1. F F Tusubira, Don Riley, Ed Fantegrossi
Open Access Conference 14 – 16 November 2007 Bagamoyo, Tanzania Research and Education Networks in Africa – Creating an open access environment for universities and research institutions
F F Tusubira, Don Riley, Ed Fantegrossi

2. Contents Part 1: Layers and Roles
Part 2: UbuntuNet Alliance – Plans, Progress, and acknowledgements
Part 3: UbuntuNet Alliance – New Initiatives working with IEEAF
Conclusion

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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, …

6. 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?

7. Plans and Progress To-date (1)
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

8. Plans and Progress To-date (2)
To be set up:
1 Gb/s connection to LINX (
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

9. Plans and Progress To-date (3): ClustersNA
South Cluster
Southern TZ LS BW ZM MW MZ SA SW
East Cluster UG
Northern TZ KE SD ET EG RW
Ack: Duncan Martin, UbuntuNet

10. Plans and Progress (4): VSAT Virtual RENs
UbuntuNet router
UbuntuNet routers at VSAT teleports in Europe
VSAT-dependent campuses all over Africa
Backhauls to London
Ack: Duncan Martin, UbuntuNet

11. Plans and Progress (5): Connection to Géant
General Internet
UbuntuNet router
Ack: Duncan Martin, UbuntuNet

12. 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

13. 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

14. Global Quilt Initiative for Africa
"Non Nobis Solo” - Not by ourselves alone

15. IEEAF Global Quilt

16. 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. M R E G
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

17. GMRE Brings Economic Drivers
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.

18. GMRE Technology Park Model
Starts with International bandwidth coming to GMRE TEP
Dark fiber for RENs
Data Center
Research Park

19. GQI Multi-Layer Phasing

20. Conclusion ASANTE SANA!
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!