Service Télématique et Communication

	Service Télématique et Communication
Newsletter n°27	January 2003

Les Nouveaux Chemins de la Connaissance The New Paths of Knowledge

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!
Dear Readers, Please receive our very best Season’s Greetings, together with another load of news about our many activities. As a tradition at the beginning of the year, I am happy to mention that our Group still maintains long-term relationships with BANKSYS, the Belgian Broadband Platform, the Belgian Teleworking Association, BELNET, BELTUG, CIRB/CIBG (the Brussels Region IT Centre), DNS.BE, Teleport Brussels and the Walloon Telecommunications Agency. I wish you every success in the coming year(s). Paul VAN BINST

ANNIVERSARIES !!

In October 2002, Paul Van Binst celebrated 35 years of carrier at ULB while in November, Rosette Vandenbroucke had worked for 30 years with VUB – and that means of course 30 years of intense collaboration and friendship between the two persons.
As it happens, the carrier of Rosette will change significantly as of January 2003, as she will start working only half-time as ICT Manager for the High Energy Physics Institute (IIHE/ULB-VUB) that employed her up to now.

The rest of her time will be devoted to a study to be carried out for BELNET (the Belgian National Research and Education Network) about developing GRID technology in Belgium, plus a new assignment to the R&D Department of VUB.

ANNIVERSARIES !!
	In October 2002, Paul Van Binst celebrated 35 years of carrier at ULB while in November, Rosette Vandenbroucke had worked for 30 years with VUB – and that means of course 30 years of intense collaboration and friendship between the two persons. As it happens, the carrier of Rosette will change significantly as of January 2003, as she will start working only half-time as ICT Manager for the High Energy Physics Institute (IIHE/ULB-VUB) that employed her up to now.
The rest of her time will be devoted to a study to be carried out for BELNET (the Belgian National Research and Education Network) about developing GRID technology in Belgium, plus a new assignment to the R&D Department of VUB.

NATO Advisory Panel on Computer Networks

NATO
NATO

NATO

This Panel of experts, of which Paul Van Binst is a member, advises the NATO Scientific Committee and has been very active in 2002, with a spring and an autumn meeting taking place at the Headquarters in Brussels, while the summer meeting is organised in one of the concerned countries, this time Kazakhstan.

The Panel examines a number of requests for grants aimed mainly at developing local networking infrastructure and connectivity to the global Internet for academic and scientific institutions, in the Eastern European and Central Asian countries. The well-reknowned NATO workshops are also supported.

One of the main activities that took off during the past year is the so-called Virtual Silk Highway, a global Internet infrastructure project linking eight Central Asian countries with a hub at the DESY laboratory in Hamburg, Germany (using satellite links). It provides connectivity to GEANT and to the European and worldwide research and education networks. This project is also supported by the European Commission and CISCO.

NATO Advisory Panel on Computer Networks
	This Panel of experts, of which Paul Van Binst is a member, advises the NATO Scientific Committee and has been very active in 2002, with a spring and an autumn meeting taking place at the Headquarters in Brussels, while the summer meeting is organised in one of the concerned countries, this time Kazakhstan. The Panel examines a number of requests for grants aimed mainly at developing local networking infrastructure and connectivity to the global Internet for academic and scientific institutions, in the Eastern European and Central Asian countries. The well-reknowned NATO workshops are also supported. One of the main activities that took off during the past year is the so-called Virtual Silk Highway, a global Internet infrastructure project linking eight Central Asian countries with a hub at the DESY laboratory in Hamburg, Germany (using satellite links). It provides connectivity to GEANT and to the European and worldwide research and education networks. This project is also supported by the European Commission and CISCO.

NGN-LAB and ETSI PLUGTESTS

In September 2002, the NGN-LAB project was linked, through our EuroDemo facility in Brussels, to the ETSI PLUGTESTS IPv6 interoperability event taking place in Cannes, France. A number of tests and demos were carried out between the two sites during the week-long event, including audio and video links over IPv6. In Cannes itself, Antal Bulanza from ULB-STC was working on OSPF testing.
December 2002, a major step was taken towards the organisation of the next comprehensive ETSI PLUGTESTS event on IPv6 interoperability: a contract was signed by Philippe Cousin, representing ETSI, and the management of Hotel Plaza in central Brussels, where the 2003 event will take place from September 22 till 26. ULB-VUB will be working with ETSI on the local hosting and coordination aspects.

EUROV6 COLLABORATES WITH JAPAN AND CHINA

After the signature of the Cooperation Agreement with the IPv6 Promotion Council of Japan, a similar agreement has been signed with 6TNET, the IPv6 Telecom Trial Network of China, founded by the China Academy of Telecommunications Research of the Ministry of Information Industry (CATR of MII) and the BII Group in 2002. 6TNET aims to set up and operate a multi-vendor and multi-carrier IPv6 network and prove to the Chinese carriers that IPv6 networks and applications are ready

(see http://www.6tnet.com.cn/
or http://www.ipv6.net.cn/index_en04.htm).

In December 2002, a European Commission delegation, representing a number of IPv6related projects, including Eurov6, attended the Global IPv6 Summit that took place in Yokohama, Japan. Meetings took place with the Board of the IPv6 Promotion Council of Japan, and with representatives of the Japanese Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications (MPHPT). Contacts were also established with delegates from Taiwan who were present at the Summit as well as with representatives of South Korea.

EUROV6 COLLABORATES WITH JAPAN AND CHINA
After the signature of the Cooperation Agreement with the IPv6 Promotion Council of Japan, a similar agreement has been signed with 6TNET, the IPv6 Telecom Trial Network of China, founded by the China Academy of Telecommunications Research of the Ministry of Information Industry (CATR of MII) and the BII Group in 2002. 6TNET aims to set up and operate a multi-vendor and multi-carrier IPv6 network and prove to the Chinese carriers that IPv6 networks and applications are ready		(see http://www.6tnet.com.cn/ or http://www.ipv6.net.cn/index_en04.htm). In December 2002, a European Commission delegation, representing a number of IPv6related projects, including Eurov6, attended the Global IPv6 Summit that took place in Yokohama, Japan. Meetings took place with the Board of the IPv6 Promotion Council of Japan, and with representatives of the Japanese Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications (MPHPT). Contacts were also established with delegates from Taiwan who were present at the Summit as well as with representatives of South Korea.

Launch of the Belgian IPv6 Task Force

IPv6tf

The Belgian IPv6 Task Force has been created in the scope of the European Commission IPv6 Task Force, re-launched on September 12, 2002 after an initial report was submitted in the spring.
The Brussels Universities (ULB and VUB) have been invited to host this activity, in view of their previous heavy commitment and activities on IPv6 and other “Next Generation Networks” projects. The coordination is ensured by Prof. Paul VAN BINST and Mrs. Rosette VANDENBROUCKE.
This is strictly a not-for-profit activity, with a goal of information exchange and dissemination on the topics related to the future evolution of the Internet Protocol, and the associated technical and socio-economic aspects.

Everyone interested is invited to become a Member of the Task Force by simply filling out the corresponding page on the web site http://www.ipv6tf.be ; you will receive from time to time some e-mail messages about news or events related to the field.
If you want to become an active Member, mark the corresponding field in the form and we will contact you to define what would be your special interests (organisation of events, further dissemination of information, etc.)
The Belgian IPv6 Task Force is morally supported by the European Commission, BELNET, BELTUG, DNS.BE and ISPA Belgium.

Launch of the Belgian IPv6 Task Force
	The Belgian IPv6 Task Force has been created in the scope of the European Commission IPv6 Task Force, re-launched on September 12, 2002 after an initial report was submitted in the spring. The Brussels Universities (ULB and VUB) have been invited to host this activity, in view of their previous heavy commitment and activities on IPv6 and other “Next Generation Networks” projects. The coordination is ensured by Prof. Paul VAN BINST and Mrs. Rosette VANDENBROUCKE. This is strictly a not-for-profit activity, with a goal of information exchange and dissemination on the topics related to the future evolution of the Internet Protocol, and the associated technical and socio-economic aspects.
Everyone interested is invited to become a Member of the Task Force by simply filling out the corresponding page on the web site http://www.ipv6tf.be ; you will receive from time to time some e-mail messages about news or events related to the field. If you want to become an active Member, mark the corresponding field in the form and we will contact you to define what would be your special interests (organisation of events, further dissemination of information, etc.) The Belgian IPv6 Task Force is morally supported by the European Commission, BELNET, BELTUG, DNS.BE and ISPA Belgium.

DEEPSIA - Successful Termination

The DEEPSIA project has been successfully concluded at the end of September 2002. The project started in January 2001 and consisted of two major parts – the development of the dynamic on-line catalogue with a framework of agents supplying the necessary data, and performing the socio-economic research on how the SMEs utilize e-commerce. Further, this socio-economic research was divided into two parts: assessing what was the attitude of SMEs to e-commerce prior to the project, and how the introduction of a product such as DEEPSIA would influence their view and involvement.

The project started within a consortium of several European companies, universities and non-profit organizations. Later, thanks to the initiative of the Portuguese partner, the consortium was joined by University of Sao Paulo in Brasil. This way, the DEEPSIA project has grown from a purely European level to a global level.

The project was a great success. All the comments from the European Commission as well as external reviewers were uplifting. Although the project has ended, the prototype along with a number of publications, articles and other literature is all available on the DEEPSIA web site: http://www.deepsia.org

DEEPSIA - Successful Termination
The DEEPSIA project has been successfully concluded at the end of September 2002. The project started in January 2001 and consisted of two major parts – the development of the dynamic on-line catalogue with a framework of agents supplying the necessary data, and performing the socio-economic research on how the SMEs utilize e-commerce. Further, this socio-economic research was divided into two parts: assessing what was the attitude of SMEs to e-commerce prior to the project, and how the introduction of a product such as DEEPSIA would influence their view and involvement. The project started within a consortium of several European companies, universities and non-profit organizations. Later, thanks to the initiative of the Portuguese partner, the consortium was joined by University of Sao Paulo in Brasil. This way, the DEEPSIA project has grown from a purely European level to a global level. The project was a great success. All the comments from the European Commission as well as external reviewers were uplifting. Although the project has ended, the prototype along with a number of publications, articles and other literature is all available on the DEEPSIA web site: http://www.deepsia.org

Belgian Broadband Platform

BBP
The Belgian Broadband Platform Symposium on “Wireless Broadband” took place on 29 November 2002. The presentations were well appreciated by most of the 100 participants and the speakers had to be ready for a lot of questions. Moreover the participants could try out a hot-spot provided by SINFILO. Presentations are available and new activities will be announced at http://www.broadbandplatform.be.

bbp

Belgian Broadband Platform
	The Belgian Broadband Platform Symposium on “Wireless Broadband” took place on 29 November 2002. The presentations were well appreciated by most of the 100 participants and the speakers had to be ready for a lot of questions. Moreover the participants could try out a hot-spot provided by SINFILO. Presentations are available and new activities will be announced at http://www.broadbandplatform.be.

MEMBERS of SERVICE TELEMATIQUE ET COMMUNICATION

Antal BULANZA, Ali HACHAMI, Ines MARTINEZ MORENO, Nadia PARONI, Manuela PROFILI, Krzysztof SOCHA, Clémentine VALAYER, Paul VAN BINST,
Fuhua YIN.

Our VUB collaborators:
Alain ISAAC, Rosette VANDENBROUCKE
(for all of the above, e-mail is: surname@helios.iihe.ac.be)
Secretariat:
Daisy PIRNAY (IIHE/VUB-ULB) (pirnay@hep.iihe.ac.be )
Other regular collaborators:
Alvaro GUILLEN, Pierre MASY, Ramin NAJMABADI KIA (ARPnet), Joël CANNAU, Georges ROUSSEAU, Edwin TORISAEN (IIHE/ULB-VUB), Bridie NATHANSON.
Contact:
Service Télématique et Communication - Professor Paul VAN BINST
ULB - CP230 - Boulevard du Triomphe - 1050 Brussels - Belgium
Tel.: + 32 2 629 3211 or 3209 - Fax: + 32 2 629 3816
Rosette VANDENBROUCKE
VUB - ELEM - Pleinlaan 2 - 1050 Brussels - Belgium
Tel.: + 32 2 629 3210 - Fax: + 32 2 629 3816

World Wide Web Address:
http://www.iihe.ac.be

MEMBERS of SERVICE TELEMATIQUE ET COMMUNICATION
Antal BULANZA, Ali HACHAMI, Ines MARTINEZ MORENO, Nadia PARONI, Manuela PROFILI, Krzysztof SOCHA, Clémentine VALAYER, Paul VAN BINST, Fuhua YIN. Our VUB collaborators: Alain ISAAC, Rosette VANDENBROUCKE (for all of the above, e-mail is: surname@helios.iihe.ac.be) Secretariat: Daisy PIRNAY (IIHE/VUB-ULB) (pirnay@hep.iihe.ac.be ) Other regular collaborators: Alvaro GUILLEN, Pierre MASY, Ramin NAJMABADI KIA (ARPnet), Joël CANNAU, Georges ROUSSEAU, Edwin TORISAEN (IIHE/ULB-VUB), Bridie NATHANSON. Contact: Service Télématique et Communication - Professor Paul VAN BINST ULB - CP230 - Boulevard du Triomphe - 1050 Brussels - Belgium Tel.: + 32 2 629 3211 or 3209 - Fax: + 32 2 629 3816 Rosette VANDENBROUCKE VUB - ELEM - Pleinlaan 2 - 1050 Brussels - Belgium Tel.: + 32 2 629 3210 - Fax: + 32 2 629 3816 World Wide Web Address: http://www.iihe.ac.be

The ETELO project: new events have happened
and new users have joined

Further production of e-courses has been planned, in collaboration with some teachers from the ULB postgraduate programme in Telematics and Organization; a thorough and complete course on telecommunications and a module on security combining expertise from different lecturers and specialists will be produced in the course of 2003.

An extension in Dutch was produced to the e-learning CD-rom prototype: Rosette Vandenbroucke was filmed giving her seminar on LAN technology and professor Jacques Tiberghien lectured on telecommunication networks in front of the STC’s new DV camera. Both lecturers are from the VUB university.
These two new modules were added to the first five initially produced last summer; this set of courses ended up being duplicated in a series of three CD-roms in collaboration with the CIRB (IT Centre for the Brussels Region), who made it a corporate Christmas gift for the members of the government of the Brussels region.

Corporate versions of e-learning training and presentation modules are also manufactured using technology developed in the ETELO project. CD-roms have been ordered by the multinational corporation Solvay, in different departments such as Corporate Purchasing Management, Knowledge Management and Human Resource Department.

The ETELO project: new events have happened and new users have joined
Further production of e-courses has been planned, in collaboration with some teachers from the ULB postgraduate programme in Telematics and Organization; a thorough and complete course on telecommunications and a module on security combining expertise from different lecturers and specialists will be produced in the course of 2003.
An extension in Dutch was produced to the e-learning CD-rom prototype: Rosette Vandenbroucke was filmed giving her seminar on LAN technology and professor Jacques Tiberghien lectured on telecommunication networks in front of the STC’s new DV camera. Both lecturers are from the VUB university. These two new modules were added to the first five initially produced last summer; this set of courses ended up being duplicated in a series of three CD-roms in collaboration with the CIRB (IT Centre for the Brussels Region), who made it a corporate Christmas gift for the members of the government of the Brussels region.
Corporate versions of e-learning training and presentation modules are also manufactured using technology developed in the ETELO project. CD-roms have been ordered by the multinational corporation Solvay, in different departments such as Corporate Purchasing Management, Knowledge Management and Human Resource Department.

STC Reports

Service Télématique et Communication (STC) regularly produces on the Web internal reports on different subjects. Here are some of the most recent topics:
stc-02-01   Management Solutions for the New Communications World
stc-02-02   Report on 52nd IETF Meeting
stc-02-03   Report on 54th IETF Meeting
stc-02-04   Paper presented at CEC 2002
stc-02-05   Paper presented at ANTS 2002
stc-02-06   NAT-PT Transition Study and Test Report
stc-02-07   Wireless next-generation Internet in your pocket. Big network in small devices
stc-02-08   Report on 54th IETF Meeting
stc-02-09   CENTR Meeting
stc-02-10   Meeting ULB-IRISA

NGN-LAB and ETSI PLUGTESTS

In September 2002, the NGN-LAB project was linked, through our EuroDemo facility in Brussels, to the ETSI PLUGTESTS IPv6 interoperability event taking place in Cannes, France. A number of tests and demos were carried out between the two sites during the week-long event, including audio and video links over IPv6. In Cannes itself, Antal Bulanza from ULB-STC was working on OSPF testing. December 2002, a major step was taken towards the organisation of the next comprehensive ETSI PLUGTESTS event on IPv6 interoperability: a contract was signed by Philippe Cousin, representing ETSI, and the management of Hotel Plaza in central Brussels, where the 2003 event will take place from September 22 till 26. ULB-VUB will be working with ETSI on the local hosting and coordination aspects.