Why PR has grown important to Forskningsnettet (The Danish Research Network)

1
Why PR has grown important toForskningsnettet(Th
e Danish Research Network)

• TF-PR Meeting
• Lyngby, 17/3-2005
• Martin Bech, UNIC

2
Organization of the NRENs in Denmark

• The Research Network Forskningsnettet
• Governed by a management committee
• Operated by UNIC
• Development by UNIC (and others)
• The Network for the educational sector
  Sektornet
• Governed by UNIC
• Basic Network infrastructure operated by TDC
• Services operated by UNIC
• Development by UNIC

3
Network infrastructure used to be enough

• If the network infrastructure
• Reached all the institutions of the users
• Had capacity enough
• Had a good operational record
• Were known and appreciated by those who financed
  it
• - then that used to be all we should care about

4
What changed?

• From 2003 prices doubled
• Internet and IP bandwidth is no longer anything
  exceptional
• Users are comparing prices and services
• Comparing us to a normal Telco - which, of
  course, is meaningless
• New technical possibilities (GRID, Lambda, )

5
We need to be known by the users

• A brand name
• Services that differentiate us from a regular
  telco
• Identity services Shibboleth and PKI
• Connectivity services eduRoam and iPass
• GRID services and Lambda switching are services
  which can not exist without user involvement
• Network experiments with user involvement
• Create a community around the network

6
Services for the end user

• Just like in Sektornet
• iPass
• Roaming
• WAYF-server
• Video bridge and on demand services
• UniVid a user involvement project
• MultiCast/AccessGRID and all the other technical
  stuff

7
Community

• www.forskningsnettet.dk expanded and improved
• Small brochures
• Electronic newletters with compelling content
• A user conference
• Technical Reference Group
• Video task force
• UniVid project
• Roadshow (with limited turnout)
• Round of meetings with main institutions

8
Is the future bright and clear?

• YES More attention and recognition than ever
• YES Noone leaves Forskningsnettet and we are
  winning institutions back!
• YES Exceptional turnout at the last conference
• NO More services require extra funding to be
  sustained
• NO We have still a long way to go before we
  solve all relevant common problems for the users

9
Conclusion

• The transition from a purely technical back-stage
  operator into a modern provider of services to
  the end user would never be possible without your
  effort