3/3/2010
On Thursday 18 February Minister Plasterk officially kicked off the GigaPort3 project in the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag. This project will enhance the network infrastructure for universities and research institutes in the Netherlands.
SURFnet organised the meeting to exchange views with the attendees on the selected approach and the envisaged results of GigaPort3. Minister Plasterk: 'Our network infrastructure adds to the attraction of the Netherlands for international companies, investors and scientists. We must cherish our lead in this field and extend it further if possible. I have great expectations for GigaPort3!'
During the festive meeting, the Minister was also presented with the first copy of the book ‘Building a national knowledge infrastructure’ written by the internationally recognised IT expert Gordon Cook.
GigaPort3
The aim of the GigaPort3 project is to raise the SURFnet network infrastructure to a higher level and to integrate it seamlessly with other ICT infrastructure facilities. The innovative SURFnet7 network will be implemented to do just that. The new network builds on the successful implementation of SURFnet6, the world’s first national hybrid, optical and IP network. SURFnet7 will:
- increase the flexibility and manageability of lightpaths by using new networking standards;
- employ photonic technology to provide custom-size bandwidth cost-effectively and on time;
- extend the dynamic lightpath service to allow applications to initiate a lightpath automatically in addition to the manual set-up of lightpaths by researchers;
- further professionalise the international NetherLight network node.
The GigaPort3 project will be undertaken by SURFnet, under the supervision of SURF and in collaboration with suppliers, users and research partners. The Dutch government has awarded FES funding to GigaPort3.
‘Building a national knowledge infrastructure’
Reinder van Duinen, Chairman of the GigaPort3 Governing Board, presented Minister Plasterk with the first copy of Gordon Cook’s book ‘Building a national knowledge infrastructure’, subtitled ‘How Dutch pragmatism nurtures a 21st century economy’. Each year Gordon Cook publishes six collections of interviews with policy makers in the field of strategic planning in internet policy and infrastructure. The book ‘Building a national knowledge infrastructure’ consists of interviews with key players involved in the Dutch ICT infrastructure for research, and describes the continued collaborative efforts towards the development of a national knowledge infrastructure.