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Study into the evolution of networking in Europe over 5-10 years, analyzing technical, financial, regulatory aspects to guide policy-making. Involves stakeholders for strategic planning.
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SERENATE basics • Strategic study into the evolution of research & education networking in Europe over the next 5-10 years. Looking into the technical, organisational and financial aspects, the market conditions and the regulatory environment. Will provide inputs to the policy-making of the EC, national governments and funding bodies, research institutions and research & education networks. • May 2002 – September 2003 • Project partners: TERENA, DANTE, CTI, Academia Europaea, ESF. With strong involvement of national research & education networks. • Needs active participation from all stakeholders!
SERENATE’s 14 work items • Initial Workshop • Transport Infrastructure • Regulatory Situation • Operators Workshop • Infrastructure Forecast • NREN Models • Infrastructure Scenarios • Equipment • User Needs • Overall Strategic Scenarios • Extensions of Research Networks • Geographic Coverage • Final Workshop • Final Report
Initial Workshop (1) • took place at La Hulpe from 17-18 September 2002 • 94 participants from: national research & education networks, researchers, government and funding bodies, telecom operators, equipment manufacturers • interesting plenary presentations: • researcher’s, educationalist’s and librarian’s view • policies/politics (EP, EC, ENPG) • the view from the campus (FR, UK) • the continental view (GÉANT, Internet2) • optical networking • problems in real life • breakout discussion sessions on Technology, Economics, Geography, Researchers’ Needs, Other Users’ Needs
Initial Workshop (2) • breakout discussion sessions on five questions: • Security inhibits user-to-user connectivity. Discuss. • Is geographically ubiquitous connectivity for European researchers (a) sustainable? (b) extensible? • What should Europe do about connectivity to “neighbouring areas”? • How should the national research & education networks community transfer their experience and/or expertise to other communities? • Can (should) we recommend a minimum/average/acceptable level of service for each European researcher? • plenary session, including preliminary impressions
Initial Workshop (3) Some preliminary impressions (1): • From hardware to services: Research networking is evolving fast. It is not so much just getting “hardware connectivity” to the researcher’s desk, but it is increasingly about delivering a set of services needed by researchers (and others). The user wants information access, collaborative tools, “disciplinary Grids”. AAA and Web/Grid services will be part of the delivery mechanism. • Research & education networks are a resource: Lots of expertise. Growing understanding by government of the importance of ICT as a driver for economic prosperity. Growing understanding by governments of the value of their research & education network’s expertise. Increasing requests to capitalise on that expertise.
Initial Workshop (4) Some preliminary impressions (2): • Technology: The “optical wave” is a powerful one. We need to find a coherent approach to the “steadily increasing amplitude” of optical networking. • Economics: We need a clear understanding of any regulatory barriers that we could face in deploying pan-European fibre. Does it matter whether you actually own fibre, or lease it on a long-term basis, or maybe even lease wavelengths? • Geography: There is a conflict between two fundamental EU-policy concepts: equal opportunities for researchers wherever they are (ERA) subsidiarity. • Researcher-User Needs: As much as they can get (and afford). AAA, Grids etc.
Initial Workshop (5) Some preliminary impressions (3): • Other Users’ Needs: Could one develop benchmarks for schools, libraries, hospitals etc.? • Policy and funding: Dialogue with governments and politicians (national and European level) needed. www.serenate.org/workshop1.html
Transport Infrastructure • fact-finding on the transport and infrastructure market – deployment and trends, incl. pricing and availability and market development as well as global connectivity issues • carried out by DANTE and CTI • started in June 2002 • material GÉANT procurements as one of the inputs • confidential interviews with European-level operators • study to be completed in November 2002 • taking into account results of Operators Workshop • report in December 2002
Regulatory situation • study into the status of regulatory development in: • each of the EU Accession States • Portugal, Greece • the other EU Member States as a whole • carried out by CTI and Antelope Consulting • started in May 2002 (one month before schedule) • lot of information already gathered • study to be completed in November 2002 • report in December 2002
Operators Workshop (1) • will take place in Amsterdam on 8 November 2002 • organised by TERENA and DANTE • directed at traditional and “alternative” operators: • new pan-European operators • traditional operators that have developed pan-European capabilities • unreconstructured monopolists • regional operators
Operators Workshop (2) • discussion sessions on: • technology: “Protocol Wars: Return of the Circuit Switch” • pricing and geography: “How to close the Digital Price Divide in Europe?” • stability of the industry: “Will we see more operators getting into serious problems?” • relations between operators and research networks: “Business relationship or partnership?” www.serenate.org/workshop2.html
NREN Models • case studies on novel infrastructure acquisition initiatives • analytic report • carried out by CTI • results to be discussed in workshop aimed at NRENs, organised by TERENA on 5 February 2003 in Noordwijkerhout (NL) • started in August 2002 • study to be completed in February 2003 • end-report in March 2003
Equipment • study into the availability and characteristics of equipment for next-generation networks • carried out by DANTE and TERENA • contributions from technical experts from TF-NGN • started in July 2002 • questionnaire developed; interviews with equipment manufacturers to take place between 20 October and 30 November 2002 • study to be completed in December 2002 • report in January 2003
Researchers’ Needs • study of the networking needs of users in the European research community • carried out by Academia Europaea and ESF • started in August 2002 • Web questionnaire developed and large number of researchers invited to respond • draft report to be discussed in workshop in Montpellier from 17-19 January 2003 • study to be completed in February 2003 • end-report in February 2003