The Sponsored Connection licence scheme only allows the provision of the Janet IP service via the sponsored connection, but under this proposal there is the potential to offer other Janet services where appropriate. Formally, the Janet network security service (the CSIRT) is not available to the sponsored organisation to provide advice and other services, but informally it often is involved with the hosting organisation in resolving security incidents.

(We envisage continuing to provide IP addressing and DNS naming services, as they are provided now via the Sponsored Connection licensing scheme.  We expect also to honour allocations of IP addresses and DNS names made under existing licences.)

There has been some interest expressed in a number of other Janet services, such as the training and videoconferencing services, being made available to business and community partners. Similarly, there has been interest expressed  in extending to such partners the portfolio of Janet purchasing agreements (such as the Janet Txt, Janet Server Certificate and InTechnologybackup services), and also in offering the eduroam service.

Our view is that there is little issue in extending purchasing agreements and similar services to business and community partners, provided that this can be scoped clearly within the procurements that establish and refresh them.  Experience of services such as videoconferencing in its current delivery model does suggest though that there may be issues of scaling of resources and support if opened up to too wide a user base.  In addition, we do not at this stage wish to “franchise” others to provide these services, wishing to retain responsibility for their delivery with Janet via our contractors where this is appropriate.

Therefore we propose a cautious approach to extending use of Janet services other than the IP service (including access to the Internet, and to the CSIRT service).