ASTRON selects Juniper Networks

Juniper Networks has announced a landmark project with the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, ASTRON, to upgrade its core, access, WLAN and WAN network infrastructure, supporting the development of its LOFAR 2.0 (Low Frequency Array) upgraded telescope. LOFAR is currently the largest radio telescope in the world operating at the lowest frequencies that can be observed from Earth. LOFAR relies on a multipurpose sensor network, with an innovative computing and network infrastructure that can handle extremely large data volumes at any one time. Juniper’s networking solutions will upgrade the existing LOFAR telescope’s overall performance with 800G capabilities, to enable increased data processing scale, throughput speed and reliability using a robust architecture that will connect across nine of ASTRON’s operating countries, supporting research projects across these regions.

The upgraded LOFAR 2.0 telescope, supported by Juniper infrastructure, will give ASTRON a factor 10 increase in the network bandwidth available at each LOFAR station. The network will enable access to all LOFAR antennae 24/7, a doubling of the simultaneous bandwidth for more efficient surveys, synchronised antennae to within nanosecond precision and an overall improvement to LOFAR’s sensitivity and accuracy. The existing LOFAR 1.0 telescope operations have led to the publication of more than 750 scientific papers to date, placing LOFAR in the top 10 percent of all astronomical facilities worldwide.

ASTRON, an esteemed member of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) Institutes, is at the forefront of radio astronomy research globally. Its commitment to developing new technologies and operating world-class facilities has been instrumental in numerous astronomical discoveries. The institute is actively engaged in groundbreaking research, including the study of extra-solar planets, the earliest phases of galaxy evolution and monitoring space weather events.

To upgrade the LOFAR infrastructure:

ASTRON is leveraging Juniper's PTX Series Packet Transport Routers, including the PTX10004 and PTX10002, to deliver ultra-high port density, unyielding throughput performance, and unmatched sustainable efficiencies to support ASTRON’s core infrastructure.

LOFAR ERIC, an organisation which oversees the development of the LOFAR telescope, provided Juniper’s PTX10004 and the Juniper ACX7024. ASTRON is responsible for the execution and development of the upgrade project. The ACX7024 is a compact and powerful router, used at the stations. The ACX7024 delivers 360 Gbps of throughput and is industrial rated for temperature resilience.

QFX Series Switches will be deployed in the data center as part of ASTRON’s spine-and-leaf architecture offering scalability and low-latency performance, which is critical to the improved operation of the LOFAR network.

ASTRON has deployed the EX4100 Series Switches, including the EX4100-24P and EX4100-48P models. These high-performance, cloud-native switches integrate Juniper Mist AI™ for streamlined operations to optimise experiences. The switches also enable the simple configuration of advanced campus fabrics and deliver streaming telemetry for enhanced monitoring.

Juniper AP32 Access Points integrate Juniper Mist AI™ for AI capabilities to automate ASTRON’s network operation and boost Wi-Fi performance, leveraging the Marvis™ Virtual Network Assistant to streamline operations and optimise ASTRON’s wireless experience.

Juniper's solutions are instrumental in enabling ASTRON to meet the increasing demand for bandwidth and to provide the new era of digital services within the astronomical discovery sector.