2nd Workshop: Connecting Schools to NRENs

Proposed topics that should be covered in presentations at the 2nd Schools Workshop

Who provides the connectivity ? What is the role of the NREN and who else is involved?

Is the NREN network used for providing connectivity to schools (check all that apply) ?

  • for international connectivity
  • for national connectivity
  • for connectivity inside towns (access)

Is there any MAN involved ?
Is there any Regional network involved ?
Is another ISP involved ? If so, does the NREN have any role in defining QoS and network monitoring inside the ISP's network ?

If the NREN's network is not used, is the NREN involved in the tendering procedure for finding the best provider for connectivity ?

How is access realised ?
On L2: (ISDN, xDSL, leased line, wireless, satellite, 10M, 100M Ethernet etc)
On L3 (tunnelling through other ISP etc)

Does the NREN configure/manage communication equipment at schools?
What about network monitoring, maintenance and troubleshooting?

Bandwidth of schools connected to the NREN backbone (what percentage at what capacity - only approximate numbers please)

Is QoS recommended ? Is QoS required ?

Is there any organised and/or subsidized way of providing individual access for teachers/students from home (via ISDN, xDSL, cable)

Who is responsible for the following services ? What is the role of the NREN and who else is involved ?

  • IP registration
  • Domain registration, DNS
  • email (for teachers, for students)
  • School homepage, project pages, personal pages (teachers, students)
  • chat service
  • advanced services (if there are any?)
  • Videoconferencing
  • Multicast
  • QoS, Premium IP
  • AAI, Eduroam
  • Content management support
  • filtering viruses and spam
  • filtering content
  • mailing lists (projects, list of headmasters for ministry, of 'all' teachers of ...)
  • forums
  • security (ACL, firewall etc)

What else? (Inter)national collaboration, support for projects? (who does it?)

Does the NREN provide User support?

Does the NREN provide training (basic internet usage, network and/or servers management)?

Which schools are served ? (primary, secondary, high schools etc) ? How many in each category ?

Do schools decide by themselves which communication equipment to buy ? Are there any public tenders organised by others to help schools in a coordinated (centralised) way ?

Are there any recommendations concerning connection method, capacity, routers, local networks, servers etc ? Who makes these recommendations ?

Are there any requirements concerning connection method, capacity, routers, local networks, servers etc ? Who makes these requirements ?

Are there any requirements or recommendations about e-mail Policy ? Who does this ?

Are there any requirements or recommendations about Security Policy ? Who does this ?

Is NREN involved in producing content for schools ?

Do NREN seek indemnity from claims by parents, pupils, schools or ISPs ?

How many persons (technical, other) of the NREN are involved in work for schools ?

Who is paying whom, for what and how much ?

Entities: Ministry, Local Authorities, NREN, MAN providers, Regional providers, schools, infrastructure providers, commercial ISPs, ...

Project Management Approach - how does NREN organise itself for project delivery ?

How did it begin and why ?

History

Why is the NREN involved as it is ? (facts, not philosophy)

  • government asked NREN (how?)
  • the result of public tender
  • economy of scale
  • we believe it's good for our image
  • it's strategically crucial for our existence
  • we don't know

Does the NREN intend to provide more or fewer services for schools in future years ? Why ?

What is it the NREN does better than commercial ISPs (what's NREN added value?)

Are other entities (schools, ministry, local authority commercial ISPs, infrastructure providers, MANs, Regional networks, telecommunication regulator etc) satisfied with the arrangement or would they like some changes ? Which changes ?