London Grid for Learning - To Parent Directory - LGfL

Infrastructure & Connectivity ServicesThe LGfL network consists of the two elements outlined below.1. The Core Network is a managed service which is delivered through a total oftwenty one core locations. Three of these are the ‘central core locations’ (LondonTelehouse, Park Royal and Earls Court) and the remaining 18 are the ‘aggregationpoint core locations’ or APs. These APs are located at various points on ‘ringmain’ loops around the whole of the LGfL region.2. The Edge Network which comprises approximately 2600 connections to schoolsand other sites from one of the core locations.Core NetworkReferenceServiceBrief DescriptionPackageThis LGfL ServiceCoreCore NetworkThis is the managed service which provides high bandwidthconnectivity through a network of twenty one core locations.Annual LA core paymentis supported by SynetrixThe Core Network is procured by the Consortium, through the Trust, against an annual fee of£1.7m. A formula which allocates an annual contribution by each LA to this fee was agreed at theinception of the contract, and is embodied in the contracts between each LA and the Trust.Procurement of the core network on a managed service basis has provided LAs, and henceschools, with certainty in regard to costs and protection from unexpected costs and other risks. Itplaces responsibility for the maintenance and renewal of the network, and the fulfilment of ServiceLevel Agreement requirements, firmly upon the supplier.Edge NetworkReferenceServiceBrief DescriptionPackageThis LGfL ServiceEdgeEdge Network – Each school’s broadband connectionThis is the centrally procured service which connects individualschools to the Core.Annual school paymentis supported by SynetrixThe connections from the Core Network to schools are referred to as the “Edge” network. TheEdge Network is the aggregate of all of the individual broadband links to schools. The Londonregion is unique in the UK in regard to the procurement of these broadband links for LAmaintained schools in two respects:First, almost all 1 the local authorities agreed to procure the connections to schools through acentral collective procurement, rather than merely taking a single ‘feed’ connection and arrangingconnections locally. As a result, LGfL is the largest end customer in the UK, in any sector, forfibre optic data services, an achievement which provides considerable market leverage.Second, this combined purchasing power was used successfully at the procurement stage tosecure standard pricing for school broadband connections, irrespective of the actual cost to the1The small number of Authorities (The WAN LAs) which were not part of this collective procurementalready had local area networks, managed by the LAs. These LAs receive a high bandwidth ‘feed’from the LGfL network and make local arrangements for the connection of schools to the feed.6