Opponency Board Commends the CESNET Research Project

The CESNET research project National Research Optical Network and Its New Applications was investigated on a high professional level in 2009. Such was the statement by the Opponency Board, composed of independent experts assessing the results of the research project investigation within the framework of the ongoing opponency prescribed by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, acting as the provider of institutional support. The research project was initiated in 2004 and is planned for completion this year. The opponency proceedings, completed today (5 February 2010) in Prague, were based on the ongoing annual report on investigation of the research project available (in Czech) at: http://www.cesnet.cz/doc/2009/zprava/.

According to the Opponency Board, the high professional level of the research project is documented by the involvement of the research team in prominent EU projects, including participation in the management of such projects, successful transformation of the research and development results into practical use, and prizes won by students collaborating in the project of investigation into various national and international competitions. In their evaluations, the members of the Opponency Board emphasised the active participation of the research team in numerous conferences, the number of published vocational papers, the organisation of seminars and/or workshops, and above all, the acquisition of several patents and the development of prototypes.

The ongoing annual report for 2009 further confirmed the quality of the research team, structured into separate groups concentrated around several mature experts. "Apparently, this team is well poised for and capable of reacting flexibly to any issues and needs arising in future," the annual report states.

The objective of the research project National Research Optical Network and its New Applications is to develop and gradually transform the CESNET2 network into an integrated information and communication environment. The project includes research into the issues of optical and IP networks, computing and access grids, mobility, multimedia services and the issues of End to End Performance. The research project also envisages the participation of CESNET in significant international projects. Emphasis is placed on involvement in projects of the most sophisticated European network architecture, GN3, receiving considerable support from the European Union.

The CESNET Association was founded by Czech universities and the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. The association is currently financed mainly from the resources of the governmental Research and Development Board and funds of the association members. The association undertakes research and development in the field of information and communication technologies, and develops a national multi-gigabit optical network CESNET2, designed for research and educational purposes. With respect to its research activities and accomplishments, CESNET represents the Czech Republic in the development of the pan-European network GÉANT and participates actively in the project implementation.