Models on How to Build and Manage National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) South-South Exchange of Research and Education Network Experience (SERENE) via the Global Development Learning Network (GDLN) Session 1: What is an NREN? Michael Foley, World Bank with contributions by George McLaughlin and Nimal Ratnayake October 13, 2009 What is an NREN? 1. A high performance communications network - owned and operated for and by the education and research community of a country 1. The organization that operates that network - constituted either as: a consortium of members, a dedicated agency, a company, an NGO, or other legal entity. Generally not-for-profit 10/ 22/ 09 What i s an NREN? 2 What does an NREN do? – Operates the national backbone that connects campus networks to each other and to other RENs globally, with its own routers, switches, servers etc. – Connects researchers and educators globally using dedicated and private high speed links (not at mercy of commercial Internet traffic) – Runs its own Network Operations Center (NOC) to monitor the network and manage all traffic on it – Provides access to high cost instrumentation and laboratories – Customizes connectivity solutions for research teams collaborating globally 10/ 22/ 09 What i s an NREN? 3 What other services may it offer? – Often provide access to the commodity Internet – Run e-mail service for member organizations – Host a local Digital Library (saves international bandwidth) – Host local mirror sites of international databases (ditto) – Provide platform for new Internet protocols and services (inventing the Internet of the future – commercial spin-offs ) – Operate Videoconferencing bridging – Host Higher Education Management Information System – Host Learning Management Systems (LMS) – Facilitate E-Learning, and Virtual Classrooms – Provide Web hosting if required – Provide technical support services to its members if needed 10/ 22/ 09 What i s an NREN? 4 Applications that need and use NRENs • Natural Disaster systems – typhoon, flood, tsunami and earthquake warning, prediction, and monitoring • Climate change research, meteorology, environmental monitoring and data sharing • Telemedicine and remote diagnostics • Link with Grid initiatives, computing and data repository sharing • Monitor emerging pandemics (bird flu, SARS, H1N1) • Bio-informatics, Agro-informatics, Astronomy, eVLBI (grid of radio telescopes) • Asian Digital Heritage Exchange(ADHX) 10/ 22/ 09 What i s an NREN? 5 What are the benefits of a NREN? – Exponentially more bandwidth at same cost – Critical for access to digital resources, instrumentation, supercomputing – Essential for international collaborative research – without connectivity you are outside the club – Connects faculty and students to global academic community - reducing “academic isolation” – Springboard for innovation in country – spin-offs to industry, education, healthcare, e-government – Building a computer literate population – graduates are the future customers of ISPs – NREN a foundation for the Knowledge Economy 10/ 22/ 09 What i s an NREN? 6 Why an NREN? - and not just more Internet access through ISP • Over 80 countries organize Internet and connectivity for their universities by means of an NREN and operate it as a public good. • NREN interconnections are the fastest way to access global university/research databases • ISPs are geared to serve mass audiences, and basic services, not the specialized needs of research teams – e.g., IPv6 and multicasting • NREN not driven by the profit motive • NREN is inside the academic community 10/ 22/ 09 What i s an NREN? 7 The Global REN mesh continues to grow – The Virtual Silk Road (Central Asia and the Caucuses, and now Afghanistan - NATO) – University of the South Pacific (JICA, AUSAid) – GLORIAD (multi-country link around northern globe) – Pakistan – US link (NSF/Pakistan) – ALICE/CLARA (Lartin America – EU) – EUMedConnect (North Africa, Middle East – EU) – TEIN2 (South East Asia – EU) – TEIN3 – TEIN2 plus South Asia (EU) 10/ 22/ 09 What i s an NREN? 8 How current Asian NRENs connect to each other & globally 10/ 22/ 09 What i s an NREN? 9 Gloriad – cooperation between US, Russia, China, Korea, Canada, the Netherlands and Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden 10/ 22/ 09 What i s an NREN? 10 GÉANT2 Global Connectivity 11 PERN2 Long Haul Fiber Layout Map KIU Gilgit Gomal Uni Hazara University Kohat Uni of IT HEC RA POP University of AJK Peshawar HEC RA POP Uni of Malakand Uni of IT Bannu COMSATS Wah Northern U UET, Texila PMA Kakool Sargodha University Gujrat University HEC RA POP Faisalabad AUF RA2 POP Quetta BU RA2 POP Multan BZU RA2 POP Islamia University Bahawalpur IBA Shah Latif University Sukkur Qaid-e-Awam University Tando Jam U UET , Khuzdar SU RA2 POP Hyderabad Legends 10 G Link Lasbela University Out Side Region Uni Distant Universities Link POP Metro Ring HEC RA POP 12 Challenges establishing an NREN • Vested interest of incumbent Telcos/ISPs (potential loss of revenue) • Lack of competition (high cost) • Lack of, or unaffordable terrestrial/submarine infrastructure • Lack of, or unaffordable in-country infrastructure • Insufficient government commitment • Inadequate (too much/too little) regulation • No cohesive user base or mechanisms to support their formation • Alignment of needs and opportunities will vary by country 10/ 22/ 09 What i s an NREN? 13 How to ensure an NREN is successful • Awareness raising to the academic community – fire the imagination of users • Identify which areas can most immediately benefit (exemplars) • Build capacity of the campus and national network engineers • Seek discipline-based champions (early adopters) • Engage facilitators (understanding of user requirements and opportunities for exploitation) • Create a sustainable business/financing model • Keep close to your client base – the researchers and educators • Cultivate partnerships with funding agencies/donors • Get the balance right between research, teaching and societal benefit 10/ 22/ 09 What i s an NREN? 14 Good Networks aren’t enough -“necessary but not sufficient” • Well supported networks without compelling applications will not be sustainable • Need an enthusiastic user base with capacity to use it • Need a framework so applications benefit users in a powerful, reliable and easy-to-use way • The technology and its complexity should be transparent to the user 10/ 22/ 09 What i s an NREN? 15 Key issues to address - experience from around the world 1. How to organize the NREN governance - Ownership, legal/business structure, management 1. How to fund it sustainably – government, member subscriptions, “deals” with infrastructure providers, adjunct to research grants etc. 1. What is the key to success? Mistakes to avoid? 2. Relationships to ISPs/Telcos – compete or cooperate, meeting of interests? 3. Your questions 10/ 22/ 09 What i s an NREN? 16
© Copyright 2024