Reaching Collaborators in Hard to Network Parts of the World - BoF

This BoF took place on Thursday, April 10, 2003
11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

NOTES from BoF

Background
Internet2-type networks continue to grow and interconnect from around the world, people, facilities, data repositories, making these research-related resources more accessible than ever before. However, what happens when some of these research and/or science resources are located in countries not well served by advanced research and education networks, or in some cases, in countries where dedicated networks may exist, but the facilities are remote (including in the U.S.) or even in places where there is no basic infrastructure that supports the development of research and education networks?

This Birds of a Feather session follows on a successful first BoF on this topic at last Fall's Internet2 Member Meeting. This BoF is intended to provide a forum for people engaged in projects that require access to remote resources and projects that are attempting to deploy network infrastructure in underserved and remote areas as well as people who may bring resources (funding, technical) to all of these efforts. The BoF will begin with some brief presentations from people who would like to inform the group on projects they're engaged in or needs they have and continue with information exchange and discussion, possibly leading to the initiation of particular partnerships or projects addressing specific needs/infrastructure development/resource discovery.

NOTES from BoF
Ana Preston provided a quick introduction of Internet2 and current international partners (see http://international.internet2.edu/partners/ for more information). She highlighted the goals of Internet2's international program (which emphasize expanding collaborations and connectivity) and mentioned the newest international partners (Russia, Ecuador, and Venezuela).

She proceeded to show a map of the global Internet and its current infrastructure. This slide not only dramatically shows where most of the connections are but also highlights how few connections there are to a lot of areas of the world.

Ana provided some background on the BoF (from the previous Fall 2002 Member meeting and proceeded to highlight, from our end, the reasons why Internet2 was organizing such a BoF.

Moderated by Heather Boyles, a series of short presentations ensued. The first presenter, Bob Dixon from OHSU and OARnet, included a quick demo of the "Internet 2Go!" (or the TSIS) system. More information on the system can be found at http://2md.osu.edu/news/story.cfm?ID=677. Notes from the presentation/demo:

• 55,000 miles away and can transmit (via satellite).
• Trailers can be built or can also be rented.
• Basic setup includes: Satellite dish, laptop, server, Polycom videoconferencing unit, Universal Power Supply (54 hours without refueling), Wireless 802.11b, and a 2-foot dish which can penetrate walls.
• Total cost was $40,000. Currently working on educational discounts.
• Unlicensed spectrum.
• Satellite is 1.5Mb/s down, 512Kb/s up.
• Commercial satellite rate is $2100/month. If you qualify to participate in the American Consortium of Distance Education, it's half. You can further reduce the cost by reducing the transfer rate.
• Dedicated data rate, not shared bandwidth.
• Tachyon’s Coverage: North America and Europe. Adding South America and Africa this summer; adding Asia the following summer (2004)

Warren Matthews gave a short presentation on Quantifying the Digital Divide. Notes from presentation:

• HENP (High Energy Nuclear Physics) collaboration focuses on getting information to hard to physicists in underserved areas (Egypt, Bangladesh, etc.). Subscribers to the International Journal for Theoretical Physics, eJDS (Electronic Journals Delivery Service) want information in a timely manner.
• PingER (performance monitoring) actively monitors the connectivity of these hard to reach places for resource allocation and troubleshooting. <insert URL for project>
• The digital divide is widening; the network gap is growing. Applications begin developed in Europe and the U.S. are fast outstripping the availability of the rest of the world.
• Further work: a) Monitor transitions before and after networking to help justify costs of transitions. b) Tracking packet loss between SLAC and volunteer sites in the Middle East (where the HENP nodes are often the best in the country). c) Possible workshop in Trieste in November. d) Research network in Africa using a shared bandwidth system.
• The major issue is resource allocation: allocation, payment, and monitoring are critical to under-resourced areas.

Ron LaPorte gave a short presentation on Epidemiology <insert URL to Supercourse> . Notes from the presentation:

• School of Public Health in Pittsburgh. NASA funded.
• Network of 9,000 people in Epidemiology; 4,000 of whom are in developing countries.
• 7-10% of people in the world have access to the Internet, possibly 20% in 10 years.
• Basic issue is prevention, which is cheaper and more readily available than cures; focus on distributing information.
• The problem is the last mile.
• Created a CD with 1,000 lectures, which can be distributed widely.
• We want end-to-end from high bandwidth all the way down to word of mouth to transmit information on prevention.

*General Discussion* -- main points

Jim Williams (IU, TransPAC): Huge amount of cooperation needed. Mechanism for collaboration is a working group; need to move beyond “discussions”. There are a core set of interests to consider this, with NATO and USAid. EINet is also interested.

Key question: “Where are the hard-to-reach places in the world?” “What are you trying to share?”

Art Gaylord (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute): Hard-to-reach can also include the ocean! Projects are often ship-based or underwater. There are thousands of buoys and robots in the ocean for low-orbit satellites. Looking for shared interests.

Micah Beck (Univ. TN): Hard-to-reach can also include populations (i.e., K12) and specific sites within organizations (Brookhaven National Labs on Long Island with an OC-12 line -- it is faster to drive CDs of data into NYC than to transmit!) as well as underserved locations (within U.S., as well – i.e., Appalachia). This group could choose an example, figure out how to achieve connectivity (cost and mechanism) and see if that solution scales to other problems.

Mike Staman (Maron State): Learn from history. Follow the example of the 1992 NSF Rural Dedication grant? (Within a year they had a conference with 300 people.)

Suggested Examples: Europe has three projects, @LIS (Latin America and Caribe), EUMEDCONNECT (Mediterranean basin). Asia (coming up is third). South African Republic is trying to establish a regional network. Commission might be giving some money to this as well. EUDMEDCONNECT will be Star network.

Curtis White (Allied Communications):
· Phases: a) getting connected, b) what to communicate, and c) cost of connectivity.
· How do you ensure that the cost of connectivity is a non-commercial cost? This is a fortuitous time to look at discounted rates for educational services. Difference could be substantial.
· Availability of ongoing services vs. one-time connection is at stake.
· Often there is one gateway to a country (and it could be commercial). Not helpful to look at global connectivity because it’s a monopoly situation.
· WTO and ITU accords are undergoing liberalization. There can be a carving out of educational space. Might be able to exercise some influence here.
· Perhaps a position paper could be taken to these organizations.

Artur Serra (I2Cat Project and WSIS):
· Mapping the commodity and R&E networks in US, Europe, and Japan. Commodity level and High Performance level distinction.
· Need more funds for basic networks; don’t mispend on high-speed when the basic structure is missing.
· Additionally, only a very few countries have experimental networks. Experimental networks that supplement High-Perf networks.

Mike Gill (NLM): Ubiquity as definition of Next Gen Internet.

Julia Royall (NLM): A number of key issues in decision-making. An example would be Tom Olouch’s work in Kenya – how he setup the network and the obstacles encountered would make a great case study. Maybe there’s a new way to advance networks. Note: in some parts of the world, current events in that country can greatly affect the connectivity.

World Heart Federation and Int'l Aids Society ongoing project. Permanent commitment establishing collaborative effort with centers in Africa, Asia, Europe, and U.S. Goals is to teach teachers, distribute materials, and fund projects.

Approaches to consider:

• Working group development (idea raised by several participants during discussions of various topics).
• Identification of hard-to-reach places we need to reach -- what constitutes hard-to-reach? Answer: hard-to-reach is everywhere.
• Start with small and specific examples.
• Finding drivers (i.e., K-12). What is compelling about the location/audience (i.e., why do we want to reach K12? Answer: better kids' education)?
• Should we be tracking places that are getting connected? Or tracking places that could potentially be connected? Need to track benefits before/after connection for case study.
• Follow the example of the 1992 NSF Rural Dedication grant.
• Work for education/research discounts in countries with monopoly international gateways.
• Develop a position paper on connectivity via monopoly gateways.
• L. Landweber map for advanced networks. Create a resource that captures the differences and explains them in the right context.
• Tech/operational advisory or model building/exchange of what works, review service. Have Bob Dixon talk w/Tom Olouch about local satellite services.
• Applications need to allow for “some-time” connectivity – in many areas, connections are available only when the satellite passes over the region.
• Don’t desert “low-tech”. Think about alternatives (sneaker.net and ham radio).
• Negotiate collective discounts: e.g., fixed satellite dish setup can be $600 with a few hundred a month connectivity
• Overlap ubiquitous/high-performance to practical alternatives (storage, applications modifications).
• Develop a white paper on end-to-end performance, from high-performance through sneaker.net, along with the associated costs.
• Create a clearinghouse of information