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FEAST Feasibility Study for African – European Research and Education Network

FEAST Feasibility Study for African – European Research and Education Network. 27th October 2009 Michael Nowlan, DANTE. connect • communicate • collaborate. 1. Introduction. Look at Telecoms Market Look at Telecoms Infrastructure Look at Regulatory Environment Look at NREN Capacity

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FEAST Feasibility Study for African – European Research and Education Network

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  1. FEASTFeasibility Study for African – European Research and Education Network 27th October 2009 Michael Nowlan, DANTE connect • communicate • collaborate 1

  2. Introduction • Look at Telecoms Market • Look at Telecoms Infrastructure • Look at Regulatory Environment • Look at NREN Capacity • Make Recommendations as to whether the EU should invest in the region to enhance Research and Education Networking

  3. Introduction… cont.

  4. Africa is Huge • Land area of 30,321,130 Km. sq. • Could fit: China, USA, India, Europe, Argentina and New Zealand into land mass of Africa • Above areas are 30,211,551 Km. sq.

  5. African Country Comparisons

  6. EASSy: Northern Backhaul (Ack: WIOCC) Existing Optic Fiber New Fiber SEAMEWE3 • Northern backhaul essentially complete Port Sudan EASSy 8

  7. East African Backhaul System (Ack: WIOCC) • 4,300km fibre ring • Completion due by end 2009 • Telkom Kenya; UTL; MTN Uganda; MTN Rwanda; RwandaTel; Burundi; TTCL EASSy 9

  8. Southern Africa Backhaul System (Ack: WIOCC) SAT-3 / WASC SAFE • Network linking Namibia and Zambia is complete • Construction commenced by ZamTel linking Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Malawi, Congo and Tanzania completion in the fourth quarter of 2009 EASSy TdM FSS Existing Fiber New Fiber 10

  9. Current Infrastructure • South Africa and some of Mozambique connected by sea cable • Current link terminates at the UbuntuNet router in London and connects to GÉANT • Kenya tunnels via VSAT to the router in London • All others have public VSAT connections to commodity internet • July 2009 should have changed much of this ?

  10. Summary of FEAST project • A feasibility study to pave the way for a network implementation • Study telecoms market and regulatory environment • Study status of NRENs in countries • Perform Request for Information from telecoms suppliers • Limited response to RFI, but a network is possible

  11. FEAST Partners • DANTE running the European GÉANT the multi gigabit interconnector for the European NRENs. • DANTE initiated regional networks in the Mediterranean Region (EUMEDCONNECT), Latin America (CLARA), Asia (TEIN 1/2/3, CAREN) • TERENA: the association of European NRENs • KTH: the Royal technical High school in Stockholm, Sweden • African NRENs, UbuntuNet Alliance, AAU • European Commission

  12. FEAST findings • NRENs exist in the region and are ready to connect • Intercontinental infrastructure exists and is growing • Serious demand for services in Africa • Institutions paying for VSAT connectivity at exorbitant prices • Serious demand for African research by the rest of the world • Serious problems in sourcing skilled staff for NRENs, exacerbated by new cables • Specific application requirements in Africa: Health, Climate, Agriculture, Education, Environment • Conclusions are that there are enough "nearly ready" NRENs and infrastructure

  13. Regulatory Regimes • Generally liberalised • Some monopolies/duopolies • Regulators very supportive • Licences issued or derogations provided

  14. NREN Readiness • Organisation and Human Resources • Acceptable Use and Connection Policies • Interconnected Campus Networks • Number Plan from AFRINIC • Lighthouse Demonstrators

  15. Expected AfricaConnect project • Funded by the European Commission (expected) and the national NRENs in Africa • Funding for infrastructure, human capacity building, applications development • Aimed at a sustainable network in 3 year timeframe • African network connected to Europe and the world

  16. UbuntuNet Backbone Vision

  17. Sea Cable Usage • SEACOM, TEAMS, EASSy • Use a combination of these to enhance connectivity and provide a reliable and resilient network • Only SEACOM available today, TEAMS shortly and EASSy next year

  18. NREN Cooperation (Twinning) • Concept originated in Lilongwe November 2008 • Mutual support between NRENs • Beneficial to both parties • Non-exclusive, can have multiple twins • Advertise NREN expertise and needs • Exchange staff, documents, tools

  19. Next Steps • EC Allocates funding • European and African NRENs form close links to build capacity in Africa • Acquire inter-country links • Acquire inter-continental links • Acquire equipment • Acquire staff…

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