Management of the QUANTUM Test Programme

1. A significant component of the Quantum project, as specified in the Technical Annex of the EC contract, is the Quantum Test Programme (QTP). In the description of Work Package 6, DANTE is named as the "WP Lead" and has overall responsibility for the management of the QTP. An outline description of the topics to be covered by the QTP is given in section 2.3.2 of the Technical Annex and, along with the remainder of the Technical Annex, has already been approved by the QPC.

2. Telebit Communications A/S is also included in the contract as an Associated Contractor with the specific role of providing technical support to the QTP. This role is defined in outline in section 2.3.2 of the Technical Annex and will be defined in more detail in the Associated Contract between DANTE and Telebit which is currently being prepared.

3. The contract between DANTE and Unisource for the provision of TEN-155 service components, including the Managed Bandwidth Service (MBS), concerns operational services. It is nevertheless recognised that there are currently many uncertainties about the precise way in which the MBS will be implemented (especially in relation to management facilities and operational procedures) and that these aspects of the operational service will need to be developed over its lifetime. The Unisource contract therefore includes provision for a Joint Development Programme which still needs to be specified in detail.

4. The principles which will be followed in the management of the QTP are as follows:

   • Activities will be limited to things which might be introduced into the operational service, ie the QTP will concentrate on products, techniques or procedures which have already shown promise as a way of improving the service or which are specifically designed to address known operational difficulties,
   • Solutions will be sought which are independent of any specific equipment or service supplier,
   • Participation will be open to any individual or organisation which can offer appropriate expertise, manpower, equipment or services,
   • All results of the QTP will be published openly,
   • Equipment and service suppliers (as well as NRNs and other organisations from the academic community) will be encouraged to participate,
   • There will be coordination with national activities in order to minimise duplication of effort.

5. The QTP activities will be organised as follows:
   • A DANTE General Manager (HD) will act as the QTP Coordinator, at least initially; DANTE Network Engineers will provide technical expertise and support as well as participating directly in some of the tests.
   • All participant activity will be voluntary (ie there will be no funding from Quantum, except for DANTE and Telebit whose costs will be covered as specified in the Quantum Consortium Agreement and the DANTE/Telebit Associated Contract).
   • Meetings of participants will be held 2/3 times per year (if possible, side by side with other appropriate meetings in order to minimise travel costs for participants ). The purpose of the QTP meetings will be to:
     • make proposals for updates or refinements of the task list in the EC contract,
     • identify specific test activities and to get commitments from participants to carry them out,
     • review results (including EC deliverables).
   • There will be an e-mail list for discussion and reporting which will be open to anyone, including non-participants who wish to be kept informed of work in progress and of issues being discussed.

6. The QPC will continue to be responsible for the basic task/activity list. Recommendations for any changes to this list will be submitted to the QPC for approval. A status/progress report on the QTP will be included as a regular item on the QPC agenda.

7. As far as possible, all development work relating to improvements in the operational service will be carried out in the context of the QTP and within the organisational structure outlined above. Unisource/KPN nevertheless has a special role as the operator of TEN-155 MBS since it will have responsibility for integrating agreed new features into the operational service. There will be a separate (closed DANTE/Unisource) activity - the Joint Development Programme - to manage this service integration, as part of which Unisource will be able to input/influence items to be included in the service development.

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DANTE
[September 1998]