The New Brunswick โ€“ Prince Edward Island Educational Computer Network (ECN) provides a sustainable, economical, and reliable high-speed network platform to educational and research organizations throughout the region. It connects them to research and innovation networks across Canada and around the world. The ECN is a model of collaboration and shared services across this geographically, economically, and linguistically diverse region.

Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network
ORION is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to empowering Ontario researchers, educators and innovators. The organizationโ€™s community includes more than two million users at over one hundred universities, colleges, hospitals and research institutions, as well as the majority of Ontarioโ€™s school boards. ORION enables ground-breaking discoveries and cutting-edge education through its network, and provides vital digital tools and expert support.

Prince Edward Island Advanced Network
The New Brunswick โ€“ Prince Edward Island Educational Computer Network (ECN) provides a sustainable, economical, and reliable high-speed network platform to educational and research organizations throughout the region. It connects them to research and innovation networks across Canada and around the world. The ECN is a model of collaboration and shared services across this geographically, economically, and linguistically diverse region.

Quebec Scientific Information Network
As a not-for-profit organization, the Quebec Scientific Information Network (RISQ) is a private telecommunications network that has served the education sector in Quebec since 1989. RISQโ€™s network covers approximately 6,000 km and reaches about 750 000 students, teachers and staff. It provides members with shared resources and services, and also acts as an information, coordination and expertise forum.

Saskatchewan Research Network
SRNET (Saskatchewan Research Network Inc.) is a not-for-profit research and education network, the Saskatchewan member of Canadaโ€™s advanced network alliance. SRNET provides dedicated high speed network (10 Gbps, 1 Gbps, 100 Mbps) access to institutions and companies across Saskatchewan that use it for their research and education activities.

Yukon University
Yukon University provides a vital link between students and researchers in the Yukon and national and international education and research networks. The Yukon Research Centre at Yukon University facilitates education opportunities for communities, encourages collaboration with First Nations, and expands opportunities for northern innovation. Yukon University also enables Yukoners to share their diverse cultural and environmental research with the world.

Nunavut Arctic College (NAC)
Nunavut Arctic College (NAC) will represent Nunavut on the NREN and will work with partners to create a research and education network in Nunavut. NAC is a public agency of the Government of Nunavut and services the largest post-secondary service region in Canada.ย NACโ€™s mission is to strengthen the people and the communities of Nunavut by providing life-long learning opportunities for adult Nunavummiut by delivering high quality adult education programs developed with input from our partners throughout the Arctic and Canada, and by making the benefits of Inuit traditional knowledge and southern science more accessible.

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