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GeANT network extends global reach through expanded south-east Asian connection; TEIN3 research network further extends GeANT global connectivity(M2 PressWIRE Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Cambridge, UK -- Researchers in 58 countries across Europe and south-east Asiaare set to benefit from the fast, seamless connectivity available through the pan-European GeANT and newly expanded TEIN3 research networks. This brings the number of countries connected to the GeANT network, to over 80 countries worldwide. High speed links between GeANT and TEIN3 enable 85 million researchers across both continents to collaborate with their counterparts on ground-breaking research in areas such as disaster warning, climate change, telemedicine and e-learning. Together with connections to other parts of the world, GeANT and TEIN3 combine to create a global virtual research community that aims to bridge the digital divide. The newly expanded south-east Asian TEIN3 network now covers 45 million users working in 8,000 institutions across 18 countries, and is today being showcased at the global ASEM Workshop, running in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The workshop brings together TEIN3 project participants to share best practice and demonstrate how international co-operation, both within the region and with Europe, can positively impact societal development, as well as setting out recommendations for further co-operation research networking projects. "We live in an increasingly connected global community with technology shrinking distance between countries, and enabling close collaboration irrespective of location," said Dai Davies, general manager, DANTE, the organisation that manages the GeANT and TEIN3 projects. "The global connectivity of the new GeANT network, particularly with Asia, means that scientists and researchers can work together seamlessly on projects that will push forward the boundaries of knowledge and also deliver major benefits to society across the world." The third generation of the GeANT project is being celebrated in a conference today and tomorrow (1-2 December) and, as part of this launch event, an important user project will showcase the benefits of global collaboration and how this results in benefit to societies and countries across the world. Work between the German Weather Bureau (DWD) and its counterpart in the Philippinesrelies on the GeANT and TEIN3 networks to share global meteorological data to predict the path of typhoons. This allows the Philippine Weather Bureau (PAGASA) to give accurate and timely warnings, enabling faster evacuation and saving lives. The TEIN3 project already connects China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnamand Australia. It is now being expanded to link Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lankaand Cambodia. Enabling truly global collaboration, GeANT connects to networks in North America (Internet2, ESnet, NLR, Canarie), Latin America (RedCLARA), the Mediterranean (EUMEDCONNECT2), China (ORIENT), sub-Saharan Africa (Ubuntunet Alliance), and the Black Searegion (BSI). Connections to central Asia (CAREN) are planned along with expanding links to southern and eastern Africa. About GeANT: GeANT is the high speed European communication network dedicated to research and education. In combination with its NREN partners, GeANT creates a secure, high speed research infrastructure that serves 40 million researchers in over 8,000 institutions across 40 European countries. Operating at speeds of up to 10 Gbps, GeANT is the world's largest and most advanced multi-gigabit network dedicated to research and education. Building on the success of its predecessors, GeANT has been created around the needs of users, providing flexible, network services that transform the way that researchers collaborate. GeANT is at the heart of global research networking through wide ranging connections with other world regions, underpinning vital projects that bridge the digital divide and benefit society as a whole. Co-funded by the European Commission under the EU's 7th Research and Development Framework Programme, GeANT is the e-Infrastructure at the heart of the EU's European Research Area and contributes to the development of emerging internet technologies. The project partners are 32 European National Research and Education Networks (NRENs), TERENA and DANTE. GeANT is operated by DANTE on behalf of Europe's NRENs. For more information, visit www.GeANT.net About DANTE: DANTE is a non-profit organisation, coordinator of large-scale projects co-funded by the European Commission, and working in partnership with European National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) to plan, build and operate advanced networks for research and education. Established in 1993, DANTE has been fundamental to the success of pan-European research and education networking. DANTE has built and operates GeANT, which provides the data communications infrastructure essential to the success of many research projects in Europe. DANTE is involved in worldwide initiatives to interconnect countries in the other regions to one another and to GeANT. DANTE currently manages projects focussed on the Mediterranean, Asia-Pacific and central Asiaregions through the EUMEDCONNECT, TEIN and CAREN projects respectively. About TEIN TEIN (Trans-Eurasia Information Network) - creates the first large-scale research and education network for the Asia-Pacific region. It connects regional researchers with their counterparts in Europevia GeANT2, the world's most advanced international research and education network, providing the Asia-Pacific countries with a gateway for global research collaboration. TEIN3, the latest generation of the network is set to receive EUR12 million of funding fromthe EU and further funding from Asian partners. First conceived in 2000 and now due to run until 2011, the TEIN project is contributing to the further development of the Trans-Eurasia Information Network (TEIN) initiative, which was an outcome of the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) to improve research networking between Europeand Asia-Pacific. Through TEIN, the first Europe-Asia link dedicated for research and education was established bilaterally between RENATER in Franceand KISDI in South Korea, with the installation of a connection in December 2001. Working in collaboration with DANTE on TEIN2 and TEIN3 are RENATER, SURFnet and UKERNA, the National Researchand Education Networks of France, the Netherlandsand the United Kingdom, respectively. The Asian partners are currently China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailandand Vietnam; Australiais also actively participating. The network has extended to further Asian countries during 2009 bringing to total number of involved countries to 18. ((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected])) (c) 2009 M2 COMMUNICATIONS |