Independent Third Party Views on Internet Service Provider (ISP) in the Ministry of Education

March 14

2014This is an independent assessment toward MoE current ISP implementation. Any internet capacity that we aim to have will be never enough if management of this resource was not well planned and prepared.

By Raul Bernardino, MSc.

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Independent Third Party Views on Internet Service Provider

(ISP) in the Ministry of Education

General Background:

The implementation of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) in the government of

Timor-Leste was at a cross-road. The ICT planners implemented a variety of ICT systems across

the country based on many different frameworks that have been adopted during the first

decade of development.

The government of Timor-Leste needs to collectively improve the ICT systems in order to be

more secure and cost effective. The proposed of this assessment will help the Ministry of

Education (government institution) to implement ICT in general terms and ISP in the specific

scope within a high Return of Investment (ROI).

Introduction:

As an independent third party to assess current ISP for Ministry of Education, I will ensure my

views and recommendations are based on my professional knowledge and carrier without have

any conflict of interest.

This assessment is based on trust, which I received as a task from Minister of Education

National Advisor Mr. Rui Hanjan. There are two different documents to be assessed. The first

document from IT department which more about IT department and internet solution. The

second document was a company profile and proposed solutions.

Moreover, this assessment will be as inputs to the Minister of Education in order to have a big

picture and make right decision on the internet connectivity for the institution. The internet

connectivity becomes a backbone to facilitate all ministry staff connect, communicate,

coordinate and collaborate (4Cs). The internet connectivity’s are not an ultimate resource to

have a 4Cs. For instance local loop connectivity’s whereas using local ring infrastructure (within

Ministry of Education or within the country and other institutions) to establish 4Cs. The internet

facilities will enable Ministry of Education to communicate to the globe, while most of the

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works of the ministry are inside of the country. Here is the challenge for ICT planer to manage

the bandwidth.

Profiles:

Raul Bernardino, MSc has been work in the ICT sector for about two decades. He started his

carrier with autodidact computing programing and engineering learning and worked in 1991.

He worked for Subaraya Stock Exchange (SSE) for about seven months in 1997. This period of

time, he made his first intensive practicum as part of university curriculum requirement and

continues contracted as support staff to serve SSE clients. He gained computer science bachelor

degree in 1998. In parallel, he worked for Caritas Dili, for about 12 years, which was focused on

community development and training & education sector (1992-2003). In Early 2003, he joined

the World Bank Group for about seven and half years as an Information Analyst, Consultant and

Information Specialist (February 2003-Oactober 2010). During this period of time, he frequently

presenting at conferences, workshops and meetings throughout Asia-Pacific. In the World Bank

group was where he initially exposed to IBM collaboration Software applications. He also had

appointed with several international organizations such as National EMIS consultant for UNICEF

and ICT National consultant for CIDA. Most recently, he joined Autoridade Nacional do Petroleo

(ANP) - National Petroleum Authority of Timor-Leste, as Manager ICT in the mind of 2009. In

this period of time, his task is to build a solid Information Technology (IT) team and

implementing a 'green field' site within ANP IT systems and other relevant institutions. The fact,

last year ANP IT system has been audit with international organization (Asia – IT SEC) and found

that ANP system close to ISO 27001 to be certified. This situation has drawn his extensive

experience that he gained through World Bank Group. He increased his technical expertise by

gaining certifications in IBM Notes/Domino, Computer ethical Hacking (CEH), Project

Management (PMBOK), Information and Business Analyst (BABOK) and has furthered his overall

IT management and best practice knowledge and as a result he awarded as Master of Science

of the Information Systems Management (ISM), on-line study at the University of Liverpool (UK)

and graduated in mid of July 2013. His vision has driven to provide world best practice

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information management has resulted in first class systems for ANP built on IBM Collaboration

technology.

He is an enthusiastic person and willing to face new challenges and opportunities for working

and adopt the hypotheses into the relevant environments. Specially use his modern frame

work that has been tested last year as world best practices for Information Communication

Technology implementation in any country which worth the investment with high returns. As a

master in ISM his focus is to ensure any adoption systems are effective, efficient, secure, and

worth’s of investment. “National ICT policy maker and Autoridade Nacional Comunicacao (ANC)

Board member is his dream”.

Assess IT Department document:

The document was written to full fill requirement and a justification of using the internet in the

Ministry of Education. Mostly of written expressions are based on problem solving solutions.

They are not reflected to any ICT strategy and visioning or a road map of ministry of education

ICT system.

It is partial mentioned about internet connectivity as a necessity tools to have and enable

ministry of education team and or other ministries team to work effectively. The document was

not explain why has to use internet clearly; the document partial mentioned about using

internet for downloading materials as reference for work related, hard to download email

attachments, etc.

Furthermore, internet is public domain whereas this domain has no control; everyone put their

rubbish or good fundamental material for knowledge sharing. The problem is who can

guarantee that those downloaded materials from internet have been tested or proved.

Therefore, it’s necessary to have intranet and extranet. The intranet is domain whereas an

institution has one platform for sharing information across the institution. While extranet is two

or more institutions (companies or organizations) that gather and sharing certain information

over one platform for their use.

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It is certain sure that ministry of education need internet connectivity in order to connect to

the rest of the world. The question is how many bandwidth required by ministry of education?

The answer will base of ICT infrastructure plan in the ministry of the education and its users

requirements. At the moment, this assessment is not tackling those issues. I found very trick to

decide how much bandwidth allocation. Therefore, it’s necessary to have a separate

assessment toward to the current ICT infrastructure and applications in the ministry of

education in order to produce vision and scope report, business requirement plan and business

requirement document. These three documents will help system analyst and system

engineering to develop appropriate system for the ministry of education.

The document also mentioned during January 2014, Globalnet has provided 4 Mbps download

and 1 Mbps upload for testing and it was free. This testing becomes one part of making a

decision toward the using of the internet capacity. It is also mentioned that high level staff

around 100 to 150 users are used the internet while the rest are not. My interpretation is that

others staff are having less important of using the internet capacity. By the way, if the internet

is a tool for the internal communication then lot employees out of loop. In reality, after

consulted with Globalnet, the company said that the testing period was over however company

still offers the same bandwidth the Ministry of Education. If it is downgraded to 512Kbps

uploads and downloads and it will be extremely so slow. Event it’s downgraded to 3Mbps still

also show. Unless IT team can manages internal communication separately with the internet

communication. This is just to compare internet bandwidth with ANP. We in ANP has 1 Mbps

uploads and 3 Mbps download for about 100 users 24 by 7 dedicated link. This bandwidth we

allocate 300Kbps for videoconference and 1 Mbps for replicating email and other data bases

servers to cloud servers in Hobart Tasmania. The cost for this internet bandwidth is

$2825/Mbps. Moreover, we manage to have internal communication separately from this

limited internet bandwidth. Therefore, it is good for ministry of education to host the website

outside of Dili, let say put in the cloud server and replicate to local server when it’s needed or

set to auto replication. The email server also needs to have a replica in the cloud in order to

minimize the use of bandwidth when users are aboard or travel to other countries. On the EMIS

applicaion, it is similar to the website host, it can be host in the clouds; what really need is a

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connection from district to EMIS in order to updates student data, school data, etc. For any

data view has to point to the clouds. This way you can manage your internet bandwidth and

optimize your resources. How they entry data from district? This is not a part of this limited

bandwidth assessment, however if I could put my views here then the possible is upgrade

current testing bandwidth to 30 - 40 Mbps asymmetric and allocate 1 Mbps to each districts, 20

Mbps for on-line learning and e-library.

To connect all vocational training centers in Dili, it will be different ICT infrastructure networks

which communicate directly in local loop. Of course, ministry of education can share bandwidth

via asymmetric. Special those vocational training centers are in the Dili district, we should use

Fiber Optic.

It also clear mentioned that finance and logistic staff are not able to entry data (CPV) into the

Free Balance system because of the internet link. In reality Minister of Finance (MoF) building

location are not more 3 km from the Ministry of Education (MoE) building, what does mean is

that no need an internet connection for this specific propose. What ministry need is a local

connection (use Fiber Optic) from MoF to MoE or vise verse.

Let me emphasis this scope assessment, any internet bandwidth will never enough if IT team in

the ministry of education is not able to manage the internet resource.

Assess Company Document and HQ:

Globalnet is branch office of the Websatmedia (WSM). Globalnet 100% own by WSM bases in

Singapore. The HQ provides complete sets of Satellite hubs to Data Networks and Quality of

Services. It is including earth satellite disks installations, integration systems, testing,

commissioning, trainings, and documentation. The intention of forming or establish Globalnet

in Timor is to become a regional satellite company for pacific islands such as Australia, PNG,

New Zealand, and Timor-Leste.

Just to give you an idea that, WSM premium clients such as British telecom, Singapore Telecom,

France telecom, telecom Malaysia, NTT Japan, USA defense in Afghanistan, Huawei in China,

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Indosat and police in Indonesia, and in Timor-Leste has support Prime Minister office, ANP,

TimorGap etc.

Happen to be, I have visited the WSM (HQ) on November 27-29, 2013, before ANP renew the

contract. The ANP has been using their services since 2008 up to now. ANP will continue to use

in the new building with MoF. The company performance is excellent.

As branch office in Dili, Globanet has delivered local support for ANP in very professional

manner. After discussed with Globalnet on MoF new building which ANP will be occupied 5th

and 6th floor, the global CEO said that they are ready for any internet bandwidth connection.

They can support up 200 Mbps of internet bandwidth with current infrastructure. They said

that they will build and finalized a teleport (9 meter earth satellite) and data center in ‘Pantai

Kelapa’, by end of April 2014. Furthermore, it can be upgraded to Giga bytes of internet

connection. They are also current support vitel or Telemor on the bandwidth connectivity.

WSM Satellite Fleet: WSM aims to deliver high quality of the services to all of his clients around the globe. Therefore,

WSM have different satellite coverage to serve all of the clients without have any interruptions.

Below are several pictures of the satellites coverage’s.

Figure 1: AGILA 2 C-Band EIRP

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Figure 2: Extended C-Band FootPrint

Figure 3: APSTAR 5

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Figure 4: INTELSAT IS-7

Figure 5: ABS-1

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Figure 6: VINASAT

WSM teleport and Data Centre: To ensure all communication are reliable, secure, and effective, WSM built a teleport to support

the connectivity and able to monitor all connections and its activities. Most recently, WSM

bought British Telecom Data Centre in order to maximize quality of services to the clients.

Figure 7: HQ Teleport

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Figure 8: HQ Data Center

Technical Requirement

After assess the company, I have no objection on the company profiles and technical

requirement. They are a professional company that willing so server the clients high satisfactory

outputs.

Recommendation:

1. The assessment found that MoE need a high speed of internet communication in order

to facilitate the employees’ works (director, advisors, and chief of department) to be

effective. MoE has made right choice of having Globalnet as an ISP.

2. In term of the bandwidth, I do suggest keeping 1 Mbps up load and 4 Mbps download.

In order to optimizing the internet resource, I would recommend to put an additional

tool on top of internet connectivity in which to manage the allocation of the bandwidth.

The tool that I recommend is Net-Enforcer.

3. Globalnet has technical and financial capability to deliver any MoE requirements such as

Internet Connection, VOIP, Fiber Optic, and asymmetric Vast for the schools in districts

or education district offices or education regional offices.

4. Since the web hosting server is in the MoE building, I would recommend putting in out-

site of the country whereas to optimize MoE bandwidth. Otherwise, MoE internet will

be getting exhausted when 100 or 1000 people are access MoE information on the

website.

5. I am still not assessing MoE IT infrastructure yet, however MoE system applications

should have an ability to integrate with other systems (cross platform), Workflow

Capabilities, Single Sign On (SSO) integration, Open Standard (User interface standards

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that have been developed and are being followed), No data duplication that exists

across the system, Social Capabilities, and Ability to meet with regulatory requirements.

These all need further assessment, before moving into e-learning and e-library.

6. EMIS plat form may be needed to reassess before further development. I just have quick

talked to MoE chief of IT department and found that original plat form of EMIS has been

changed. It was originally in Microsoft access plat form and currently develops ASP.net

with back end data SQL server 2008, Reporting with Cristal Report, and Java; The

question is MoE need to put other resources to re-input again works that has been done

from 2002-2007 plus new data from 2007 up to now. The ASP.net will also will use lot of

internet bandwidth. Moreover, security becomes a concern. My recommendation is

using cross platform, open standard application and had workflow capability in which

optimize data integrity and confidentiality. E.g. IBM Notes, with one licensing for

everything you need. This also will minimize the use internet capacity and less

investment on the software development.

7. MoE need to develop intranet for employees to connect, communicate, coordinate and

collaborate and with other ministries its need extranet, this all are in local loop and

again not use internet.

Conclusion:

Any bandwidth internet capacity will be exhausted, if IT department is not managing well the

bandwidth allocation itself.

Email communications for the team should be happen internally, unless the counterpart or

teams are outside of domain and it will route internet.

MoE need should have a route map for IT infrastructure and Application development.

Reference List:

Almeida, A. (January 29, 2014), Letter to National Director of Finance, Administration, Logistic

and Planning

Globalnet Company profile (N:N)