Network provider Dante has launched a high-speed connection link between the Ukrainian National Research and Education Networks (NREN), called URAN, and the high bandwidth, pan-European research network, GÉANT2.
The 100Mbps connection procured by URAN will terminate in Warsaw, where it is being carried on PSNC, the Polish NREN, following an agreement with the Ukrainian NREN, URAN. A high speed dark fibre route will be provided by PSNC between the cities of Warsaw and Poznan in Poland, allowing a dedicated connection to the GÉANT2 router in Poznan to be accessed by URAN in Kiev.
The new link will improve the available bandwidth and enable a new quality of collaboration between Ukrainian and associated European academia. The link will provide access to scientific and information resources such as electronic libraries, databases, search engines and supercomputing resources to facilitate joint research activities in areas such as climate change, life sciences, elementary particle physics, grid computing, radio astronomy and sustainable development.
URAN connects about 500,000 users from approximately 100 universities and scientific research institutes in 18 regions of Ukraine. The link to GÉANT2 is part of an incentive by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine called ‘Information and Communication Technologies in Education and Science’ for the development of scientific telecommunications networks.
Yuriy Yakimenko, head of URAN Association Board, said: ‘Ukraine’s research community is evolving steadily and the need for collaboration with international colleagues is becoming increasingly urgent. Through this agreement with PSNC and GÉANT2, Ukrainian researchers are now able to send and receive information at great speed. This is a positive move for our country’s participation in international scientific progress and will encourage students and scientists to remain in Ukrainian academia.’