MELBOURNE, Australia, March 17, 2006 - The Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games is distributing real-time information to more than 35 venues across a data communications network provided by Cisco Systems®. The network, based on the Cisco® integrated services router, is providing critical data to more than 2,000 desktops for the largest temporary network in Australia since the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
Cisco's Australia and New Zealand managing director, Ross Fowler, said; "Cisco is delighted to be helping to provide real-time information for this internationally celebrated sporting event. We are also pleased to be extending our relationship with the Victorian State Government, the official host of the Commonwealth Games, as a trusted provider of intelligent networking solutions across a growing list of government initiatives and departments."
As the official provider of information technology (I.T) network hardware for routing and switching to the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, Cisco is working closely with Games organisers, and systems integrator Australian Project and Consulting Services (APCS), to help ensure the smooth running of the Games for thousands of users by carrying scoring, timing and results data generated by competition venues. The Melbourne 2006 Games Data Network (GDN) connects more than 2,000 desktop computers, 900 printers and almost 100 servers across all 35 Games venues. The GDN uses 215 Cisco Catalyst switches and more than 50 Cisco integrated services routers to support management systems, information services and printing functions across non-competition venues, including the athletes' village, the media centre and administrative offices.
The GDN has been fully operational for a number of months in the lead-up to the Games. During this time, Cisco's SMARTnet maintenance service has ensured smooth day-to-day network operation by guaranteeing priority access to equipment support and parts replacement. Throughout the network construction period, Cisco Advanced Services engineers provided a detailed network design audit review to ensure a highly available and stable network.
Brian Nourse, Group Manager, Technology, at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Corporation, said; "Athletes, officials and the media rely on the delivery of critical real-time information throughout the Games. This requires an extraordinarily robust and stable network with guaranteed 100 per cent uptime. We needed to feel confident we were using tried and proven technology with excellent local support and we are getting exactly that from Cisco and APCS."
The Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games commence on March 15. For further information, see www.melbourne2006.com.au.
APCS Managing Director Scott Coleman said, "Cisco's best-of-breed technology and great technical support have helped us realize the core design goals of the Games Data Network: superior performance and extraordinary resilience."
