CESNET Helps to Develop National Research and Education Networks in South-East Europe

The CESNET association has become one of the partners in the European Union project SEEFIRE (South-East European Fibre Infrastructure for Research and Education), the aim of which is to map the availability of the network infrastructure in the countries of South-East Europe and to create possible strategies for further development of the national networks for research and education in this region. The annual project intended to contribute to the integration of Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina into the e-Infrastructure community was launched on 1 March 2005. The technical core of the works consists in the preparation of intercity and interstate connections by means of dark fibres and in the selection of a low-cost and progressive technology for their lighting. In this manner the European Union wants to help the countries of South-East Europe achieve technological qualification for their participation in international co-operation in the field of the demanding network activities. The leader of the SEEFIRE project is the TERENA European association for research and educational networks and besides CESNET, its partners include the Hungarian, Yugoslavian and Greek national research and education networks, the DANTE company and the national research and education networks of the countries of South-East Europe – Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The engagement of CESNET in the SEEFIRE project takes place within the scope of its Optical networks long-term research activity. This deals with the research and development of the CEF (Customer Empowered Fibre) networks, in particular with data transmission methods, transmission equipment, first mile wireless transmission and co-operation on the development of new applications using the GLIF (Global Lambda Integrated Facility). The Optical networks activity includes participation in the EU project GN2 – Multi-Gigabit European Academic Network, in the above-mentioned SEEFIRE project, in the international project CzechLight Extension and participation in two grant projects. One is focused on the optimization of data transmission for longer distances at a rate of 10 Gbit/s via the G.652 fibres without the use of the line EDFAs (Erbium-Doped Fibre Amplifiers), the other on Raman fibre amplifiers with time division multiplex pumping.

The CESNET association was founded by universities and the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. It is currently financed primarily by its members and the Research and Development Council. The association operates and develops CESNET2, the national gigabit optical network intended for research and education, and participates in the research and development of information and communication technologies. Thanks to its research activities and achieved results, the CESNET association represents the Czech Republic in the European GN2 project, as well as in other international projects. Among other countries, the association currently cooperates with Canada, the Netherlands, and the USA on the construction of GLIF (Global Lambda Integrated Facility), a global lambda network whose Czech section is called CzechLight.