2002 - cesnet

US (TeraGrid with backbone 4 × 10 GE between Chicago and L.A. will probablybe the largest of them).While analysing other opportunities for the utilization of this service, we focusparticularly on identifiyng the requirements for transfers of large data volumes(both domestic and international), i.e., from/to Czech research centres, andthe barriers for their usage. In order to establish contacts with other potentialusers, we have sent out a letter to the representatives of CESNET members, togetherwith a survey form. We plan to provide access to CzechLight from Brno,Plzeň and Ostrava, using experimental fibre lines, and also through VPN withinCESNET2.Access to CzechLight can be provided to foreign partners under similar conditionswhich we were provided for with access to NetherLight and StarLight, i.e.,they should participate adequately in the associated expenses. Preliminary interesthas been expressed in Poland and Slovakia. For these purposes, we canmake use of the fibres of the Prague–Brno–Český Těšín line and the G.655 fibreson the long-distance Prague–Brno line (all other fibres mentioned in this reportare classical, i.e., type G.652), acquired by the researchers for experimentalpurposes. We have also been finding ways to acquire financial support from theEU for this international project of interconnecting lambda services.4.1.1 Preparation of the ASTON ProjectFollowing the original offer of FLAG Telecom, operating transatlantic opticalcables, the project participants became involved in the preparation of theASTON (A Step Towards Optical Networking) project, coordinated by TERENA.Unfortunately, FLAG Telecom witnessed some financial troubles and it nowoperates at a limited scope (e.g., it has not yet started the building the node inFrankfurt a. M. which we planned to use).The draft project was used as a basis for TERENA’s Expression of Interest (EoI)for the 6 th EU Framework Program. Thanks to the initiative of the EuropeanCommission, the authors of EoI met in Torino, on 15 October 2002, and the conclusionwas that the project is in compliance with their requirements. With respectto the fact that the projects of this thematic group will not be commenceduntil the summer of 2004, the representatives of ASTON agreed that, until then,all pertinent activities would be covered by the TF-NGN research program.During a TF-NGN meeting, held on 17 October 2002, the researchers presentedtheir speeches and were invited to develop a proposal for year 2003 activity,titled “10 GE over Long Distance”. The proposal was submitted on 15 November2002. As part of the ASTON preparations, the project manager also took partin a TERENA SERENATE project meeting with the manufacturers of optical devices.High-speed National Research Network and its New Applications 200241