$900,000 Telstra research contract to get the best from the Net

Friday, 16 March 2001

Telstra has awarded a $900,000 contract to researchers at Adelaide University, whose work will assist Telstra to optimise its data communications, especially those relating to the internet.

The three-year contract continues a 16-year relationship between Adelaide University's Teletraffic Research Centre (TRC) and Telstra.

As part of this latest contract, the TRC's work will help in the design and building of Telstra's "new generation", internet-based network.

The TRC is skilled in telecommunications research, particularly in the software and networks that underpin phone, fax and internet-based services.

Telstra Research Laboratories Director Dr Paul Kirton said a software program called 'DiaMond' was being developed by the TRC and Telstra to test and analyse the strengths and weaknesses of the network and predict future infrastructure requirements.

"Our aim is to get the best out of the network," Dr Kirton said.

"Exponential growth of internet services demands that the supporting infrastructure be designed to keep up.

"This research will help ensure that our telecommunications infrastructure is internet-ready and is high quality, robust and scalable.

"A primary focus of this research will be in planning the network's set up in order to manage the huge amounts of data traffic. In the current environment, where data traffic is dominating growth, this is critical work."

The Director of the Teletraffic Research Centre, Associate Professor Peter Taylor, said the Telstra contract provided University staff and students with real challenges that would lead to practical, cutting-edge experience.

"An area of IT skills shortage in Australia is Internet Protocol expertise. These skills, and other real-world skills, are desperately needed for the future success of Australia's telecommunications services," Dr Taylor said.

"Thanks to research projects such as this, those skills are being developed at the TRC."

A ceremony to celebrate the signing of the contract between Telstra and the TRC will be held at Adelaide University on Monday, 19 March at 3.00pm.

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