The Fedlink network, which incorporates virtual private networking (VPN) technology based on Cisco products, is the government's recently developed inter-and-intra-agency communications network. Development is being coordinated by the government's National Office of the Information Economy (NOIE).
According to Andrew Bewick, the federal manager of networking at security integrator 90East - which holds the Fedlink tender - the project was built throughout 2001 and went live in 2002. However, he characterises the DSD's positive Cisco evaluation as a turning point in the project.
"With the evaluation of Cisco being completed, and many more government departments coming online we are really beginning to see the Fedlink project take off," Bewick claimed.
In order to operate within the Fedlink project, Cisco networking products had to meet the Common Criteria, a formal evaluation process recognised by 15 western European governments. The process was carried out in Australia by a branch of the government's Defence Signals Directorate.
Similarly, government agencies have to show compliance with a minimum level of security before becoming part of the network. Approximately 120 federal government agencies are eligible to join the network.
Eventually the network will provide secure communications and data transfer between government departments, agencies and suppliers covering up to 3000 different nodes.
"All this was planned for before September 11 [2002], and it has positioned the Australian government way ahead of other governments in terms of information security - it is certainly ahead of the US government in this regard," Bewick said.
Once connected to the VPN-enabled communications system government agencies are able to talk directly and securely with each other. Sensitive documents such as audit assessments and draft legislation can be securely transmitted between government agencies via the network.
"The VPN technology integrates the network in a way which caters to the requirements of each agency," claimed Kip Cole, director of commercial operations at Cisco. "The fact that they can establish a direct communication link provides the agencies with significant confidence that their data won't be compromised."
