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

No.17, October 1996          Editor: Josefien Bersee
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A MILESTONE IN TEN-34

The technical and commercial plans for TEN-34, the new high speed 
pan-European network interconnecting the national research networks, 
as laid down in 'Milestone 1' have been endorsed by the EC's 
Evaluation Committee. Milestone 1, the first set of project 
'Deliverables' were reviewed by a number of external networking 
specialists on behalf of the Commission. 

David Hartley, Chairman of the TEN-34 Consortium said:"This is an 
excellent result and we can now concentrate on the next phase which 
will see the realisation of this high capacity pan-European network 
which involves an unparalleled collaboration between all the western 
European National Research Networks". 

TEN-34 is unique in the sense that the partners in the new 
network - the National Research Networks - have specified the 
requirements of the service they want to receive from the telecom 
operators in contrast to supplier-led high speed networking projects. 
Telecom operators in 13 countries contribute a component in the 
formation of this pan-European network. The involvement of the users 
in the service specification ensures that Quality of Service and 
Value for Money have a high priority in every step of the work. In 
previous supplier-led high speed networking projects, as well as in 
current similar ones, this unique combination of users and providers 
has been absent. To a large extent this explains why European 
researchers face such a lack of networking facilities in comparison 
to their counterparts in the USA for example. 

Operational management of the TEN-34 network will be done by one 
single network management centre. Five organisations have expressed 
an interest to take on this task. Furthermore, the finalisation of 
contracts with all the 14 telecom operators involved is expected by 
the end of this month. TEN-34 is planned to become operational in the 
first half of 1997.

A free map and brochure of the planned TEN-34 network can be obtained 
from DANTE, co-ordinating partner in the TEN-34 Consortium. Send a 
message with 'send TEN-34 map' to dante@dante.org.uk. 


EUROPANET: A TIME OF TRANSITION  

Most networks currently connected to EuropaNET plan to 'switch' to 
TEN-34 as soon as it's ready for service. This process will probably 
be concluded by the end of 1997. DANTE has negotiated flexible 
commercial arrangements with BT, the main supplier of the EuropaNET 
backbone, to facilitate the transition. Through gateway facilities 
interconnectivity between TEN-34 and the remaining EuropaNET 
customers will be guaranteed, until the last network is ready to move 
on to TEN-34.


SECOND NAMEFLOW-PARADISE ANNUAL REPORT

NameFLOW-Paradise is an international, distributed directory, 
containing contact details of countries, people and organisations in 
over 40 countries. The directory is a combination of national and a 
few organisational directories (e.g. NATO). DANTE has organised the 
international component of the service since May 1994.

The second NameFLOW-Paradise Annual Report, covering the mid-1995 - 
mid-1996 service period is now available. The report aims to give an 
overview of general developments in the area of directories as well 
as developments in the provision of the international part of the 
directory as organised by DANTE. It contains country reports and an 
X.500 product survey with special focus on the support of LDAP. A 
draft copy of the report can be found on: 
URL: http://www.dante.net/np/report.html. Paper copies can also be 
ordered from this location.


DANTE LIAISON MEMBER OF FIRST

DANTE has become a Liaison member of FIRST, the Forum of Incident
Response and Security Teams, a global organisation established to
foster cooperation and coordination among computer security
teams world-wide. FIRST teams represent government, law enforcement, 
academia, the private sector and other organisations collaborating to 
prevent, detect and recover from computer security incidents.

As part of DANTE's plan to have an active role in security at
a pan-European level it applied and has been accepted as a FIRST
Liaison Member. Membership will facilitate the exchange of security-
related information, tools and techniques with other FIRST 
participants. For more information see: http://www.first.org.


MORE NEW MAPS

EuropaNET is still alive and kicking. As reported in previous 'Works' 
the number of lines constituting the backbone has increased 
substantially this summer as a result of BT's implementation of INCS, 
the European element of the global Internet transit service they are 
building with MCI. An updated map of the topology can be obtained by 
sending the message 'send EuropaNET map' to dante@dante.org.uk.

From 1-3 October 1996 DANTE exhibited in Brussels at 'Managing 
Economic Transition', a conference about cooperation between western 
and central and eastern Europe and central Asia under several EC 
programmes. DANTE provided information about the Phare R&D Networking 
Programme; for the occasion a brochure and a map of the 
connections established under this programme was produced. This map 
can be obtained by sending the message: 'send Phare map' to 
dante@dante.org.uk.

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                REMINDER: ON 28 SEPTEMBER DANTE MOVED TO:

                           Francis House
                           112 Hills Road
                          Cambridge CB2 1PQ

Telephone/fax/e-mail as before. The new offices are just around the
corner from our previous office, opposite the Centennial Hotel, 
close to the railway station.
 
                      Tel     +44 1223 302992
                      Fax     +44 1223 303005
                      E-mail  dante@dante.org.uk
                      WWW     http://www.dante.net
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