CARNET Infrastructure

CARNET network is a private network of Croatian academic and scientific-research community and institutions from the primary and secondary education system. A part of the network infrastructure is owned by CARNET institution, while the cableways are mostly leased by a number of telecommunications service providers. CARNET network is an example of a Wide Area Network (WAN) through which CARNET members throughout Croatia connect to a compact information and communication unit.

CARNET network is a data network intended for data transfer using the Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). Currently supported versions of TCP/IP protocol in CARNET network as its integral part are versions 4 and 6 (IPv4 and IPv6). CARNET enables its members virtual private network services.

The key feature of each private network is its connection to the global network – the Internet. CARNET network has made this connection through the pan-European research network GÉANT, at a current connection speed of 100 Gb/s. GÉANT network is the result of the initiative of the European Community and the European academy networks association for the establishment of the most technologically advanced computer network linking all European academic and research national networks and linking to the so-called commercial Internet. The link to other Internet service providers in Croatia is realized through the Internet exchange in Croatia – CIX.

Within Croatia, CARNET network connects larger and smaller Croatian cities at the mainland and a number of places on the islands. Major university centres (Dubrovnik, Osijek, Pula, Rijeka, Slavonski Brod, Split, Varaždin, Zadar, Zagreb) are connected with speed connections ranging from 2 Gb/s to 100 Gb/s, while smaller centres are secured at speeds of 1 Gb/s to 10 Gb/s. There is an especially advanced infrastructure in Zagreb and Split where faculties and scientific institutions are connected to speeds up to 10 Gb/s. CARNET network also connects institutions from the primary and secondary education system at access speeds of 4 Mb/s to 10 Gb/s. In Rijeka, Zagreb, Split and Pula CARNET connects the locations of the institutions to CARNET network with its own built infrastructure.

Based on the agreement with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labor and Pension System, Family and Social Policy and the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, CARNET connects their locations to CARNET network. However, users do not have access to all the services that are available to the users from the Ministry of Science and Education.