The Works of DANTE - Issue 2

First eConcertation Meeting - To Make eDreams Come True?

The first eInfrastructure Concertation event took place as part of the EGEE-02 project conference in The Hague, on 22nd and 23rd November. It was organised by the EGEE project, in conjunction with the European Commission and with the support of other infrastructure projects such as DEISA, SEEGRID and GÉANT2. eInfrastructure is the term that has been created to describe “networks + grids” – the combined electronic infrastructure which will provide the foundation of many advanced research projects in the future.

Kyriakos Baxevanidis, EC Co-ordinator of Grid-related efforts within DG INFSO, outlined the meeting's three main objectives:

• Develop synergies between projects that are working in the same or in similar areas (such as Grids and GÉANT2)
• Improve and advance the service that the eInfrastructure projects can provide to the research community
• Support collective efforts among these initiatives, including dissemination and impact on standards development.

The event saw broad participation from both eInfrastructure providers and eInfrastructure user projects. Presentations were given with subsequent panel discussions, and an open-forum discussion took place on the second day. This forum was intended to consolidate a common approach to vital issues, business and work models, as well as to discuss applications.

Vasilis Maglaris, Chairman of the GÉANT2 Policy Committee, presented the GÉANT2 network, whose vital importance to the Grid community was highlighted throughout the project presentations. Hans Döbbeling (DANTE) and Jürgen Rauschenbach (DFN) represented GÉANT2 in the technical discussion on the second day. Dr Döbbeling stressed the need for vertical integration (collaboration from networks through Grids to applications), to complement the establishment of horizontal teams among projects to address topics of common interest.

In his summary of the event, Malcolm Atkinson (National eScience Centre, UK) commented that the strength of the GÉANT network had facilitated the integration of national and international efforts for research infrastructures. Today’s projects should build on the past achievements of the Fifth Framework Programme. As a result, work should be targeted towards deployment in areas where existing facilities are deficient, and towards the operation of production-grade infrastructures.

The next eConcertation meeting will be hosted by GÉANT2, as part of the GÉANT2 launch, event in the middle of 2005.

The presentation given by Vasilis Maglaris can be found online in the GÉANT2 newsroom at www.geant2.net.