Connectivity Providers Database

From: randy (Randy Bush) To: randy (Randy Bush) Date: Fri, 13 Nov 92 8:29:41 PST Red Ecuatoriana de Informacion Cientifica y Tecnica (REICYT), March 1992 Ecuadorian Scientific and Technic Information Network By Edgar Zorrilla, Chairman of EDUPRAXIS, SA, Caracas, Venezuela ZORRILLA@DINO.CONICIT.VE REICYT is a project to build a Computer Network and an On Line Information Service from the University Libraries. Designed to serve a community of interest in Science, Technology and Academic sectors, it responds to the Ecuadorian Government's petition to the Inter American Bank (BID) accordind to modernization priority. The main goal is to establish INTERNET Electronic Mail and others Academic Services. The Central Bank of Ecuador already manage an Information Service (designed for different purposes). For national economic reasons, it has been decided to share resources, in particular in term of satellite communication. Another important objective of the project is to prepare users, administrators and specialists in the use and operations of academics networks (transfer of technology). SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES: 1-Create an office for the administration and operation of the network. 2-Connect six Universities, the Conacyt (National Council for Science and Technology) Office, and an Information Service (SIGMA: Sistema de Informacion Gerencial Macroecomonico) from the Central Bank of Ecuador. 3-Consolidate Libraries Services at some of the Universities, so to allow data and services exchanges. 4-Train Information Specialists. 5-Strengthen SIGMA Information Service infrastructure so to increase user access figures. COVERAGE: REICYT will connect 9 Institutions. Three main cities conform the national backbone: Quito, Guyayaquil and Cuenca. The connections between them will be via leased lines at 9.6 Kbps. The international link to the Internet will be via satellite antenna at 64Kbps located in Quito and connecting Princeton's JVNCnet. Furthermore, REICYT will interconnect the libraries's universities in Ecuador. The users will gain access locally within the connected institutions (LAN's), or by dial-up connections (a total of 25 telephone line is forecasted). PROTOCOL TCP/IP was selected as the protocol. First, because there is no national X25 network to support the transport. Second, because REICYT will be interconnected to the Internet. Third, since REICYT is considered to be a pilot experiment and will be used for training nationals in networking technology, the state of the art had to be selected. Fourth, since the main services will be Electronic Mail and File Transfer, TCP/IP will be adapted to the expected traffic between Ecuador and the Internet, until the users learn the real possibilities of this network. The seven OSI levels will be covered at the time the Universities start to add information services for end-users. INVOLVED INSTITUTIONS Conacyt Central Bank of Ecuador (specifically SIGMA ) Escuela Politecnica National (EPN) Universidad Central de Ecuador (UCE) Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Ecuador (PUCE) Universidad Estatal de Cuenca (UEC) Escuela Politecnica Litoral (ESPOL) Universidad de Guayaquil (UG) The REICYT Office will ensure the coordination role on behalf a Steering Comitee includind Conacyt, Conuep, Central Bank, President of Ecuador Ministery, and other institutions from the Science and Technology domain. It will manage the central node of the network, including the satellite antenna. The main criteria for selecting the Universities was the characteristics of the population of Scientist, Researchers, Teachers and Students. Data for this analysis was taken from the studies and statistics of CONUEP (National Council of Universities and Polytechnics Schools). The main indicator is that an Institution having more than 80 scientists and/or researchers will have a direct connection to the national backbone, as well as the university grouping the biggest amount of students and teachers in Ecuador. Central Bank of Ecuador, which manages SIGMA and the Documentation and Information Center (CID) serving information about micro and macroeconomics to the Ecuadorian community was added to the list, as well as REICYT Office and Conacyt. PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS The total investment will be around 1.5 Million of US Dollars. There will be two phases, of, respectively, 18 and 6 months. After phases completion, there will be a one year operation covering of the project. Forecast steps: 1st Phase: -Install REICYT's Office. -Subscribe Internet connection via JVNCA Princeton -Get Internet Address -Install the Terrestrial Satellite Antenna -Adjust Operational Cost and Investment 2nd phase: -Checking and correction of all items -Install Local Area Networks at the University's Campuses. The feasibility study was completed in last february and the project expected to start within few months.