Open Access Conference14 – 16 November 2007Bagamoyo, Tanzania

Research and Education Networks in Africa – Creating an open access environment for

universities and research institutions

F F Tusubira, Don Riley, Ed Fantegrossi

Contents• Part 1: Layers and Roles

• Part 2: UbuntuNet Alliance – Plans, Progress, and acknowledgements

• Part 3: UbuntuNet Alliance – New Initiatives working with IEEAF

• Conclusion

Part 1: Layers and Roles – Many dimensions, many players

IEEAF, etc

UbuntuNet, etc

NREN National Infrastructure

Teachers, Researchers, Libraries,Classrooms, Labs, Management

Regional Infrastructure

Campus Infrastructure

Content Networks (Researchers,Libraries, Universities

Management)

Global REN Infrastructure

TERNET, etc

Part 2: UbuntuNet – Context, Plans and Progress

• Ubuntu or Obuntu: - “I am because we are”• …Ubuntu is not just a philosophy – it is a way of

life that defines the relationship of the individual to the community and vice versa …

• … It recognises that individual good arises out of the community good and vice versa…

• …It is about the responsibility of caring for the general welfare, supporting others: development

• Obuntu means “the essence of humanity”; Omuntu means “a human being”

• Hence UbuntuNet Alliance

What is UbuntuNet Alliance?

• …A registered organisation of NRENs (Inc. 2006)• …Sees an African continent holding its own as a

member of the global research and education community…

• … Through enabling the connectivity of national and regional RENs …

• … With sufficient and affordable connection to each other and the GII..preferably via fibre ...

• Current members: TENET, KENET, MoRENet, MAREN, RwEdNet, SUIN

• In process: TERNET, ZAMREN, RENU, Eb@le …

Current Status (Eastern, Southern Africa)

Formal REN, advanced network and sufficient bandwidth: NONE

Formal REN and underlying infrastructure: Malawi, Mozambique, Kenya, South Africa, Sudan, other?

Formal REN but no underlying infrastructure: Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, DRC, other?

REN in formation: Uganda, other?

Plans and Progress To-date (1)• Plans:

– Refine strategic plan and develop a master plan– Establish services and revenue-streams– Local registration and home base in Nairobi– Appoint full-time staff (CEO, Technical, Admin, etc)

• Completed tasks– Obtained IPv4 and IPv6 address space (AfriNIC)– Obtained a CISCO 7606 router donated by CISCO,

installed in DANTE’s cage in Telecity, London– REN transit connection to Géant

Plans and Progress To-date (2)• To be set up:

– 1 Gb/s connection to LINX (https://www.linx.net/)– Settlement-free peering with all comers; includes

bilateral agreements between RENs– Internet transit– Connections to other networks, like Internet2– Also now working with IEEAF

• Working with the Bandwidth Consortium– Plans to merge activities and set up NOC– Ongoing discussions with IDRC and PHEA– Basis for a major connectivity proposal

Plans and Progress To-date (3): Clusters

NA

South Cluster

Southern TZ

LS

BW

ZM

MW

MZSA

SW

East Cluster

UG

Northern TZ

KE

SD

ET

EG

RW

Ack: Duncan Martin, UbuntuNet

Plans and Progress (4): VSAT Virtual RENsUbuntuNet

router

UbuntuNet routers at VSAT

teleports in Europe

VSAT-dependent

campuses all over Africa

Backhauls to London

Ack: Duncan Martin, UbuntuNet

Plans and Progress (5): Connection to Géant

GéantGéantGeneral Internet

UbuntuNet router

Ack: Duncan Martin, UbuntuNet

Appreciation to our supporters to-date• Sida• Cisco• KTH (Sweden)• DANTE• Open Society Institute• Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA)• TENET's FRENIA (Fostering Research and

Education Networking in Africa) Program, funded by The Andrew W Mellon Foundation.

• IDRC and Connectivity Africa• USAID• Partnership for Higher Education in Africa

Part 3: UbuntuNet – New Initiative Working with IEEAF

• The IEEAF comes to us with their own “Ubuntu” vision: The Global Quilt

• They come not to own or to operate, but to enable

• They come bearing scraps of cloth to help make patches, and even some thread to help us make the stitches to sew the patches together

• They come to work alongside, as needed to help us realize our own quilt, as part of the bigger Global Quilt of RENs

Global Quilt Initiative for Africa

"Non Nobis Solo” - Not by ourselves alone

IEEAF Global Quilt

Global Medical Research Exchanges (GMRE)•IEEAF - successful in getting donations for RENs because of partnership with the private sector.

•GMRE - The business driver that generates the donations to IEEAF Africa.

•GMRE brings investment for economic development that leverages the new infrastructure:

- to build open “technology exchange points”- to build data centers and technology R&D Parks- to generate “endowments” for the R&E community

GMRE brings to bear:Lifetime Business Experiences Internationally in

Telcom & Energy Deregulation

Multi-national Corporate Migration Requirements

International Investment Banking Marketplace Interests

GMRE brings both personal and financial commitment from business:

$1.7 Billion Science & Technology Parks

Multi-National Corporate Clients.

Global Telcos as customers for the telecom donators to the IEEAF “as a thank you.”

Global Investment Bankers via NYC.

GMRE Brings Economic Drivers

•Starts with International bandwidth coming to GMRE TEP

•Dark fiber for RENs

•Data Center

•Research Park

GMRE Technology Park Model

GQI Multi-Layer Phasing

Conclusion

• It is real, and it is happening, and UbuntuNet is committed to success of RENs in Africa.

• It is only possible through open multiple partnerships, both regional and global.

• “Be the Change you want to see in the world” – Mahatma Gandhi

• ASANTE SANA!