A connection with the Anella Científica (Science Ring), a network which interconnects all Catalan universities and which at the same time is connected to the Spanish University Network (Red Iris), offering a connection to the rest of European universities. It has a line of 100 Mbitps using Fast Ethernet technology of access to the Internet.

A connection with Ibernet network, which has been devised to provide an Internet service to large corporations. This connection is progressively being used more, as students have greater recourse all the time to Terra services when connecting to the Internet. Ibernet provides better connection terms for users connecting by means of this Internet provider. It has a Gigabit Ethernet line with a capacity of 15 Mbitps.

A connection with Worldcom network, which is currently the largest network in the market (approximately 60% of transit goes through this word-wide network). A Frame Relay* line with a capacity of 2 Mbitps is used.

Router:

This device has 3 basic functions: to interconnect networks, to decide which route will be followed by each piece of information, and to carry out a technological adaptation of the different lines, like Frame Relay or Ethernet* line with a capacity of 2 Mbitps.

For the connection to the Anella Científica (GTW1) Fast Ethernet technology is used; to the Ibernet (GTW2) Gigabit Ethernet is used; and for the connection to the Uunet (GTW2), a point by point line* of 2 Mbitps.

Model: Cisco 7.200.

Analogy: The French rail network connecting with the Spanish. It connects one railway network with the other, it decides the line that must be followed according to the destination of the train, and it adjusts the train's wheel system in order to adapt it to the width of the new track (the French line is narrower than the Spanish).

Firewall:

This is a device which acts as a filter between the public access network and the UOC's private network. Its aim is the protection of the services offered in any direction, following a defined security policy. It is also used to divide the various parts of the UOC's network into different security levels.

It is a redundant, failure-tolerant system (there are two devices carrying out the same function; if one fails, the other comes into operation).

There are two tiers of firewalls. One is located between the Internet and the front ends of the Campus, and the other, between the Campus and the remaining UOC networks. Equipment is from different manufacturers, for further security.

Model: two devices from two different suppliers.

Analogy: Airport customs control.