[committee] Fwd: "Subsidised" AARNET connection

[Matt Didcoe]

It seems there's an interest from people in reading my really exciting answers to Brian's 4 questions, so here's what got sent off this afternoon.

Brian is meeting with the VC tomorrow so we should hopefully hear something by Friday.

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Matt Didcoe <mattman at ucc.gu.uwa.edu.au>
> Date: 10 March 2010 4:45:36 PM AWST
> To: Brian Greene <brian.greene at uwa.edu.au>
> Cc: committee-only <committee-only at ucc.gu.uwa.edu.au>
> Subject: Re: "Subsidised" AARNET connection
> 
> Good afternoon Brian,
> 
> As per our discussions early last week, thank you for your offer to take this matter to the Vice-Chancellor for discussion. I hope this email reaches you with enough time for it to be discussed tomorrow.
> 
> I have responded to the points we discussed last week below.
> 
> 1. Who is / would be using the AARNET link?
> 
>    Access is restricted to fee-paying members of the University Computer Club, who are almost in the entirety past and present UWA students and staff. We currently do filtering on our traffic and are of course happy to continue to ensure that no inappropriate usage is occurring as I understand how tightly regulated AARNET is and the potential problems that could come from questionable usage.
> 
> 2. What traffic volume would UCC be looking for assistance in subsidising?
> 
>     After a thorough investigation, I have determine that currently, on the Resnet link, we have received 60.9Gb and sent 62.7Gb for the last 4 weeks.
> 
> I do foresee a small increase in traffic, and once current AARNET traffic and Resnet traffic are combined, I would estimate that we would require approximately 75Gb and send 75Gb in a month (providing a small buffer for increased usage when speed improves in that figure).
> 
>    I am lead to believe only received traffic is charged, but I'm not 100% clear on the exact intimacies of the AARNET dictated charging policy.
> 
> 3. Why do UCC believe they will benefit if traffic costs are centrally funded by the Vice Chancellor?
> 
>     The University Computer Club is a Guild of Undergraduates affiliated club than runs primarily on membership subscriptions and small grants from the Guild to continue our operations.
> 
> Currently, UCC is paying a $600 subscription fee to AARNET and $13/Gb for every 1Gb we go over that amount, plus charges associated with Resnet, which, when totalled costs us nearly $1600 a year. For a student club, this is money that cannot be used for running social/networking events for our members, funding future plans like offering public lectures drawing from the skill base of our members and upgrading our equipment - currently, the only way for the Club to get new equipment is to ask members for donations or rely on industry partners.
> 
> 4. What benefits/services does UCC offer not only to its membership, but the University community as a whole?
> 
>     The University Computer Club are strong supporters of IT innovation on campus. A number of our members work for or have worked for the University in ICT roles. Recently, we were called on by Craig Williams from the Student Internet Support Office to test the new Google Apps for Students system that has now been very successfully rolled out to all students. I would like to see innovative partnerships like this continue in the future as I feel that many of our members are quite good at testing the edge cases in new systems.
> 
>     Members of the club also contribute to the wider community using the resources of the club, developing patches for a number of Unix operating systems and developing new open source software.
> 
> In summary, the University Computer Club, a UWA Guild of Undergraduates affiliated club, would respectfully request consideration of reclassification from AARNET affiliate status to AARNET departmental status, which would make us eligible, under new UWA policy to have our connection centrally funded by the University. This would save the club in the region of $1600 a year and allow the Club to improve the experience for our members, which will in turn flow on to an increased ability to improve the student experience in other areas on the University with the funds saved (the funds will allow us to offer events to other members of the UWA community and be more active across campus)
> 
> I look forward to discussing this matter further with both yourself and Professor Robson very soon. To reiterate my previous offer, I am more than happy meet with one or both of you to clarify any points or answer any further questions.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> Matt Didcoe
> President and Wheel Member
> The University Computer Club
> mattdidcoe at ucc.gu.uwa.edu.au
> 0422 889 871
> 
> On 10/03/2010, at 3:34 PM, Brian Greene wrote:
> 
>> Hi Matt, please send your request asap today.  It does not need to be long, just let me know exactly what you want and how much it will be saving you.  Regards, Brian.
>> 
>> Brian Greene| Acting Director
>> brian.greene at uwa.edu.au
>> 
>> Information Technology Services
>> The University of Western Australia
>> M463, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009
>> Telephone: +61 8 6488 4794
>> Fax: +61 8 6488 3861
>> CRICOS Code: 00126G
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Matt Didcoe [mailto:mattman at ucc.gu.uwa.edu.au] 
>> Sent: Wednesday, 10 March 2010 2:44 PM
>> To: Brian Greene
>> Subject: "Subsidised" AARNET connection
>> 
>> Hi Brian,
>> 
>> I'm just in the process of tidying up our responses to the questions we
>> discussed last week.
>> 
>> I will forward those through before COB today.
>> 
>> Will this allow enough time for the Computer Club to make it to your
>> agenda for the VC meeting tomorrow?
>> 
>> I am happy to meet with both yourself and the Vice Chancellor if any of
>> the points need clarifying after tomorrows meeting or if there are any
>> other questions.
>> 
>> Kind Regards,
>> Matt
>> 
>> -- 
>> Matt Didcoe [MRD]
>> President and Wheel Member
>> University Computer Club
>> mattman at ucc.gu.uwa.edu.au
>> 0422 889 871
> 

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