afea 1

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GRNET Capabilities and Prospects of the new
National Academic Network Prof. Panayiotis
Tsanakas GRNET Chairman
Heraclion, 11 June 2009
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History

• GRNET is the National Research and Education
  Network of Greece,
• Covers higher education and public research
  institutions
• In 2002 GRNET2 is deployed (DWDM)
• In 2004 GRNET2 (Phase B) is Initiated
• In 2007 GRNET3 is Established

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GRENET3 Nation-wide fiber network

• Basic characteristics
• 35 POP
• Dark fiber infrastructure
• 15 year-long lease (IRU)
• 8410 Km
• Metropolitan networks in Athens and Thessaloniki
• Extra fiber links for local interconnections in
  34 cities

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International connection GÉANT2
We serve the SE part of Europe
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Complementary BB Support Actions

• http//www.ekpaidefteite.gr University students
  were supported (90 subsidy) to get training and
  certification on basic and advanced IT skills.
  60.000 users
• www.destinpsifiaka.gr Top-grade students we
  supported (80 subsidy) to obtain personal laptop
  computers. 48.000 users
• http//diodos.edu.gr Affordable home ADSL
  connections for university students. 55.000
  users
• http//anafandon.grnet.gr/ Free on-line delivery
  of commercial software for members of the
  academic community.
• http//pithos.grnet.gr/ Advanced on-line storage
  service for all the members of the academic
  community

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GRNET4 Next Generation Academic Network

• Development of a user-controlled dynamic
  infrastructure
• New transmission and switching technologies
• Development of virtualisation services
• Security and authentication mechanisms
• Network monitoring mechanisms providing network
  visualisation to end users
• Advanced network services on-site support
• Interconnection of major and unique research
  infrastructures
• Peering with non-commercial content providers
• Cooperation with Public Administration Network -
  Syzeyxis

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New Technologies New Infrastructure Services

• Virtual Circuit Services
• Multiple-layer VPN Services
• Virtualisation-capable advanced optical equipment
• Visual representation of network operation
  visible to users (visibility)
• Central service support (e.g. network storage)
• Virtual computing services
• Advanced teleconference service using
  telepresence technologies
• Web-based multimedia content management
• Deployment of green data centers

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Virtual Servers

• Each academic user/organisation
• May easily acquire virtual servers
• Is managing virtual server operation
• Is developing and providing network services
• Standard single sign-on (Shibboleth)

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Pithos Network Storage

• Personal on-line storage for each member of the
  research academic community
• APIs to other applications
• Provision of advanced network storage to Labs,
  Research teams, etc.

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Pithos Network Storage
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Advanced Teleconferences

• Conferences of Cross-University Bodies
• Free academic cooperation
• High definition (adaptable) Video
• Automatic user authentication/authorisation (LDAP
  directories)

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Science 2.0 Academic YouTube

• Secure central storage of data and meta-data
• Free storage of digital multimedia content for
  all the members of the academic community
• Easy and fast content search
• Advanced repository of the Greek
  Academic/Intellectual production
• Virtual Research-promoting environment
• Shared Access to rare and valuable scientific
  instruments

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Vision

• Integrated e-infrastructures network, computing,
  storage
• Viable (low cost)
• Reliable (maintenance)
• Advanced (high speed quality)
• Scalable (open standards, adaptable)
• Application development (Research Academic)

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Challenges 1/2

• Cooperation, targeting innovation
• Role/responsibility assignment
• Bridge the digital divide between small/big
  central/regional Institutes
• Numbers are important (Users Cost)
• Transparency Efficiency - Control
• Finding credible collaborators

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Thank you!

• tsanakas_at_admin.grnet.gr

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Backup Slides
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Voice/Data Services Integration

• Integration of university telephone centers
  through GRNET
• No cost telephone calls among universities
• Selection of a commercial telecoms provider for
  handling the other telephone calls

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Advanced Multiple Textbook Delivery for
Undergraduate Students

• Electronic registration of students to courses
• Each publisher obliged to submit an electronic
  copy of the approved textbooks
• Each student identifies the preferrable textbooks
  via a special web-enabled application
• and gets them printed from the publisher