NATO ANW The Fourth CEENet Workshop on Network Management Chisinau, 2004

1. NATO ANWThe Fourth CEENet Workshop on Network Management Chisinau, 2004 ROLE OF NRENS IN FRAMEWORK OF INFORMATION SOCIETY Neki Frasheri Institute of Informatics and Applied Mathematics Albania

2. At the beginning there were no computers … NATO ANW: The Fourth CEENet Workshop on Network Management - Chisinau, 2004 N. Frasheri: Role of NRENS in Framework of Information Society

3. Today somewhere there are no computers … NATO ANW: The Fourth CEENet Workshop on Network Management - Chisinau, 2004 N. Frasheri: Role of NRENS in Framework of Information Society

4. And what we are doing here … Infinite complexity Black Box Politics Society Economy Biological Systems Ecosystems Meteorology Process Control Mechanical Systems Electronics Zero complexity White Box • Dealing with Information Society and Digital Divide • That is dealing with “extremely complicated big politics” NATO ANW: The Fourth CEENet Workshop on Network Management - Chisinau, 2004 N. Frasheri: Role of NRENS in Framework of Information Society

5. Some History… • Notion of “Information Society” was firstly used by Daniel bell in 1973 … • The concept became popular in nineties; when as Vint Cerf said in 1996, “Internet was going there where no networks had gone before” • In the context of globalization, this concept was extended in “Global Information Society” NATO ANW: The Fourth CEENet Workshop on Network Management - Chisinau, 2004 N. Frasheri: Role of NRENS in Framework of Information Society

6. Some Actuality … • The principle may be explained with a citation from Bangemann Report (1994): “this revolution [of ICT] … adds new huge capacities to human inteligence, and … changes the way we live together and the way we work together” • We speak about “knowledge societies”, considering the “knowledge” as “possession of information” • From a businessman’s point of view, Information is becoming the “capital” of the new society ..! NATO ANW: The Fourth CEENet Workshop on Network Management - Chisinau, 2004 N. Frasheri: Role of NRENS in Framework of Information Society

7. Information Society and Digital Divide • “Global Information Society” implies a post-industrial world which existence depends on information … … which creation, distribution, and manipulation has become the most significant economic and cultural activity • Digital Divide has to do with the fact that “information becomes capital” • There are “rich” and “poor” depending on how people access and use information NATO ANW: The Fourth CEENet Workshop on Network Management - Chisinau, 2004 N. Frasheri: Role of NRENS in Framework of Information Society

8. Digital Divide had to do … • Formally it had to do with how people access computing resources and Internet connectivity. • The real problem is how people uses accessed information to “change the way we live together and we work together” • From a businessman’s point of view, it is how access to information helps to “make profit” … NATO ANW: The Fourth CEENet Workshop on Network Management - Chisinau, 2004 N. Frasheri: Role of NRENS in Framework of Information Society

9. NREN and Information Society • Pretty good questions: • Which is the origin of NRENs ? • Which is the role of NRENs in framework of Global Information Society ? • Which is the role of NRENs in reduction of Digital Divide in less developed countries ? NATO ANW: The Fourth CEENet Workshop on Network Management - Chisinau, 2004 N. Frasheri: Role of NRENS in Framework of Information Society

10. GENESIS, and … • In developed countries • NRENs created the Internet • NRENs are creating the New Generation Internet • There is GEANT in the European Union “the interconnection of the National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) in Europe has a very high political importance as it constitutes one of the major blocks for the Next Generation Internet and the foundation of for the European Research Area (ERA)” Erkki Liikanen, Member of European Commission and Responsible for Enterprise and Information Society NATO ANW: The Fourth CEENet Workshop on Network Management - Chisinau, 2004 N. Frasheri: Role of NRENS in Framework of Information Society

11. … the Cargo Cult • It was a silly phenomenon they saw between cannibals of New Guinea a hundred years ago … • Someone remembered about it ten years ago, when ICT became a global preferred topic … • Important political actors rediscovered it one year ago, while working for deployment of IC in some undeveloped countries. … • ICT is the “Cargo Cult” of modern times … “ICT cannot resolve underlying institutional deficiencies” NATO ANW: The Fourth CEENet Workshop on Network Management - Chisinau, 2004 N. Frasheri: Role of NRENS in Framework of Information Society

12. Are NRENs a “Cargo Cult” ? • In certain aspects, NRENs are “cargo cult”, especially when someone lobbies government instances for financial support • UNDP counted about 70 ISPs in Moldova … Why to build a NREN when you may get connectivity to some ISP …? • The latter solution may be pleasurable for some decision-makers: • No need to put special voices in the budget • Need for tenders with all its side effects, that is “playing with money” … NATO ANW: The Fourth CEENet Workshop on Network Management - Chisinau, 2004 N. Frasheri: Role of NRENS in Framework of Information Society

13. The case of SEEREN • SEEREN improved the international connectivity for less-developed Balkan countries • SEEREN was funded 100% from European Commission • SEEREN terminates at the end of 2004 • There will be no more “funding 100%” … • What will happen in 2005 and beyond ..? • We will see how brave we are to get a minimal support from the government … but is it sufficient for long term sustainability ..? • We have a proverb: “you are a high wall, but I may remove the brick at the bottom…” NATO ANW: The Fourth CEENet Workshop on Network Management - Chisinau, 2004 N. Frasheri: Role of NRENS in Framework of Information Society

14. Why we need a NREN ? • Do we need an Internet provider ..? • Do we need a laboratory for network technologies ..? • We agree – we need both … • The problem is in the balance between two needs: • If we need connectivity, why not to get it to ISPs ? • In less developed countries some minister may do this killing question …and may do more … • Some minister did it few years ago when closed down the legal organization of a NREN, without being able to recreate it. • Some minister does not care about it (perhaps until some money will be at the table) … NATO ANW: The Fourth CEENet Workshop on Network Management - Chisinau, 2004 N. Frasheri: Role of NRENS in Framework of Information Society

15. Differences of Rationalities – the Rich … • Balance between NREN as provider and as laboratory is related with differences of rationalities between developed and less-developed countries • In developed countries researchers work on big projects with enormous quantities of data (CERN, for example) • In this context they need connectivity and they built GEANT • They use the NRENs as laboratories … but • Connectivity seems to be more visible for the public • Countries are so rich to accept such kind of “luxuries” NATO ANW: The Fourth CEENet Workshop on Network Management - Chisinau, 2004 N. Frasheri: Role of NRENS in Framework of Information Society

16. Differences of Rationalities – the Poor … • In less-developed countries the argument of connectivity may become a boomerang … • Institutional infrastructures and involvement of people in ICT-based research and education is much lower • QoS may not be a strong argument for sustainability • We need NRENs as tools for progress: • Research and Education Systems are “promotion engines” and “direct indicators” for development and emancipation of society • NRENs are “promotion engines” and “direct indicators” of development and emancipation of Research and Education Systems • That is “big politics” … NATO ANW: The Fourth CEENet Workshop on Network Management - Chisinau, 2004 N. Frasheri: Role of NRENS in Framework of Information Society

17. Differences of Rationalities – the Private … • We are delayed in time – today private is the magic key • We have to face strange [???] practices of PMU and PIU imported from the West without looking on concrete realities of less-developed post-socialist countries • Remember Kransberg’s Law: “technologies are nether good or bad, neither are neutral” • Questions: • NREN is a tool or a solution ? • Privatization is a tool or a solution ? • Answers: there are many forms of “Divide” … NATO ANW: The Fourth CEENet Workshop on Network Management - Chisinau, 2004 N. Frasheri: Role of NRENS in Framework of Information Society

18. The “Divide Complex” • Digital Divide is only one component of the complex • People, developers and politicians see the world from different points of views • Important are “Interest Divide” and “Mentality Divide” • Divide between developed and less-developed • Divide between technicians, • for example Unix-oriented and Microsoft-oriented • Divide between individuals within the same community • Between different specialties • Within the same specialty • Divide between the past and the present • how we learn from our past errors ..? NATO ANW: The Fourth CEENet Workshop on Network Management - Chisinau, 2004 N. Frasheri: Role of NRENS in Framework of Information Society

19. Challenges for a Sustainable NREN • We need a minimal financial and legal support from governments => that is “political will for progress” • We need good international collaboration => that’s reciprocal ability to negotiate, find solutions, understand each other, and • implement positively differentiated relations between partners to decrease the effect of “Divide Complex”; unfortunately this does not match well with actual mentalities of equality … • We need good collaboration within the country • Collaboration that must lead to concrete solutions, not to concrete discussions; unfortunately we like words so much … • We may call it “positive synergy” NATO ANW: The Fourth CEENet Workshop on Network Management - Chisinau, 2004 N. Frasheri: Role of NRENS in Framework of Information Society

20. “Brave Man with many Fellows” • We need knowledge for research and education • NREN is a tool for learning, experimenting and circulating of information and knowledge • We need to produce content for research and education • Production of local content needs motivated people • Capable to work and produce in multi-specialty teams • We need “champions” to build NRENs • They are persons with vision and ability to concretize it • They may become time-bombs if they are alone • We need champion teams, not individuals NATO ANW: The Fourth CEENet Workshop on Network Management - Chisinau, 2004 N. Frasheri: Role of NRENS in Framework of Information Society

21. At the End … “Verba Volant, Scripta Manent” Thank You … Part of this research was assisted by an award from the Social Science research Council’s Program on Information technology, International Cooperation and Global Security NATO ANW: The Fourth CEENet Workshop on Network Management - Chisinau, 2004 N. Frasheri: Role of NRENS in Framework of Information Society