[Edaily Kim Hyun-ah Reporter] Samsung SDS (SAMSUNG SDS CO., LTD.(018260)) has been awarded a contract to build a next-generation network that will support Seoul National University’s transition to an “AI-Native Campus.” The project will upgrade the campus network—which serves 243 buildings and approximately 50,000 users—to an 800 Gbps-class high-bandwidth infrastructure and implement software-defined networking (SDN) and automation technologies.

Samsung SDS announced on the 24th that it had been awarded Seoul National University’s “Transition to a Next-Generation Network Platform for the Implementation of an Intelligent Campus” project.

This project goes beyond a simple replacement of the campus internet network; it aims to transform the network infrastructure and operational methods to support AI research and education in the AI era. Seoul National University plans to improve the quality of its wired and wireless networks and build an environment capable of rapidly transmitting the data required for large-scale AI training and research.

Campus Network Serving 50,000 Users to Be Upgraded to 800 Gbps Class

The project covers 243 buildings on the Seoul National University campus. It involves a comprehensive upgrade of the large-scale network infrastructure used by approximately 50,000 people, including students, professors, researchers, and staff.

Researching and developing high-performance AI models requires not only GPUs but also high-bandwidth networks capable of rapidly transferring large volumes of data. Through this project, Seoul National University will establish an 800 Gbps-class ultra-high-speed network environment to enable faster and more stable transmission of AI research data.

The quality of network services across the entire campus—including classrooms, laboratories, and libraries—will also be improved. This will minimize slow connection speeds and disconnections for users and make it easier to request and use necessary network services.

Researchers will be able to exchange the massive amounts of data generated during large-scale AI training and research more smoothly.

Shifting from Hardware-Centric to Software-Centric

For this project, Samsung SDS will apply its experience in designing, building, and operating SDN across 13 global hubs used by approximately 80,000 people.

Unlike the traditional method of changing settings on individual network devices, SDN is a technology that centrally and integrally manages the entire network through software. It can apply network policies based on user requests and automatically adjust necessary settings.

Through this initiative, Seoul National University plans to manage its large-scale campus network as a single system and automate repetitive operational tasks.

Tasks such as IP address allocation and lookup, device registration, and requests for new networks for research purposes will also be automated. When a user requests a service through the portal, network settings are automatically updated in accordance with predefined policies and procedures.

A management environment for detecting network failures and anomalies will also be established. The goal is to reduce the burden of repetitive tasks on operations staff and enhance the stability of the large-scale campus network.

Software-Based Network Segmentation

The information security framework will also undergo changes. Instead of physically separating networks for different purposes—such as research, administration, and education—the university will implement software-based logical network segmentation.

The plan is to flexibly configure access permissions and network policies by zone to prevent the spread of security threats, while maintaining necessary connections to accommodate the university environment, where collaboration with external institutions and companies is frequent.

Samsung SDS plans to use this project as an opportunity to expand its next-generation network business, which supports the AI transformation of enterprises, public institutions, and educational and medical organizations.

This is because, with the proliferation of AI, competitiveness is no longer limited to GPUs and AI models but is expanding to include the networks and data infrastructure that connect them.

Ko Gil-gon, Head of the Information Technology Division at Seoul National University, said, “Through this project, we plan to secure the foundation for an intelligent campus and accelerate digital and AI innovation across education, research, and administration.”

Lee Jeong-heon, Executive Vice President and Head of Strategic Marketing at Samsung SDS, stated, “Based on our capabilities in the design, deployment, and operation of large-scale SDN, we will implement a stable and convenient intelligent campus environment.”