TERENA
Encyclopedia
The Trans-European Research and Education Networking Association (TERENA, icon ) is a not-for-profit association of European national research and education network
s (NRENs) incorporated in Amsterdam
, The Netherlands. TERENA was originally formed on 13 June 1986 as Réseaux Associés pour la Recherche Européenne (RARE) becoming TERENA in October 1994 through the merger of RARE and the European Academic Research Network (EARN).
Full membership of TERENA is open to NRENs
(one per country or territory as defined by the ITU
) and international public sector organisations. Associate membership is available for other organisations (commercial or otherwise) with an interest in research and education networking. A complete list of the current members can be found on the TERENA website.
Other similar organisations elsewhere in the world include Internet2
, APAN (Asia-Pacific Advanced Network), UbuntuNet Alliance
and CLARA
(Cooperación Latino Americana de Redes Avanzandas). In addition, DANTE
operates the pan-European research and education backbone network.
). The first few years were dominated by the Co-operation for Open Systems Interconnection Networking in Europe (COSINE) project.
COSINE led to the implementation of some of the first standardised network-related services, for example X.400
email and X.500
directory service. X.25
technology was generally used for connectivity, forming a network called IXI.
It also created the first generation of the backbone network interconnecting the national research networks in Europe, known today as GÉANT
. To run the European backbone, RARE’s Operational Unit was later split off from the association under the name DANTE
.
Brian E. Carpenter led the team at CERN
, a central site for networking in Europe.
By the early 1990s, a wider range of networks and protocols became involved in RARE.
Internet Protocol
(IP) became the dominant protocol in data networking, leading to the creation of the Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre in 1992 by RARE, and later to the set-up of the RIPE NCC
as a separate legal entity. By 1992, the IXI terminated, and a project called EBONE was proposed.
In 1982 the European Academic Research Network (EARN) had been set up by IBM
to perform a similar role to RARE. It used similar technology to the BITNET
in the US, and included email
gateway capability.
By 1993 it was clear that EARN needed to merge with RARE, which it did on 24 October 1994. Since then, RARE has been known as the Trans-European Research and Education Networking Association (TERENA).
TNC Locations:
National Research and Education Network
A National Research and Education Network is a specialised internet service provider dedicated to supporting the needs of the research and education communities within a country....
s (NRENs) incorporated in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, The Netherlands. TERENA was originally formed on 13 June 1986 as Réseaux Associés pour la Recherche Européenne (RARE) becoming TERENA in October 1994 through the merger of RARE and the European Academic Research Network (EARN).
Purpose
The objectives of TERENA are to promote and develop high-quality international network infrastructures to support European research and education. This includes:- by investigating, evaluating and deploying new networking technologies;
- by supporting new networking services where appropriate;
- through knowledge transfer in the shape of conferences, seminars and training events;
- by advising governments and other authorities on networking issues;
- liaising with networking organisations in other parts of the world.
Full membership of TERENA is open to NRENs
National Research and Education Network
A National Research and Education Network is a specialised internet service provider dedicated to supporting the needs of the research and education communities within a country....
(one per country or territory as defined by the ITU
International Telecommunication Union
The International Telecommunication Union is the specialized agency of the United Nations which is responsible for information and communication technologies...
) and international public sector organisations. Associate membership is available for other organisations (commercial or otherwise) with an interest in research and education networking. A complete list of the current members can be found on the TERENA website.
Other similar organisations elsewhere in the world include Internet2
Internet2
Internet2 is an advanced not-for-profit US networking consortium led by members from the research and education communities, industry, and government....
, APAN (Asia-Pacific Advanced Network), UbuntuNet Alliance
UbuntuNet Alliance
UbuntuNet Alliance for Research and Education Networking is the regional Research and Education Network of Eastern and Southern Africa...
and CLARA
Clara
Clara is a town on the River Brosna in County Offaly and is the 10th largest town in the midlands of Ireland. The town has a population of 3001 , however a number of well populated housing estates lie outside the town boundary making the actual population higher...
(Cooperación Latino Americana de Redes Avanzandas). In addition, DANTE
DANTE
Delivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various national research and education networks in Europe and surrounding regions...
operates the pan-European research and education backbone network.
History
TERENA was founded under the name Réseaux Associés pour la Recherche Européenne (RARE) on 13 June 1986. It was founded by several European networking organisations to promote open computer networking standards (specifically the OSI protocolsOSI protocols
The Open Systems Interconnection protocols are a family of information exchange standards developed jointly by the ISO and the ITU-T starting in 1977....
). The first few years were dominated by the Co-operation for Open Systems Interconnection Networking in Europe (COSINE) project.
COSINE led to the implementation of some of the first standardised network-related services, for example X.400
X.400
X.400 is a suite of ITU-T Recommendations that define standards for Data Communication Networks for Message Handling Systems — more commonly known as "email"....
email and X.500
X.500
X.500 is a series of computer networking standards covering electronic directory services. The X.500 series was developed by ITU-T, formerly known as CCITT, and first approved in 1988. The directory services were developed in order to support the requirements of X.400 electronic mail exchange and...
directory service. X.25
X.25
X.25 is an ITU-T standard protocol suite for packet switched wide area network communication. An X.25 WAN consists of packet-switching exchange nodes as the networking hardware, and leased lines, Plain old telephone service connections or ISDN connections as physical links...
technology was generally used for connectivity, forming a network called IXI.
It also created the first generation of the backbone network interconnecting the national research networks in Europe, known today as GÉANT
GEANT
GÉANT is the main European multi-gigabit computer network for research and education purposes...
. To run the European backbone, RARE’s Operational Unit was later split off from the association under the name DANTE
DANTE
Delivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various national research and education networks in Europe and surrounding regions...
.
Brian E. Carpenter led the team at CERN
CERN
The European Organization for Nuclear Research , known as CERN , is an international organization whose purpose is to operate the world's largest particle physics laboratory, which is situated in the northwest suburbs of Geneva on the Franco–Swiss border...
, a central site for networking in Europe.
By the early 1990s, a wider range of networks and protocols became involved in RARE.
Internet Protocol
Internet Protocol
The Internet Protocol is the principal communications protocol used for relaying datagrams across an internetwork using the Internet Protocol Suite...
(IP) became the dominant protocol in data networking, leading to the creation of the Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre in 1992 by RARE, and later to the set-up of the RIPE NCC
RIPE NCC
The Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre is the Regional Internet Registry for Europe, the Middle East and parts of Central Asia...
as a separate legal entity. By 1992, the IXI terminated, and a project called EBONE was proposed.
In 1982 the European Academic Research Network (EARN) had been set up by IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
to perform a similar role to RARE. It used similar technology to the BITNET
BITNET
BITNET was a cooperative USA university network founded in 1981 by Ira Fuchs at the City University of New York and Greydon Freeman at Yale University...
in the US, and included email
Email
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
gateway capability.
By 1993 it was clear that EARN needed to merge with RARE, which it did on 24 October 1994. Since then, RARE has been known as the Trans-European Research and Education Networking Association (TERENA).
Conference
TERENA runs an annual conference for academic networkers called the TERENA Networking Conference (TNC). Usually held in late May or early June, TNC is hosted by a member NREN and attended by around 500 delegates from academic backgrounds including networking specialists and managers from European networking and research organisations, universities, worldwide sister institutions and industry representatives. Each TNC has a different theme and presentation are tailored to promoting the theme. Recent themes have included 'Enabling Communities' and 'Living the network life'.TNC Locations:
- TNC2013 - Maastricht, Netherlands
- TNC2012 - Reykjavík, Iceland
- TNC2011 - Prague, Czech Republic
- TNC2010 - Vilnius, Lithuania
- TNC2009 - Málaga, Spain
- TNC2008 - Brugge, Belgium
- TNC2007 - Telemark, Denmark
- TNC2006 - Catania, Italy
- TNC2005 - Poznan, Poland
- TNC2004 - Rhodes, Greece
- TNC2003 - Zagreb, Croatia
- TNC2002 - Limerick, Ireland
- TNC2001 - Antalya, Turkey
- TNC2000 - Lisbon, Portugal