NETWORKS

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, one of the world's premier gene sequencing centers, has implemented an advanced Ethernet network from Extreme Networks, Inc. to gain more computing performance for vital research in the areas of genomics and disease. Sanger Institute is handling massive amounts of data with Extreme Networks' switching platforms that deliver more functionality, higher bandwidth and genuine simplicity. The Sanger Institute is dedicated understanding genomes. Through large-scale analysis and focused research in the areas of cancer and disease causing organisms, its programs underpin biological and medical research worldwide. The Human Genome Project will move on into functional and comparative genomics in the years ahead. To support the increasing and often unpredictable volumes of data that this intensive research generates, the Sanger Institute has migrated from its legacy ATM network infrastructure to Extreme Networks' Gigabit Ethernet technology. This results in greatly increased scalability with advanced Quality of Service (QoS) to manage traffic and provide the necessary foundation for high-speed data storage. The new network is being installed by networking specialist Telindus, an Extreme Networks Solutions Partner, and will consist of Extreme Networks' BlackDiamond(R) core switching platform and its Summit(R)5i edge switches. These multi-layer switching platforms provide higher density to support more connections with wire-speed switching and operate on a consistent and powerful software foundation, ExtremeWare(R). This results in a simple to manage network that supports leading-edge features and routing protocols, the best network infrastructure available for demanding applications and higher throughput. "Over the next five years, as our research moves into comparative and functional genomics, we will likely generate some 60 to 70 terabytes of data per year and we require a highly scalable network to accomplish this," said Phil Butcher, head of IT for the Sanger Institute. "Due to the unpredictable nature of the research, we need a system that handles the variable levels of data on the network without limitations. Each stage in our quest to bring benefit from the publicly available genome sequences is a huge challenge to us and our sponsors the Wellcome Trust -- to bring benefit to humankind from the sequence of our genome, of our shared Book of Life, we have to deploy scalable and flexible systems as rapidly and as seamlessly as possible." "Telindus has a longstanding relationship with The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and we are delighted to be able to support them with state-of-the-art network technology as they pioneer medical research at the leading-edge of contemporary science," said Paul Browne, senior manager for Telindus. Extreme Networks has a strong reputation as a networking infrastructure provider to research centers throughout Europe. The Sanger Institute joins customers such as Southampton University, Dublin Institute of Technology and the European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasts. "World class research centers such as the Sanger Institute push the limits of their network infrastructure and require a wealth of performance," said Duncan Potter, vice president of marketing for Extreme Networks. "Sanger Institute demonstrates how to implement our leading network platforms for applications that require much more bandwidth, faster storage and reliance on high-layer switching capabilities. Extreme's ability to meet all of these needs and deliver a very simple to maintain network spells out how our high performance network solutions deliver superior value."