JANET Technology Advisory Services
Making an enquiry | Further information
JANET(UK) offers a wide ranging advice and guidance facility for the JANET community that is free of charge and provides access to expert knowledge in technology areas as diverse as videoconferencing and inter-site connectivity. The aim is to support the JANET community by promoting best use and maximum effectiveness of investment in the technologies.
All advisory service elements are JANET customer-focused, with requirements determined by canvassing opinion and through feedback from the community. Each service element has been designed to provide the optimum level of features, selected from the following key components:
- Free of charge advice and guidance for the planning and implementation stages of projects
- Best practice guides to ensure maximum effectiveness of IT investments
- Generic advice though publication of case studies and technology factsheets
- Dedicated web site areas packed with information and useful links
- Product evaluations
- Input into JANET(UK) training course and conference planning
- Facilitating access to chargeable consultancy services
The range of technology areas is constantly growing and at the present time includes:
Making an enquiry
Advice on a particular topic or project is provided for all service elements through the JANET Service Desk enquiry system. To open an enquiry simply e-mail or telephone JANET Service Desk (JSD), e-mail: service@ja.net with your question and state the advisory service element you require. Enquiries for VTAS can be accepted by e-mail only and should be made via the JANET Service Desk with VTAS in the subject line.
Further information
A factsheet on JANET advisory services is available for download and printing of hard copy.
More details on currently available advisory services:
- Bandwidth Management Advisory Service - provides advice to client institutions to help maximise the efficiency of their bandwidth resources including both the JANET connection and inter-site links. The service comprises a helpdesk together with published guidance on the use of bandwidth management technologies, reports on the evaluations and trials of relevant products.
- Multi-site Connectivity Advisory Service - addresses issues regarding the WAN and LAN links on the client side of the main JANET connection. Advice and guidance is available on the options open to customers for connecting or upgrading network links between campuses and to remote centres. The service can put enquirers in contact with expert advisors, suppliers and telcos and a range of technical information and case studies covering a wide variety of technologies and implementations is published.
- Video Technology Advisory Service - provides advice and information to current and potential users of video technology within the JANET community. VTAS conducts detailed evaluations of video technology and videoconferencing products and aims to develop documentation of interest to both end users and technical/support staff. Access is provided to a team of specialist advisors and an on-site consultancy service is available for those sites requiring specific, detailed advice (a charge is made for this service). An equipment test and demonstration facility is also available.
- JANET Voice Advisory Service - wide ranging and vendor-independent advice on technologies and implementation is available from the JANET Voice Advisory Service (VAS) on all aspects of Voice over IP (VoIP) and IP Telephony. Typical areas in which the service is able to provide independent technical support to institutions are: interconnecting traditional PBX equipment over network links using IP; implementing IP telephony; utilising VoIP in the form of MSN, AOL, GoogleTalk, Skype etc.; connecting to an ISP PSTN gateway service. The e-mail/telephone advisory service is free of charge for JANET customers but for in-depth support a chargeable consultancy brokering service is also available. VAS will also support the JANET voice collaboration service.
- JANET Wireless Technology Advisory Service - launched on 4/05/07, this service provides
specialist advice and guidance
on all aspects of IEEE 802.11-based wireless technologies
to those responsible for deploying and managing wireless networks within JANET connected organisations. The service will
maintain a watch on technological and best practice developments and working towards quality assurance mechanisms. Typical areas in which the service is able to provide independent technical support to institutions include: security techniques; surveying and monitoring; WLAN management; standards and technologies;
user support models.
