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                  * *      A bi-monthly electronic news bulletin
                 *   *     reporting on the activities of DANTE,
                *          the company that provides international
               *           network services for the European 
THE WORKS OF D A N T E     research community.

No.6, October 1994         Editor: Josefien Bersee
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LIBERALISATION EUROPANET ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY (AUP) 

EuropaNET, the pan-European backbone network launched in 1992 to 
provide international connectivity for the European research 
community, is no longer a research traffic-only network. The multi-
protocol backbone, with nodes in 18 European countries can from now 
on also be used for commercial traffic handled by the connected 
national networks.

The change was brought about as a result of increasing commercial use 
of the Internet and the emerging interest of European PTTs in 
supporting commercial services. In the short term there will be no 
significant changes as a result of the relaxed AUP. The national 
research networks remain DANTE's major customers and all future 
developments will be planned in line with their interests. 

DANTE AWARDED PHARE NETWORKING CONTRACT

The European Commission has awarded a two year contract for the 
management of the PHARE 1994 R&D Networking Programme to DANTE. As 
part of the 1991 programme the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania 
were already provided with EuropaNET connections. The new contract 
covers enhancement of the existing links, the installation of 
international links to the remaining PHARE countries (Albania, 
Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia) 
as well as the support of national facilities within the new PHARE 
countries.

A meeting was held on 13 and 14 October 1994 where representatives of 
the PHARE countries discussed a strategic and financial plan produced 
by DANTE in cooperation with CEENet for extending and upgrading 
EuropaNET connections under the new contract. Cooperation with other 
sources of support funds, including Austrian and Scandinavian 
governments, will be an important aspect of the detailed 
implementation plan which will now be drawn up.

DANTE AND COPERNICUS

A contract for the management of another Project, INSIGHT 
(Information Systems Integrated by using Global Hypermedia 
Technology), part of the EC's COPERNICUS Programme, was recently 
awarded to DANTE. INSIGHT aims to set up information systems based on 
hypermedia technology (World Wide Web) in Central and Eastern 
European countries. It will enable CEE countries to deliver their 
share to the rapidly growing World Wide Web and to develop expertise 
in their exploitation, particularly for the dissemination of research 
information.

Technology transfer is one important element of the project, while 
the establishment of a national information server in the language of 
each of the participating countries is another. The duration of the 
project is 2 years.

EUROCAIRN PROGRESS

The EuroCAIRN Study Report is progressing steadily (DANTE was 
contracted to produce a detailed analysis of requirements, technical 
and commercial options for the setting up of a high-speed network 
infrastructure for the European research community). A survey of the 
international networking requirements of the national research 
networks in Europe was completed and the results were discussed in 
the EuroCAIRN meeting of 3 and 4 October. The interim study report is 
due at the end of October. DANTE has organised a meeting on 8 
November 1994 in Brussels with representatives of the national 
research networks to discuss the preliminary findings of the study. 

The EuroCAIRN project team has been complemented with an additional 
member: Istvan Tetenyi. Istvan is head of the Network Development 
Department of the Academic Infrastructure Division at the Computer 
and Automation Institute in Budapest, Hungary. He will be working 
for DANTE for half a year; he will be involved in INSIGHT and PHARE 
activities as well.

Istvan is a member of the IIF Technical Committee, and has been 
involved in many IIF (HUNGARNET) projects, ranging from the design 
and implementation of the Hungarian TCP/IP backbone (HBONE) to the 
introduction of X.400 and X.500 services. He has been the HUNGARNET 
EMPB access port manager since February 1993 when the service was 
established.

US CONNECTIVITY ISSUES

Because of new arrangements that are being put in place by NSF at the 
moment, DANTE and other non-US organisations have to make 
arrangements with  US service providers for distribution of traffic 
with the US and for transit between Europe and Asia/Pacific. DANTE 
has now decided to connect EuropaNET to the New York Network Access 
Point (NAP) via a US service provider.

In June DANTE announced its plans to extend EuropaNET 
intercontinental connectivity with an 8 Mbps line between Amsterdam 
and the US. This extra connectivity will consist initially of an 
extra 2 Mbps line, which will be augmented by more 2 Mbps lines as 
they are needed. The company is currently working hard to get the 
connection, which eventually will consist of up to four 2 Mbps lines, 
in place by mid November. The circuit has been organised as a result 
of the increased intercontinental connectivity requirements of in 
particular the Netherlands, although DANTE's other customers will 
benefit from it as well.

DANTE ANNUAL REPORT AVAILABLE

DANTE has published its first Annual Report. In addition to the 
statutory report and accounts the document gives a brief overview 
of the work that has been done so far. To receive a copy of the 
annual report send  in a message to dante@dante.org.uk.
Or look at: http://www.dante.net/Annual-Report/contents.html

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