HEAnet
Professional services
UnclaimedHEAnet was Ireland's national research and education network, providing connectivity and shared digital services to schools, higher-education institutions and research organisations.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
HEAnet was Ireland's national research and education network, created to provide shared digital infrastructure for the country's education and research communities. It began operating in 1983 as a collaborative initiative among Irish higher-education institutions, at a time when universities were exploring ways to share computing resources and establish reliable inter-institutional communications. The initiative later received support from the Higher Education Authority and developed from a university-focused networking project into a national provider of connectivity, identity, security and shared ICT services. From 1993 to 1997, HEAnet was managed by UCD Computing Services under contract. In 1997 it was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee, with John Boland appointed as its first chief executive. That same year it became a founding member of the Internet Neutral Exchange. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the organisation expanded its technical reach, increasing network capacity, adding wireless connectivity and establishing transatlantic links to the United States and international research networks. Its international role was reinforced through Ireland's participation in GÉANT, the European research and education networking community. HEAnet's service scope broadened substantially during the 2000s and 2010s. It became responsible for supporting the Schools Broadband Programme, delivering broadband connectivity and related filtering and security services to Irish schools on behalf of the Department of Education. Institutes of technology began migrating to its network in 2008, and between 2012 and 2014 HEAnet managed the rollout of 100 Mbps connections to post-primary schools. Its education-sector services also included network connectivity, authentication and identity management, cybersecurity, procurement support, user assistance and the national administration of eduroam, the secure Wi-Fi roaming service used by participating education and research institutions. The organisation was also involved in specialist research infrastructure. It provided a high-capacity circuit for Ireland's I-LOFAR station and undertook a major network upgrade between 2016 and 2019. That programme was intended to provide 100 Gbps capacity across 216 higher-education locations, contributing to the modernisation of Ireland's research and education backbone. During the COVID-19 pandemic, HEAnet supported continuity of learning by procuring laptops for students and developing the eduroam Everywhere initiative. By 2022, it reported the deployment of eduroam Wi-Fi in almost 500 new locations and the connection of its first client at 100 Gbps. HEAnet's school connectivity work continued into the 2020s. In 2024 it announced that more than 1,000 primary schools had received high-speed internet access, exceeding the original target of 990 schools and providing a minimum connectivity level of 100 Mbps. Its national backbone used optical, IP and MPLS technologies, more than 2,500 kilometres of fibre and the Dublin Core Ring, while also providing backhaul for thousands of primary and post-primary schools. In November 2024, HEAnet introduced its Strategy 2025–2030, centred on network development, security, research, sustainability and people. However, the organisation's independent existence ended through its merger with EduCampus. The merger took effect on 31 December 2025, and the combined organisation was announced in 2026 under the name Asiera, an abbreviation of Advancing Services for Irish Education, Research and Academia. HEAnet should therefore be understood as a former Irish public-interest education and research technology organisation whose activities were transferred into Asiera.
History
HEAnet originated in 1983 as a cooperative networking effort among Irish higher-education institutions. The initial concept grew from work by the country's universities to share computing resources and develop common communications infrastructure. The project later attracted Higher Education Authority funding and evolved into a dedicated national service. Between 1993 and 1997, UCD Computing Services operated the network under contract. In 1997, HEAnet was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee and appointed John Boland as its first chief executive. It also became a founding member of the Internet Neutral Exchange. The organisation's early technical development included a move to 2 Mbps connectivity in 1998, its first wireless connection at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies and, by 2004, a network capacity of 1 Gbps. In 2001 it established transatlantic connectivity and held its first annual conference. HEAnet began extending its remit beyond higher education in the 2000s. The first schools were connected under the Department of Education's Schools Broadband Programme in 2005. Institutes of technology began a phased migration from ITnet in 2008. In 2010, HEAnet launched Edugate, a national federated identity and access service. From 2012 to 2014, it managed the deployment of 100 Mbps connections to every Irish post-primary school on behalf of the Government. The organisation established EduCampus as a subsidiary in 2015 to provide shared management-information systems and related ICT services to the higher-education sector. In 2016, it supplied a 10 Gbit/s circuit for Ireland's I-LOFAR station. A network modernisation programme conducted from 2016 to 2019 aimed to provide 100 Gbps capacity to higher-education institutions at 216 locations. In 2017, HEAnet announced what it described as Ireland's first national 100 Gbps network for education and research. During the COVID-19 pandemic, HEAnet procured laptops for students and introduced the eduroam Everywhere project to extend secure Wi-Fi access. In 2022, it reported almost 500 new eduroam locations and its first client connection at 100 Gbps. Its school-network responsibilities continued to expand: in 2024, the organisation said it had connected more than 1,000 primary schools with a minimum service level of 100 Mbps. Its wider network used optical, IP and MPLS layers over a national fibre backbone of more than 2,500 kilometres, interconnecting higher-education institutions and carrying backhaul for over 4,000 schools. HEAnet also operated shared digital services, including connectivity to international research networks through GÉANT, authentication, procurement brokerage, cybersecurity, support services and the Irish eduroam service. It formerly maintained a software mirror service, but announced in 2023 that this and several other services would be retired in 2024. The organisation hosted an annual conference for Ireland's education and research technology community and hosted the TERENA Networking Conference in Dublin in 2014. In November 2024, HEAnet published a 2025–2030 strategy focused on networks, security, research, sustainability and people. Its corporate history concluded with the merger of HEAnet and EduCampus. The merger took effect on 31 December 2025, with the combined organisation subsequently operating as Asiera. HEAnet is consequently a defunct organisational brand, although its functions and assets continued within the successor organisation.
- 2025
Merger with EduCampus took effect
[3]HEAnet and EduCampus merged on 31 December 2025, with their activities transferred to the unified Asiera organisation.
- 2024
Primary-school broadband target exceeded
[3]More than 1,000 primary schools were connected with at least 100 Mbps service, exceeding the original target of 990.
- 2022
eduroam expansion and first 100 Gbps client
[1]HEAnet reported almost 500 new eduroam locations and its first client connected at 100 Gbps.
- 2017
National 100 Gbps network announced
[1]HEAnet announced the rollout of a national 100 Gbps network for Ireland's education and research sector.
- 2016
I-LOFAR connectivity provided
[1]HEAnet began providing a 10 Gbit/s circuit for Ireland's I-LOFAR research facility.
- 2015
EduCampus established
[1]HEAnet created EduCampus as a subsidiary providing shared management-information systems and ICT services to higher education.
- 2010
Edugate launched
[1]HEAnet introduced a national federated access and identity service for participating education and research users.
- 2005
Schools Broadband Programme connections began
[1]HEAnet connected the first schools under the Irish Department of Education's national schools broadband initiative.
- 2001
Transatlantic connectivity established
[1]HEAnet established connectivity to the United States and beyond and began its annual conference programme.
- 1997
HEAnet was incorporated
[1]The organisation became a company limited by guarantee, appointed John Boland as its first chief executive and joined the Internet Neutral Exchange as a founding member.
Products and positioning
A public-interest, national infrastructure provider focused on secure, high-capacity digital connectivity and shared ICT services for Irish education and research.
Research and education network · 1983
HEAnet National Network
The core national network connected Irish universities, institutes of technology, schools, research bodies and other education organisations to one another, the public internet and international research networks such as GÉANT. It used optical, IP and MPLS layers over a fibre backbone exceeding 2,500 kilometres, with the Dublin Core Ring forming part of its national infrastructure.
School connectivity · 2005
Schools Broadband Programme
Delivered for the Irish Government, this programme provided schools with broadband access and associated network protection. Services included connectivity, content filtering and centralised firewall capabilities. HEAnet supported approximately 800 post-primary schools with service levels ranging from 200 Mbps to 1 Gbps and later connected more than 1,000 primary schools at a minimum of 100 Mbps.
Federated identity and authentication · 2010
Edugate
Edugate was HEAnet's national federated access service. It enabled participating education and research organisations to manage identity and authentication across approved online services, reducing the need for separate credentials and supporting controlled access to shared resources.
Secure Wi-Fi roaming
eduroam Ireland
HEAnet managed the Irish national implementation of eduroam, allowing eligible students, researchers and staff to obtain secure Wi-Fi access at participating institutions using credentials from their home organisation. The eduroam Everywhere project expanded availability during and after the COVID-19 period.
Research infrastructure connectivity · 2016
I-LOFAR connectivity
HEAnet provided high-capacity network connectivity for Ireland's station in the Low-Frequency Array radio astronomy project. The service supported the movement of large scientific datasets between the research facility and collaborating institutions.
Marketing campaigns
- 2020eduroam Everywhere
Ireland
HEAnet expanded eduroam Wi-Fi availability to support students, staff and researchers who needed reliable connectivity across a wider range of locations during the COVID-19 disruption.
Outcome. By 2022, HEAnet reported that almost 500 new locations had received eduroam Wi-Fi.
- 2005Schools Broadband Programme
Ireland
HEAnet worked with the Irish Department of Education to extend managed broadband, filtering and security services to schools.
Outcome. The programme later supported connectivity for hundreds of post-primary schools and more than 1,000 primary schools.
Brand decisions
2025
Merger with EduCampusM&ABackground
HEAnet and its EduCampus subsidiary operated complementary national services for Irish education and research organisations.
Action taken
The organisations combined through a merger by absorption that took effect on 31 December 2025, creating the unified Asiera organisation.
Aftermath
HEAnet ceased to operate as an independent organisational brand, while its assets, liabilities and functions continued within Asiera.
2024
Adoption of Strategy 2025–2030StrategyBackground
HEAnet was planning its next phase as a national education and research infrastructure provider amid rising demand for high-capacity connectivity, cybersecurity and research-network services.
Action taken
It published a strategy organised around network, security, research, sustainability and people.
Aftermath
The strategy preceded the subsequent organisational merger with EduCampus and the transfer of HEAnet's activities into Asiera.
2023
Retirement of legacy digital servicesStrategyBackground
HEAnet reviewed services that were no longer central to its future infrastructure and support portfolio.
Action taken
It announced that video conferencing, ClassView and the Software Mirroring Service would be decommissioned during 2024.
Aftermath
The former software mirror endpoint subsequently displayed a notice that ftp.heanet.ie had ceased operations.
Sources3 sources
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