WACREN infrastructure gets facelift; community to benefit

With the support of the AfricaConnect3 project (co-funded by the European Commission), WACREN has upgraded its digital infrastructure to improve the delivery of connectivity and advanced services to national research and education networks (NRENs) and their communities across our region. This infrastructure upgrade features high-end network equipment and the latest high-performance servers on the market. This demonstrates WACREN’s dedication to fostering a robust and advanced digital environment for the region’s educational and research institutions.

This cluster will ensure reliable, high-speed connectivity crucial for supporting the vast data transfer needs and internet demands of the academic and research space. With features that enhance availability, security, and efficient traffic management, WACREN’s upgraded network infrastructure is set to provide uninterrupted and secure connections, thereby facilitating seamless operations and collaborations among connected institutions.

The infrastructure includes the latest performance-effective servers, essential for running complex applications, conducting sophisticated data analyses, and hosting various community-driven platforms and services. The best part is that these servers offer scalability to meet the growing needs of WACREN’s users, ensuring robust support for our ever-expanding user base. Services to be hosted on the platform include our identity provider system (IdP), our new suite of open-access platforms and services, and open-licensed learning materials, granting easy access to valuable educational resources.

WACREN is poised to leverage and harness the new infrastructure to impact the delivery of quality research, teaching, and learning and catalyze socioeconomic development in West and Central Africa.