Network Connectivity

  • Domain Naming Services (DNS) available to all agencies connected to the State Government Network (SGN) or the Intra Governmental Network (IGN) for the wa.gov and wa.us domains.
  • Cloud Highway - delivers secure, high-speed connectivity to mission-critical cloud services.
  • Network Core – the networking infrastructure and technology that provides state agencies and other authorized customers connectivity to the state's wide area network (WAN).
  • Transport & Connectivity - WaTech can act as your single point of contact for designing, ordering, implementing and operating networks.
  • Wireless - a statewide service that offers greater mobility and productivity via one secure, centrally managed and supported common infrastructure for your agency's network.

Domain Naming Services (DNS)

Features & Benefits

  • Managed DNS services for the wa.gov and wa.us domains.
  • Geographic redundancy.
  • You can review the state standards for domain naming.

Pricing

Description

Fee

One-time setup fee.

$120 per name

Time and Services (One-hour minimum charge).

$60 per hour

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Cloud Highway

Provides physical security, speed, identity management and networking, all through an advanced infrastructure with an average uptime so close to perfect that you'd be hard-pressed to find anything comparable. Includes proactive monitoring and continual support. WaTech's Cloud Highway is the best route to a growing digital ecosystem that includes industry leaders such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Oracle, NetApp and many more.

State agencies can focus on improving their online business services rather than worry about the underlying technologies supporting them, while taking advantage of savings associated with economies of scale.  How WaTech's Cloud Highway service is architected.

WaTech's Cloud Highway service extends the state's network(s) from both the Data Centers to the Seattle Westin Building Exchange (WBX). This is via high-speed ethernet connectivity (see the figure below). By leveraging the Seattle data center operated by Equinix, the state takes advantage of the company's world-class physical security with an average uptime of greater than 99.9999%. This occurs by extending the state's perimeter to the closest point possible in relation to the public cloud environments by decreasing the amount of infrastructure (number of hops) that customer traffic will traverse. WaTech's strategy places state agencies at the front door of cloud service providers like Microsoft and Amazon, delivering a high-performance, low-latency service that state agencies require (and deserve).

From there, Equinix provides carrier-class cross connects from the Westin's Meet Me Room (MMR) to WaTech's network infrastructure in Equinix's data center (representing the state's network edge). This enables access to the world's largest ecosystem of public clouds, data, Internet of Things (IoT) and the Equinix Cloud Exchange (ECX) Fabric. WaTech then works to partner with customers and providers to establish physical and logical connectivity, enabling customers to access cloud provider services via the Cloud Highway.

Features & Benefits

The value propositions of WaTech's Cloud Highway service include:

  • Improved Performance - Predictable traffic flows delivering your business-critical applications and services with greater uptime and enhanced responsiveness state agencies have come to expect from an IT service provider.
  • Reliability - Secure, dependable and stable connectivity (transport) to public cloud resources state agencies can trust.
  • Flexibility - Offers state agencies the freedom to choose on-premises or cloud-based solutions, or a hybrid of both (depending on the agency's business needs).
  • Cost Efficiency - Enables state agencies to reduce the cost of doing business by leveraging WaTech's economies of scale, which decreases cloud provider utilization (egress) fees and minimizes technical resource requirements.
  • Accessibility - Provides connectivity to 120+ cloud providers, 175+ companies, 400+ IT service providers, and 900+ networks, enabling access to a multitude of cost-effective computing, storage and mobile solutions via the WBX in Seattle, Washington.
  • Availability - Service level objective is 99.90% (equating to less than 43.83 minutes of downtime per month), excluding scheduled and emergency maintenance available 24/7/365.
  • Scalability - Easily scales as demand within the state grows; customers can scale their bandwidth as they require and only pay for what they need.
  • Supportability - WaTech's Network Operations Center (NOC) and Support Center provide 24/7/365 coverage with proactive monitoring, event notifications and troubleshooting of disruptions in services relating to the Cloud Highway.
  • Inside Edge - WaTech's focus is on state government; WaTech is a cost-recoverable state agency, not a for-profit telecommunications service provider.

Please refer to WaTech's Cloud Highway Service Summary Pamphlet for a condensed version of this information.

  • Network and security infrastructure to support the Cloud Highway.
  • WaTech's expertise, service and support.
  • To ensure that agency data packets are not dropped and to avoid negative impacts to other agencies due to saturation of shared links, an agency Cloud Highway service tier needs to align with a customer's total direct connect and/or MS ExpressRoute bandwidth capacity throughput; excluding backup and redundancy.
  • Equinix Cloud Aggregation services.
  • Cost sharing of the cross connects into the Equinix Cloud Exchange (ECX) Fabric.
  • If encryption is required, WaTech cloud routing architecture is available to support IPSEC connectivity from an agency's cloud environment to WaTech's Cloud Highway infrastructure.

What's NOT included in WaTech's Cloud Highway Service and Cloud Highway Off-Ramps pricing?

WaTech's Cloud Virtual Private Network (VPN) service can be used as a backup connectivity solution to the Cloud Highway using the Internet if customers require that level of redundancy.

Reference Material

Microsoft References:

Amazon Web Services (AWS) References:

Equinix References:

The business-critical cloud-based capabilities that state agencies are currently taking advantage of include, but are not limited to:

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Network Core

This includes resilient and highly available internet access, connectivity to enterprise applications, services and data center connectivity. 

The two main components of this capability is:

  • The network segment is located at the State Data Center and Quincy Data Center.
  • WaTech manages the data transported within the state's WAN and competitively acquires large amounts of bandwidth, driving down costs while boosting speed and capacity.

Note: Network Services are provided based on specific customer requirements and may include one or more of the above components.

WaTech monitors, implements networking equipment, network software upgrades, including patch management. When maintenance becomes necessary, WaTech seeks to minimize interruptions to services and customers by ensuring maintenance events are scheduled and published in advance, and requiring our network providers to limit maintenance activities between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

The Network Core includes over 1,200 devices, carrier-class switching and routing equipment, primary transport circuits between the data centers and support infrastructure. The network core provides state government connectivity to corporate business partners.  The service availability objective is 99.99% for Network Core.

Features & Benefits

WaTech's Network Core is fully redundant within the State Data Centers.

  • Availability: WaTech recognizes that network services must be available 24 hours per day, 365 calendar days per year. The network is monitored 24/7 and the operations center is able to quickly respond to issues as they arise with either technicians onsite or technicians responding remotely with full capabilities to resolve issues.
  • Scalability is another key design goal of Network Services. The network is adaptable to meet customer needs.
  • Convenience: WaTech has expertise, processes, and tools in place to provide contract negotiation, contract management, vendor management, vendor invoice management, invoice reconciliation and vendor service credits for non-performance.
  • Logical state networks (SGN, IGN, PGN)
    • SGN is the state of Washington's security boundary for its enterprise. It's a managed internal network that is built around internet technologies, security and standards (Washington State Securing Information Technology Assets Standards), which enables participating agencies to share mission-critical applications and data within the statewide private network.
    • IGN is a private network with known end points and tenants that provides Washington state counties and cities, federal agencies, tribes, health districts and other authorized customers secure access to managed gateways and applications owned by the state. This network allows application access and information sharing across all levels of government. The IGN has a physical network aggregation presence in all 39 Washington counties, select locations and governmental entities.
    • PGN provides secured and unsecured public access to online government web services through the internet. The PGN provides citizens access to individualized government services through portals and websites, improving service and cutting costs.
  • Internet
    WaTech provides government customers with high speed, redundant, and secured internet access. This service includes IP addressing.
  • Routing isolation and aggregation
    WaTech manages the network to ensure that connections are both securely "known and connected" to each other, where/how needed, as well as isolated from each other, where/how required, through the use of Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRFs) tables and Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs). VRFs allow network paths to be privately segmented (layer 3 isolation) via a routing table across multiple routing devices. VRFs enable flexible and scalable network designs to interconnect multiple customer Local Area Networks (LANs); also called Wide Area Network (WAN) aggregation. VLANs allow packet-level separation (layer 2).
  • WAN circuit aggregation
    WaTech aggregates connections from various commercial providers-WaTech's State Metropolitan Optical Network (SMON), and campus fiber infrastructure-which are brought into the network core with seamless interconnectivity.
  • Monitoring and troubleshooting
    At the highest level this consists of determining on a real-time and an ongoing basis the degree to which the network is performing as anticipated and managing any incidents or potential problems determined by monitoring tools or from user reports. The WaTech Network Operations Center (NOC) provides active monitoring of the Network Core and all customer connections that attach to the Network Core. Infrastructure deployed includes Cisco SmartNet and troubleshooting support for all Core and Provider Edge (PE) devices. The Network is monitored 24/7 and the operations center can quickly respond to issues as they arise with either onsite or remote technicians.
  • End-of-row connectivity
    This provides network connectivity for the WaTech Colocation Service customers. The WaTech Colocation Service provides data center facilities to customers who wish to locate IT equipment they own and operate in a secure, professionally managed, state-of-the-art data center. WaTech's Colocation Service provides space, power, cooling, connectivity and physical and network security for the server, storage, and networking equipment of WaTech customers.

Reference Material

Washington State Securing Information Technology Assets Standards

Data transported within state government is combined onto the Wide Area Network (WAN) infrastructure managed by WaTech. Managing this much demand in one place means WaTech can competitively acquire large amounts of bandwidth, driving down costs while boosting speed and capacity. WaTech can act as your single point of contact for designing, ordering, implementing and operating networks - dispatching staff around the clock to resolve problems and work with vendors. Our aim is to help you focus on your core business. The service availability objective is 99.9% for Transport and Connectivity measured on a monthly basis. WaTech continually works with our providers on meeting the contractual obligations to ensure the availability of the Data Network.

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Transport & Connectivity

Features & Benefits

Customer Site Connectivity

  • Provider Last Mile is used to facilitate customer site connectivity to the state network.
  • State Metropolitan Optical Network (SMON) is a series of interconnected managed fiber rings established between select areas of Olympia, Tumwater and Lacey. Agency offices within the service area of the SMON may be connected to this network.
  • Campus Fiber Network (CFN) allows customer sites to be connected using fiber optic facilities installed throughout the Capitol Campus. CFN circuits are primarily terminated into SMON node sites.

Provider and Customer Edge (PE/CE) devices and management

WaTech owns and manages all Provider Edge (PE) devices that are deployed at sites housing multiple WaTech customers. PE devices allow secure transport of data through one physical circuit to multiple customers at a site. Customer Edge (CEs) devices are customer owned and typically co-managed by WaTech (for details see our CE Service Announcement).

View a detailed list of roles and responsibilities.

Ethernet Transport and Connectivity contracts and procurement process

WaTech is committed to the pursuit of continual reevaluation, adjustment and expansion of the contracts we manage to ensure our customers can meet their business needs. We also want to ensure our customers are receiving the best service, support and price.

WaTech has executed a new approach to procuring network services. This approach will help meet our goals of expanding access to vendors, improving the predictability of circuit installation dates, harmonizing contract management across all vendors, increasing flexibility for upgrades and meeting other technical needs.

WaTech uses Ethernet provider Network Services Agreement (NSAs) to assist in the procurement of networking services. These services include, but are not limited to local access connectivity, WAN connectivity and data transport services.

Any vendor that is interested in selling goods or services within scope of the Network Services Agreement ("NSA") and related technical addendums may participate in our procurements once the vendor signs and returns the NSA and technical addendum(s).

The first two technical addendums are for Wireline Ethernet and Fixed Wireless. WaTech will send bid requests to any vendors with a signed NSA and technical addendum for the service being procured. Here are links to the above-referenced Wireline Ethernet Technical Addendum

  1. Wireline Ethernet Services Addendum
  2. Fixed Wireless Technical Addendum
  3. PRI T-1 Voice Services Addendum
  4. Broadband ISP Services Addendum
  5. TDM Services Addendum
  6. SIP Voice Services Addendum

List for pool of vendors who have signed the NSA, and the Addendums they have signed up for.

Pricing

Network Allocated customers

In the 2015-2017 Biennial budget the Legislature allocated WaTech's current customers with this intent:

WaTech will take over responsibility from agencies for management of and connectivity to these networks, enabling it to more efficiently manage enterprise network resource needs. The full cost of the networks will be allocated.

The majority of Washington state agencies were part of this network allocation. Incremental additions and subtractions of services do not result in additional or reduced billing for network allocated customers. Excluded from network allocation is customer local area networks, wireless services, voice services, and audio/video conferencing services.

To find out if your request is covered by network allocation, email the WaTech Support Center or call 360-586-1000 or 855-Watech1.

Network Allocation Guidelines

Included in network allocation for Transport and Connectivity is:

  • Circuit Monthly Recurring Cost (MRC)
  • Non Recurring Costs (NRC) up to a set amount
  • Purchase and maintenance of Provider Edge (PE) devices where multiple customers are at the same site
  • Note: All WaTech managed Transport must terminate to a WaTech site

Not Currently Allocated (Customer Fiscal Responsibilities)

  • Non Recurring Costs (NRC) exceeding a set amount
  • Termination Liability for circuits cancelled by customer prior to the end of the request term
  • Non-standard/exceptional (one off) costs
  • Purchase and maintenance of Customer Edge (CE) devices
  • Funding multiple circuits to one site/customer (Example, Transport & Connectivity Services for Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity purposes)
  • Campus fiber network routes are $655 per connection, per month (Olympia campus only)
  • Campus fiber certification for speeds 1Gbps and higher are $655 per connection, one time charge (Olympia campus only)

Non Allocated customers

Rates are tailored to meet customer's business needs. Please contact WaTech for a consultation and customized quote.

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Wireless

Features & Benefits

Wireless Services provides the following benefits:

  • No up-front or recurring equipment costs.
  • Easy-to-acquire subscription pricing.
  • Full integration with state government networks.
  • Full compliance with state security standards and policies.
  • Easy, secure roaming for your agency's network resources.
  • Professional network design.
  • Highly reliable state-of-the-art equipment.
  • Local agency control and administration.
  • A consistent mobile experience.
  • Expert-level centralized support.

Pricing

Monthly rate: $50 per access point

One-time costs: Based on quote

 

Employees

Agency resources

Joined to Active Directory and User Certificate

Roaming

Employees

Your agency resources while visiting another agency

Joined to Active Directory and User Certificate

Sponsored Guest

Guests

Internet

Assigned username and password

Guest

Guests

Internet

Pre-shared key

The Wireless service basic rate includes all of the following networks:

Basic Requirements for the Wireless Service

Local Agency

Roaming

Guests

Connectivity to the State Government Network (SGN)

Required

Required

Required

Member of the Enterprise Active Directory Forest (EAD)

Required

Required

-

Connectivity to the MPLS Wide Area Network (Agency VRF)

Required

Required

-

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