The Future of European Education and Research Networking
by Hans-Peter Axmann and Sabine Payr
Europe is still
lacking a truly pervasive high-performance network infra-structure for
its scientific and educational community. An outline of current plans and
discussions, with a particular glance at the EU 5th Framework Programme
for RTD that is currently under preparation is presented here.
The role of research, technical development and training for the creation
and preservation of markets and employment in Europe has long been acknowledged,
as has been the responsibility of public authorities to create an environment
that is favourable to research, education and innovation. Networks for
electronic communication have become an indispensable part of this environment.
A high-performance European network for research and education is necessary
to:
- create a coherent and pervasive European research space
- intensify exchange, mobility and co-operation in higher education and
training of researchers.
State of European Research and Education Networking
On the national level, some research networks have been developing quickly
with public funding. There has been no equivalent development of European
interconnectivity, resulting in a heterogeneous European network structure.
The most recent attempt to tackle this on a truly European scale is TEN-34
(Trans-European Networking at 34 Mbps), supported under the 4th Framework
Programme. However, this project had and still has to struggle with a number
of difficulties, such as a too short time-frame, too complex consortium
structures and cumbersome administrative overheads. The lesson to be learned
is that, while TEN-34 is a valuable first effort, the procedures and regulations
of a research project turn out to be unsuitable, notably insofar as:
- a longer time-frame for planning and function is necessary
- management and administration have to be kept simple and reflect existing
structures of European co-ordination and co-operation.
The next generation of a European research and education network should
offer a homogeneous high-speed core network, whose internal structure is
invisible to any connecting network, with a topology that optimizes access
from all European countries, allowing for flexible access bandwidth and
upgrading according to different needs and possibilities, with a view to
the progressive integration of all present and future EU member states.
Such a network could be built with a number of Euro-PoPs, exchanges
which are able to handle high data volumes, interconnected at 622 Mbps
and upgradable to Gbps in the future.
This infrastructure has to provide:
- 'production' level network services to educational, research and cultural
institutions that are now being served by their respective NREN (National
Research and Education Network) or are eligible as partners in their own
right
- a test bed environment for the demonstration and validation of advanced
networking applications in research and education. These two should preferably
be provided as companion components of a common service.
Some Principles
The 5th Framework Programme fully acknowledges the need to support research
infrastructure on a European level. In order to translate this intention
into the most effective and efficient support for high-performance networking,
we suggest that:
- a basic agreement is found between national network funding bodies
and the Commission on sharing costs and ensuring continuity and upgrading
of European high-speed interconnections over the whole duration of the
Framework Programme
- the national research and education networks which are already organised
on a European level (in TERENA) and have proven their successful cooperation
jointly employ the services of a managerial body to organise an interconnection
scheme and manage a pan-European backbone network. Together they should
be responsible for the detailed technical and economic plans
- structures and administration be kept as simple as possible without,
of course, giving up principles of effective control and good business
practice
- immediate coordinated action is necessary so as to avoid gaps and start-up
delays caused by initial negotiating and contracting phases and uncertainties.
These suggestions are based on the views of ENPG (European Group for
Policy Coordination of Academic and Industrial Research Networking), TERENA
(Trans-European Research and Education Networks Association), DANTE (Delivery
of Advanced Network Technology to Europe) and the discussions in the workshops
organised by the European Commission.
Please contact:
Hans-Peter Axmann - ENPG
Tel: +43 53120 7070
E-mail: hans-peter.axmann@bmwf.gv.at
Sabine Payr - ENPG Secretariat
Tel: +43 53120 7040
E-mail: sabine.payr@bmwf.gv.at
