UbuntuNet Alliance: A Collaborative Research Platform for Sharing Technological Tools for Eradicatin

1
UbuntuNet Alliance A Collaborative Research
Platform for Sharing Technological Tools for
Eradicating the Brain Drain

• Jameson Mbale
• Zimani Kadzamira
• Victor Kyalo
• Duncan Martin

2
What is UbuntuNet Alliance?

• The UbuntuNet Alliance is non-profit
  continent-wide association that works with the
  NRENs of Africa to strengthen research
  collaboration among tertiary education and
  research institutions

3
Background of UbuntuNet Alliance

• Founded in latter half of 2005 by established and
  emerging NRENs of Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique,
  Rwanda and South Africa
• Registered in 2006 as a non-profit making
  association in the Trade Register of the Chamber
  of Commerce and Industry in Amsterdam
• Board comprises nine directors
• Strategic plan for period 2007 2010 established
  end of October 2006 in Zomba

4
Vision of UbuntuNet Alliance

• Vision
  To ensure
  that African research and education institutions
  can participate effectively in the global
  research and education networking community and
  knowledge

5
Mission of UbuntuNet Alliance

• Mission
  To ensure
  that African NRENs have efficient and affordable
  bandwidth for their member research and education
  institutions so that they can participate in the
  global research and education networking worldwide

6
Objective of the UbuntuNet Alliance

• Develop high-speed terrestrial inter-connectivity
  NRENs of sub-Saharan Africa
• Provide high-speed terrestrial connectivity to
  GÉANT in Europe, Abilene in USA Internet
  generally
• Assist NRENs in Africa to migrate from dependence
  on VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal)
• Nurture development of ICT knowledge skills

7
Governance Structure

• A Three-Tier Governance Structure

Council of Members
Management Board
Secretariat
8
Council of Members

• Representative members of participating NRENs
• Observers members
• 1st Council held in Nairobi on 23rd Feb. 2007
  (See the next slide for members)
• In attendance 16 African NRENs

9
1st UbuntuNet Alliance Council of Members,
Nairobi, Kenya. February 2007
10
Management Board

• Prof. Zimani Kadzamira, Malawi, Chairperson
• Albert Nsengiyumva, RwEdNet, Rwanda, Deputy Chair
• Victor Kyalo, KENET, Kenya
• Dr. Duncan Martin, TENET, South Africa
• Dr. Jameson Mbale, ZAMREN, Zambia
• Dr. Americo Muchanga, MoRENet, Mozambique
• Margaret Ngwira, MAREN, Malawi
• Prof. F. F. Tusubira, Uganda
• Vacant post for CEO to be appointed
• Adviser Prof. Bjorn Pehrson, KTH, Sweden

11
Secretariat
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Administrative Assistant (AA)
Programmes Officer (PO)
Chief Technical Officer (CTO)
12

• UbuntuNet Alliances activities set to address
  Brain Drain

13
1. Collaboration in Capacity Building and
Research Across the NRENs

• Collaborative RD activities
• Provide member NRENs with auxiliary services,
  e.g. training programmes like Network
  Administration, Network Cabling, Network
  Troubleshooting, e-Learning Content or Resource
  development, and Bandwidth Management.
• Brain Drain (BD) gt Empowers nationals with
  relevant skills, thus creating more job
  opportunities

14
1. Collaboration in Capacity Building and
Research Across the NRENs (contd.)

• Collaborative RD activities
• Survey training needs of NRENs members
• Share and conduct research to improve
  functionality and productivity
• BD gt research tools useful for increasing
  production in industry, thus alleviating poverty
  in the society

15
2. High Speed UbuntuNet Backbone

• Network infrastructure
• Exploit planned fibre infrastructure projects
• Share the cost of connectivity, equipment,
  training and premises
• Formulate operational strategy among the member
  NRENs
• BD gt low cost of production, improves the
  national economy

16
2.1. High Speed UbuntuNet Backbone (contd.)

• Sub-Regional clusters
• The East Cluster
• (i) Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Sudan,
  Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia
• (ii) potential cross-border terrestrial links
  between countries
• (iii) access to the proposed submarine cable
  landings on the East African coast for
  connectivity to Europe

17
Proposed EASSy Submarine Cable
18
2.1. High Speed UbuntuNet Backbone (contd.)

• 
  
• BD gt the laying of cable across the eastern
  coast of Africa and its (cable) extension to
  inter-land (land-locked) will create jobs to the
  nationals near the site

19
2.2 High Speed UbuntuNet Backbone (contd.)

• UbuntuNet South Cluster
• (i) Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique,
  Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and
  Zimbabwe
• (ii) Broadband connectivity to east and west
  coast submarine cables with landings at Maputo,
  Durban and Cape Town
• BD gt job creation for nationals near the site

20
WASC
EASSy
WASC
SAFE
21
3. Thrust to Connect the NRENs of Africa to
GÉANT in Europe

• The Alliance has established a connection to
  GÉANT from an UbuntuNet PoP in London
• The NRENs connect to the UbuntuNet Hub either
  directly or using GRE tunnels
• BD gt thrust to connect GÉANT will reduce the
  cost of telecommunication as well as the cost of
  production of other services

22
The GÉANT The Hub Tunnels From Africa
Géant / Global REN
General Internet
London Hub (UbuntuNet Router)
23
Conclusions

• Organizational structure of UbuntuNet Alliance
• Collaboration in capacity building and research
  across the NRENs
• Auxiliary services
• Survey training needs
• Share resources and joint research

24
Conclusions (contd.)

• High Speed UbuntuNet Backbone
• Network infrastructure
• fibre infrastructure
• Share cost of connectivity, etc.
• operational strategies
• UbuntuNet east and south clusters
• Thrust to Connect the NRENs of Africa to GÉANT in
  Europe

25
The end!
Thanks for listening!