European NRENs

1
European NRENs GÉANT2 Evolution Global
Connectivity

• Vasilis Maglaris
• NREN Policy Committee - GÉANT Consortium,
• National Technical University of Athens - NTUA
• Geneva, September 2005

2
Revolution A European RE Networking Model

• 30 National Research Education Networks-NRENs
  of the extended European Research Area (ERA)
• More than 3000 Research Education Institutions
• Millions of end-users eScience Projects (e.g.
  Grids) under Accepted Usage Policy (AUP) rules
• A 3-tier Federal Architecture, partially
  subsidized by National and EU Research
  Education funds
• The Campus Network (LAN/MAN)
• The NREN (MAN/WAN)
• The Pan-European Interconnection TEN34 ? TEN155
  ? GÉANT (GN1 in FP5) ? GÉANT2 (GN2 in FP6)
• NREN Policy Committee, GN2 Exec, DANTE, TERENA

3
The NREN PC
Austria (ACOnet) Belgium (BELNET) Bulgaria (ISTF) Croatia (CARNet) Czech Republic (CESNET) Cyprus (CYNET) Germany (DFN) Estonia (EENet) France (RENATER) Greece (GRNET) Hungary (HUNGARNET) Ireland (HEANet) Israel (IUCC) Italy (GARR) Latvia (LATNET) Lithuania (LITNET) Luxembourg (RESTENA) Malta (UoM) Netherlands (SURFNET) Nordic Countries Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden (NORDUNET ) Poland (PSNC) Portugal (FCCN) Romania (RoEduNet) Russia (JSCC) Slovakia (SANET) Slovenia (ARNES) Spain (RedIRIS) Switzerland (SWITCH) Turkey (ULAKBIM) United Kingdom (UKERNA) PLUS NON-VOTING MEMBERS Delivery of Advanced Network Technologies to Europe Ltd. (DANTE) Trans-European Research Education Networking Association (TERENA) PERMANENT OBSERVERS CERN,, AMREJ,, MARNET
4
Evolution From GN1 to GN2

• Build on the GÉANT Pan-European IP RE network
  An international success story
• Deploy GÉANT2, a new generation HYBRID Network
  backbone IP(v6) switched end-to-end provision
  across interconnected networks (over DARK FIBER
  among 15 countries growing)
• Ubiquitous global services to users across NRENs
  beyond via IPv6 and manageable e2e lower layer
  paths (e.g. WAN GigEthernet Light-path
  switching)
• Gaining improved understanding of user needs
  Grids/eScience
• End-user support, user access to e2e
  provisioning, AAA, collaborative services,
  roaming
• User basis Universities, Research Centers,
  Schools (?), eScience Initiatives (Grids),
  Digital Libraries

5
The GÉANT2 Optical Network
6
Revolution Global Hybrid Networking

• The Internet enabled the ubiquitous global
  networked community based on IP services the
  Web
• The Next Generation Hybrid Network will enable
  the global knowledge based society by providing
  advanced collaborative platforms via hybrid IPv6
  Manageable Layer 1-2 (Ethernet Light-path
  switching over Dark Fiber) Services
• RE HPCN and Grid requirements motivated the
  design and deployment of GÉANT2 as a hybrid,
  Dark-Fibre (DF) network
• GÉANT2 offers this new environment to European
  Researchers Educators and paves the way for
  global, ubiquitous advanced networking services
  (cyber-services)
• The NREN - Grid /HPC communities test develop -
  tailor and deploy network-based services
  applications Collaborative platforms, security,
  AAA, roaming

7
GÉANT2 Global Connectivity
8
Global Connectivity Policy in GÉANT Distributed
European Access (DEA)

• DEA concept dates back to the full IP world (ca.
  2000)
• Homing to GÉANT PoPs with redundant Gigabit
  access
• Alternatives
• Interconnect via host NREN GÉANT PoPs (e.g.
  Austria - Ukraine)
• Establish separate regional PoPs (e.g.
  EumedConnect)
• Procure regional network anchored in GEANT NREN
  PoPs (e.g. SEEREN)
• Cross-border direct links (e.g. Serbia Hungary
  Cross Border Fiber)
• Satellite links (e.g. Turkey lt 2004)
• Cost sharing issues
• Accepted Usage Policies (AUPs)

9
Global Connectivity Policy in GÉANT2 (GN2 - SA4)

• DEA needs redefinition in new HYBRID world (L1,
  L2 e2e switching L3 IP routing)
• Global Connectivity Committee set-up by the NREN
  PC consisting of
• David Foster (CERN), Vasilis Maglaris (NREN PC),
  Kees Neggers (SURFNET), Esther Robles (RedIRIS),
  Enzo Valente (GARR), Dany Vandromme (RENATER),
  Martin Wilhelm (DFN)
• Goal Enable all scientists educators
  students (pupils?) with quality access to the
  Global Information Society
• Via ubiquitous high speed, reliable IP routed
  internetworking amongst RE Networks world-wide
• Complemented by the provision of e2e switched
  Gigabit connections to power users (for
  international eScience - Grid experiments, e.g.
  LCG)
• Bridge the digital divides within Europe and
  globally
• Assist formation of viable NRENs, if not existing
• Assist formation of Regional Networks if
  necessary (e.g. EumedConnect)
• Join forces with non-European NRENs (e.g.
  Internet2) to strengthen impact
• Seek assistance from EU (DG INFSO, EuropeAid,
  Regional Funds), EIB, UNESCO ...

10
Evolution NREN Hot Potatoes

• Assess NREN GÉANT requirements technology
  trends over the next 10 - 20 years (foresight)
• Test deploy bleeding edge technologies (e.g.
  nx40 Gbps over DF) and adopt novel business
  models (e.g. DF ownership Cross-Border Fibre
  provisioning by neighbouring NRENs)
• Coordinate between Next Generation Networking
  High Performance Computing towards a Global Open
  HPCN Architecture
• Test deploy GÉANT - wide Security Monitoring
  (prerequisite for eScience / Grids, eSchools,
  Digital Libraries, eGovernment, eHealth )
• Establish virtual collaborative environments
  (e.g. VRVS, Access Grid)
• Enhance global connectivity (USA, Canada, China,
  Japan, Korea, South Africa, Latin America,
  SEEREN, EUMED North Africa, West Africa, India,
  )
• Help to overcome digital divides
• Promote NRENs GÉANT GÉANT2 as a European
  success story to End-Users National / EU
  Decision Makers
• while at the same time
• Keep-up the good work and meet new challenges in
  the eScience world (deploy hybrid optical
  technologies, provide e2e L1/L2 connectivity,
  update cost sharing models, test new business
  models )
• Not a mission impossible!

11
Lessons in bridging Digital Divides - 1

• Digital Divides encountered in European NRENs
• Within EU nations (North South, Cities Rural
  Areas, IT knowledgeable IT novices within a
  Campus)
• Outside the EU EumedConnect (North Africa),
  SEEREN (South East Europe) .
• Regions with expensive telecom infrastructure
  (quasi-monopoly TELCOs)
• Hard to lease fiber (dark of lit)
• Political instabilities
• But
• Highly qualified human potential in the RE
  sector, especially in ICT ? brain draining effect
• Acute needs for e-participation, e-learning

12
Lessons in bridging Digital Divides - 2

• Positive attitude
• Do not settle for expensive short term solutions,
  if possible (e.g. satellites)
• Try to leap-frog in advanced solutions. Examples
• Balkan dark fiber initiatives for NRENs
• NRENs of new EU member states (Poland, Czech
  Republic .) are champions of optical
  technologies
• Use wireless links (license free?) to complement
  fiber optic feeds (WiMAX)
• Aggregate funds EU, National, International
  Assistance bodies
• Respect national priorities 1 NREN per country,
  AUPs
• Consider Regional Aggregations if cultural and
  economic factors allow (aka. SEEREN,
  EumedConnect, towards a NORDUNet US Regional
  PoPs paradigm)
• Develop Federation amongst NRENs and/or Regional
  RE Networks, well connected and managed,
  partially funded by constituent NRENs (aka.
  GEANT, RedCLARA) - Governance?
• Be integral part of the Global RE Networking
  Community
• LESSONS APPLICABLE IN AFRICA?
• YES, a not so distant dream