1 Developing effective NRENs Duncan Martin Director (non-exec): UbuntuNet Alliance Director and CEO: TENET, South Africa UbuntuNet Connect November 2008 Lilongwe

2 Global Research and Education Networking Campus NREN Campus RREN Campus NREN

3 The global REN (2) U LouisianaCampus LONINREN Campus Internet2 Géant UbuntuNet U Nairobi Campus KENET

4 To do this requires… Each NREN must have its own network identity in the routing tables of the Internet –Autonomous System Number (ASN) –Get ASN from AfriNIC All campus networks of the NREN must use their own IP addresses –End-user allocations from AfriNIC –NOT addresses provided by your ISP

5 UbuntuNet operations today Internet Géant UbuntuNet, London VSAT connection. GRE tunnel to UbuntuNet KENET SAT-3 submarine cable UbuntuNet, Johannesburg TENET/ SANReN Swaziland Lesotho

6 So what is an NREN? Normally, members must be research and/or educational institutions Is recognised by other RENS –Inclusiveness and Acceptable Use Policy Provides member institutions with –fast links between member campuses –connectivity to other RENs worldwide –connectivity to the Internet generally (commodity Internet) Carries only traffic coming from or destined for a REN –Never transits traffic that both comes from and is destined for a commodity network

7 In the developed world, NRENs… ensure that advanced networking traffic is not disabled by congestion from commodity-type traffic develop next-generation networking and applications in research and higher education. (Extract from Internet2’s interconnection MoU)

8 For us, there are other roles as well…. The NREN as “bandwidth consortium” –Bandwidth is very expensive! –Negotiates affordable Internet access; –Lobbies government and regulators, e.g. for relaxed VSAT license conditions Represents country in regional initiatives like UbuntuNet Helps develop ICT capacity in its member campuses

9 Remarks on organisational structure of NRENs

10 Remember! Collaboration seldom walks more than 50 paces… …and never climbs stairs…. Sage

11 Key insight Minimize the need for collaborative decision-making and collaborative behaviour at day-to-day operational levels! Locate the ownership of collaboration at top organisational levels (V-Cs / DV-Cs) Structure operational relationships with user campuses along normal customer-supplier lines

12 Separate responsibilities! Provision of the networking services –NREN Board, NREN Managers and staff –Customers: IT Director, Network Manager, User-Support Manager Institutional commitments to, and shared ownership of, the collaboration –Institutional Executives

13 A “Never Do” Allow commercial or profit-seeking activities to use your services, directly or indirectly

14 Some “Must Do’s” for NRENs Focus on the connectivity needs of your member institutions! Build cooperative relationships with Government, Regulator, ISPA Develop and publish your Acceptable Use Policy Get your ASN from AfriNIC Assist your member campuses to secure their own IP address allocations and to renumber

15 Plan for financial sustainability Recover operating costs from user institutions –bandwidth costs –normal overhead costs (NRENs task is to secure affordable prices; not to provide free bandwidth) Seek donor assistance for capacity development –Capital expenditures –Training programs

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