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You are here : Conference « GEANT Lauch Event: Pioneering the Future Internet »
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Conference « GEANT Lauch Event: Pioneering the Future Internet »
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Modern Art and Vasa Museum Stockholm, Sweden 1-2 december 2009
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Robert Klapisch : Pioneering the Future Internet : addressing geographical issues
DANTE, a non-profit organisation managing the European academic network GEANT, has celebrated on the 1st and 2nd of December in Stockholm, the launching of the third phase (2010-2013) of this project, one of the major European Scientific successes.
Robert Klapisch had been invited to talk about the geographical extensions that will be necessary for the Internet of the Future. At a time when Science is increasingly becoming global, he insisted on the necessity of a universal Internet for a more efficient coordination of the work of scientists worldwide. R&E networks have proven their value in Europe and they will be even more indispensable for the scientists in Southern countries who are in general less well endowed in research facilities.
Robert Klapisch illustrated his speech with two examples of successful networks : MARWAN in Morocco has allowed the country’s to integration into European research projects. JU-NET in Jordan has allowed the Broadband connection of 15 universites –and soon 3200 schools–using the optical fiber capacity of the National Electricity Company. Both networks are connected to GEANT.
Africa is the least connected continent. Several European commitments have been taken to develop the Internet Connection and Academic Networks, but this intent faces numerous obstacles. The main ones are the lack of infrastructures and enormous distances (only one cable in 2009), and the cost of connectivity due to monopolistic practices of the local providers. Since July 2009, with the example of SEACOM, we can observe the emergence and effectiveness of African private entrepreneurship in the development of networks. Robert Klapisch underlines the importance of the development of regional alliances of R&E networks if one is to ensure an efficient connexion to GEANT. The most successful so far has been, the UbuntuNet Alliance, grouping countries in South and East of the Continent.
For the President of the Sharing Knowledge Foundation, the big challenge is to fight against the Scientific Divide. It is the responsability of our generation and a strategic objective for the future of a civilisation based on Reason. The Sharing Knowledge Foundation has been active in advocating Internet for African Science and Society since the Montpellier Meeting in 2007.
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