The Network Startup Resource Center (NSRC) project provides technical information, engineer- ing assistance, training, and equipment to research institutions and networking organizations in developing areas. The primary goal is to make it easier for US scientists and engineers, and those in developing areas, to collaborate via the Internet. In FY04 the project will transition this year to other programs and continue to develop network infrastructure in the less-connected parts of the world continuing its tradition of high leveraging through these ongoing partnerships and alliances. The NSRC.s activities develop and enhance network infrastructure for collaborative research, education, and international partnerships, while promoting teaching and training via the transfer of technology.
The work provides significant benefits for US scientists and the international research community by facilitating better access for researchers in developing countries who participate in the global research enterprise. Regarding intellectual merit, NSRC.s work advances knowledge and under- standing within the fields of networking and telecommunications through a clearly focused strat- egy: working on the specific problems of engineers and technologists in the research and educational environments of poorer, less developed countries. The improved communications resulting from these efforts are then available to scientists and engineers, on both ends of the spectrum, enabling the application of a wide variety of ideas, information, talent, and resources to a given research question.
The NSRC.s main focus areas are:
Helping develop and deploy Internet infrastructure in overseas R&E networks Assisting US scientists with international collaboration and research partnerships Providing technical information and resources to network operators Providing direct network engineering and planning assistance Helping organize regional training workshops and centers Coordinating donations and shipments of networking books and equipment Developing Internet exchange points Helping build and deploy wireless network infrastructure Hosting network engineering interns Advising on the establishment of help desk and user support services Maintaining a historical archive of Internet connectivity
The NSRC and University of Oregon team brings considerable operational experience in design- ing networks and deploying Internet technology in places with minimal infrastructure and limited resources. Colleagues from the extensive international contacts and relationships that we have established over the past fifteen years are willing to contribute their time and expertise to NSRC initiatives and activities, putting special emphasis on scientific institutions when we request their help on behalf of NSF and US scientists. Having assisted many of the initial network efforts in developing economies, the NSRC is transitioning to assisting those networks with issues of scal- ability, enrichment of services and applications for end users, and national and regional coopera- tion. The substantial in-kind support we have received from industry, equipment vendors, and book publishers, in part because of NSF.s imprimatur, has significantly multiplied the return of NSF.s investment in the NSRC project. By building on past successes and current working rela- Tionships this project will formalize strategic alliances with partners in industry and academia that support the NSRC.s activities.
