Upload
roxanne-powell
View
215
Download
2
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Issues in R&E Networking in Africa
Workshop on African Research and Education Networking
CERN Mon, Sept 26 2005
Geneva, Switzerland
Mike JensenInternational Development Research Centre (IDRC)[email protected]
Capacity of Connection: Averagen=82
537.4128
7168
769.1728
7168
0.00
1000.00
2000.00
3000.00
4000.00
5000.00
6000.00
7000.00
8000.00
Average Minimum Maximum
Kbps
Uplink Downlink
African Tertiary Institution Connectivity Survey (ATICS.INFO)
Average Cost per Kbpsn=70
0.00
36.33
5.46
0.00 5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00 30.00 35.00 40.00
Minimum
Maximum
Average
Bandw
ith
Cost/Kbps
Users per networked computers by regionsn=66
11
171
50
63
15
55
0 50 100 150 200
Southern Africa
Central Africa
East Africa
West Africa
North Africa
Average
Regions
Average number of users per networked computer
Bandwidth per networked computern=73
0.32
36.57
3.36
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Minimum Maximum Mean
Mean Kbps per
networked computer
Campus Networks Utilizing Fibre Technology in Surveyed Institutions
n=83
Without Fibre in
Network
52%
With Fibre in
Network
48%
Do you manage your bandwidth in any way?N=83
limited
5%
no
54%yes
41%
Average hours link is down/month by type of connectivityn=82
0.151.65 1.08
10.63
1.330.08
2.62
0.00
6.50
0.000.00
2.00
4.00
6.00
8.00
10.00
12.00
fibre wire radiolinkwireless
VSAT dialup
Connectivity type
Hours
per m
onth
Average Hours/Month link Down
Average Hours/Month link Down due to electricity cuts
Sources: ESRI, GSM Association/Coversoft , ITU, Mike Jensen
Population & Teledensity in
Africa
Backbones and E&R Institutions
Restrictive Regulatory Environment - The Key Barrier
Lack of telecom restructuring has resulted in high costs and limited investment in infrastructure
- State owned monopolies still dominate
- Some foreign investment in monopolies in return for continued exclusivity
- Limited introduction of competition - 1 or 2 additional fixed line players in a few countries
- Use of satellite, and wireless data (Wifi/Wimax etc) restricted in most countries
Many systemic barriers:Electricity,
Import duties,Skills
Other Issues- No benefit in Africa from Dot-Com bubble burst- So far little use of alternative infrastructure- Operators do not want to provide to dark fibre - Few national peering points, no regional IXs- Limited capacity to design, implement and manage
networks- E-Rate only in a few countries – Senegal and South
Africa - Human networks are undeveloped- Lack of awareness among policy makers of importance
of access to bandwidth for R&E institutions- Competition between institutions for funding
Infrastructure Builders• Fixed Line Operators, Foreign Carriers
• New Players – Rail, Pipeline and Electricity Operators
• Mobile Operators esp with Contiguous Borders
CeltelVodacom
MTN
- Internet Service Providers- Fibre deployment companies- Governments – Regulators and Municipalities- Universities?
17
2
7
65
816
15
14
13
12
1110
9
3
1
4
18
o19
20
31
30
32
21
22
23
2425
26
27
28
29
33/E22
34
36/E20
37/E19
38/E1839/E15
43/E8
45
46/E8
49
48
5152
E5
Links:
FIBRE NETWORKS & PLANS
Actual
Needed
56
44
Planned/Funded
43
E2
47
E4
43
50
E3E13
38/E18
35
Proposed
R&E Support Activities
● Partnership for Higher Education in Africa – campus networks & bandwidth purchasing consortium
● World Bank funded AVU to survey R&E agencies in 50 African countries (atics.info), WB Africa desk also discussing other options
● UN University (UNU) in collaboration with the ITU to establish an African Universities Network (AFUNET)
Support Activities (2)● USAID supports the development of Internet
connectivity for some African Universities as part of the Leland Project
● World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organisations (WAITRO) is building the capacity of its 48 members in 25 countries comprising all the major research and technology organisations (RTOs) on the continent. CSIR in South Africa is African focal point.
● Initiatives to provide electronic content identify need for better b/w: INASP, Eifl.Net, National Academies Press, AGORA /TEEAL, HINARI, Jstor
Support Activities (3)•The Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) hosts the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) in charge of project cooperation between universities. The AUF have a variety of university support programmes such as the Campus numérique and ADEN
•Scientific and Technical Information System (SIST) promotes integration of African research in the international scientific networks, develops tools for sharing S&T info to encourage African production of S&T data
•RESAFAD (Réseau Africain de Formation à Distance) will foster use of ICTs in the education systems of ten French -speaking African countries, provide distance learning for ICT trainers + support for pilot projects with civil society
•Projets COMETES & MADSUP: training trainers in the field of ICTs, developing tools for sharing S&T info and institutional support, interconnect Universities in Madagascar & Cameroon
Support Activities (4)● IEEAF in the US supporting initiatives to bring
better bandwidth African institutions● The EU supports EUMEDCONNECT and
EMISPHER Projects - Euro-Mediterranean Internet-Satellite Platform for Health, Medical, Education and Research co-ordinated by DANTE, project connects NRENs in North Africa to GEANT. Also links to South African NREN, TENET
● IDRC promotes information exchange, research on networks and human capacity - sponsors events and participation - via PAREN project – Promoting African Research and Education Networks
Support Activities (5)● The Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) research
network Mimcom supported by the US National Institutes of Health, providing connectivity to a variety of African medical research organisations
● The International Center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) has been assisting with capacity building for improved Internet connectivity in a variety of African Universities
● Global University System (GUS) aims to establish a worldwide e-learning system for higher education -Ethiopia (U’s of Addis, Bahr Dar and Debub), Nigeria (OAU), Uganda (UNCST), and Malawi (U of Malawi) with Japanese funding
● Millenium Science Initiative (MSI) initiatives planned in Uganda, Cameroon, Botswana and Namibia and Tanzania
African Activities ● African Virtual University (AVU) – 24 campus links● Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Tanzania and most of
North Africa now have NRENS ● The Southern African Regional Universities
Association (SARUA) plans dark fibre network● SA Dept of Science and Technology looking at the
feasibility of establishing a Southern African Research and Education Network
● Advanced Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) in SA with Dept of S&T developed NEPAD proposal for connectivity to 20 African tertiary institutions
● African Union in talks with India to build a satellite network for academic and health networks in Africa
● At its 11th AGM in Feb ‘05, the African Association of Universities (AAU) decided that b/w is a priority issue and will host a WSIS conference in Tunis, Nov 14 &15 supported by IDRC
ConclusionsDigital divide is at its most extreme among R&E
institutions
Agencies supporting R&E sector need more co-
ordination and joint projects, and more
emphasis on cross cutting and open access
infrastructure building
African R&E institutions need to collaborate more
African policy makers need more awareness of
the importance of R&E networks – budgets and
telecom restructuring
Towards a Framework for ActionFive Key Areas =>
1. Campus Networks – Training & Investment
2. National Networks – NRENs – capacity
building, joint purchasing consortia and
policy change lobbying
3. Regional Networks – cross border links,
policy change
4. Continental Networking – Africa wide and
intercontinental
5. Building and sharing content & applications
(human networks)
Thank You