David Williams, CERN SERENATE Final Workshop, Bad Nauheim 16 June 2003

Outcomes and follow-up David Williams, CERN SERENATE Final Workshop, Bad Nauheim 16 June 2003

Some overall impressions (1/2) • Interesting but still lots to do • We have consensus on the general directions, but….. • policy concerning commodity traffic(volunteer to write-up??) • it’s probably too early to come with a strong recommendation on the community moving to “control” its own fibre infrastructure – my personal guess is that that’s what we will do eventually • Structural funds • Accession Countries are in the process of defining what they wish to use the Structural Funds to invest in. • We had better help them to insist that some of this is spent on R&E network connectivity! • Aplogies E2E, AAA, …. David Williams, Final Workshop

Some overall impressions (2/2) • Strong personal opinion – will see strong growth in data volumes – not just grids – PCs connected via GE will be able to source and sink lots of data • Costs (DD slide ) David Williams, Final Workshop

Key first next step • Write a good SERENATE Report • Concise • Clear • Recommendations that can be acted on • And especially a good Executive Summary • Since many people will only read that David Williams, Final Workshop

My major concern • That we need to continually “re-sell” the visions • that well-supported networking in the Research and Education communities is a very efficient way to improve the competitivity of our national economies in the Information Age. • and that it is not in conflict/competition with eEurope • Any volunteer for writing this up? • I doubt if you can “prove” the validity of the vision • Anything close to that is a major job David Williams, Final Workshop

SIX (SEVEN) STRATEGIC QUESTIONS David Williams, Final Workshop

The questions • What action, if any, do the NRENs need to take concerning the move from electrical transmission to optical transmission and fibres? • What can be recommended concerning Campus Networks • What, if anything, should be done about Europe’s Digital Divide? • Does R&E networking have any political role to play in Europe’s relations with the developing world? • Should NRENs become more inclusive towards other user communities? • What action, if any, should be taken by the R&E community as IT and network technologies assume an ever more important role in the whole process of delivering R&E? • What future for the NRENs? • Any other really strategic question?? Are people happy with the order?? David Williams, Final Workshop

LIKELY RECOMMENDATIONS I have been hearing general consensus about what’s in the 4 yellow pages - SNOFHYP Some specific comments follow David Williams, Final Workshop

For politicians (MEPs, MPs) • The NREN model has been a success story for Europe and is still the best approach for the next ~5 years • EU/EC should continue to play the federative role which it has assumed over the past 10 years in enabling the interconnection of Europe’s NRENs. • How strong a recommendation can we make (now) about pan-European fibre infrastructure “controlled” by the NRENs? • A political discussion is needed concerning what we want to do about the Digital Divide inside Europe, and what we mean by “Europe” in that context • A political discussion is needed on the strategy to be adopted concerning the relation between European networking and the developing world. Or is this overkill, and we should “muddle along” as we have been doing? David Williams, Final Workshop

For the EC • The EC should continue to play the federative role which it has assumed over the past 10 years in enabling the interconnection of Europe’s NRENs. • The EC should assume responsibility for measuring the depth of Europe’s internal Digital Divide and for monitoring progress in reducing it. • It should trigger a political discussion concerning what we mean by “Europe” in this context • It should trigger a political discussion on the strategy to be adopted concerning the relation between European networking and the developing world David Williams, Final Workshop

For governments • Keep supporting your NREN! • In the ongoing presence of excessively high prices for transmission, the national, regional or local governments concerned should take action to stimulate open access (and hence competitive) ducting and fibre supply • Careful attention is needed to the integration of regional networks into the chain NREN-regional-campus • Risk of complicating NREN’s technical evolution • Risk of becoming last stronghold of ex-monopolists David Williams, Final Workshop

For multiple actors, including regulators • A basic fibre census – where, how many fibres, what type, how many lit? – could be very useful and should be made public • It would be desirable to regulate access conditions to installed fibre – not just the local loop [obviously following discussions with all parties] • Guidance (at least open discussion) on the share of the investment that the first few purchasers/leasers should cover would be very valuable • I discussed with KES that we should write up the data that show that “on average” European fibre lease prices assume 10 users per cable • Make more publicity for an old NL approach to fibre trenching? [Anyone can join a physical installation of ducting – and share the cost] David Williams, Final Workshop

For the NRENs • Careful attention is needed to the integration of regional networks into the chain NREN-regional-campus • Need to decide on policy with respect to new EU regulations (public/private network) • Investigate heterogeneous networks • Participate in grid projects to better understand their needs • Experiment with segregation of specialised high-speed traffic onto switched paths • When there are signs that prices in the (national) transmission market are excessive then experiment with DIY transmission. If the market situation does not evolve then move to production DIY solutions. • It could be useful for a few NRENs (say 2-3) and DANTE to explore the extent to which a highly reliable and high-performance long-distance path can be created by joining shorter segments of national fibres. Can that sort of approach be put out to tender? • If there is a political mandate to engage with the developing countries, obvious tasks are to help build up their NREN expertise, to help build regional groupings of NRENs, and to help such groupings to connect to GEANT • Simulating traffic flows David Williams, Final Workshop

For universitiesand other research centres • Campus networks need attention and serious ongoing investment of resources, including personnel. • Out-of-scope.Universities need well-developed and sufficiently funded IT policies. David Williams, Final Workshop

For multiple academic actors, including the NRENs • Coordination for AAA • Coordination of the whole IT “approach” across (sub-)disciplines David Williams, Final Workshop

For operators • Recognise that the NRENs have no particular desire to build and operate their own transmission systems. • But that they are acquiring a reasonable understanding of the costs involved. • So take account more of the possibilities of DIY solutions based on optics, and use those as check-points when setting pricing? • Remember that NRENs are potentially interested in various small and large collaborative projects, which have the potential to bring major mutual benefits David Williams, Final Workshop

FOLLOW-UP David Williams, Final Workshop

Key first next step • Write a good SERENATE Report • Concise • Clear • Recommendations that can be acted on • And especially a good Executive Summary • Since many people will only read that • Timing of reports David Williams, Final Workshop

Contacts with politicians • “We” go to talk to “them” about the Report - Europe • MEPs • EC • ENPG • “You” go to talk to “them” about the Report - Nationally • MPs • Governments & Ministries David Williams, Final Workshop

David Williams, CERN SERENATE Final Workshop, Bad Nauheim 16 June 2003