Last modification: 2007-05-04

The SPONGE project

The SPONGE Project is complementary to SILK. It will ensure a maximum benefit for NIS grantees; SPONGE will provide overall management for SILK, infrastructure services needed (like documentation, a web site and information services), and training help. Technical structures will provide performance information on the system, and mechanisms for optimal tuning.

The NATO Science Committee has awarded a grant (SILK) for the provision of a VSAT-based network, which will provide GEANT access for the NRENs of the newly independent states (NIS) of the Southern Caucuses and Central Asia. Additional grants provide for operating the VSAT hub, LAN equipment for connecting the NRENs and special tariffs for the satellite bandwidth. None of this may be spent on European staff.

The SPONGE Project is a complementary initiative that will ensure a maximum benefit for NIS grantees; SPONGE will provide overall management for SILK, infrastructure services needed (like documentation, a web site and information services), and training help. Technical structures will provide performance information on the system, and mechanisms for optimal tuning.

Under SPONGE we will explore mechanisms for providing better person-person communication on an IP basis using the SILK network. The management structure provided under SPONGE will enable the NIS NATO SILK grantees and the NGO funding bodies in the SILK countries, to make operational and upgrading decisions; much of the technical information on which these decisions are made will come from the activities of SPONGE. Finally the organisational activities set up by SPONGE should assist in attaining sustainable longer-term services.

The partners of the SPONGE Project are the following:

• University College London, London, UK (UCL, Peter Kirstein, Coordinating Partner)
• University of Groningen, Groningen, NL (RUG, Robert Janz)
• The Armenian Research and Education Network Association, Yerevan, AM (ARENA, Grigor Babayan)
• The Georgian Research and Education Network Association, Tblisi, GE (GRENA, Ramaz Kvatadze)

The project is funded as an Accompanying Measure, under the Research Networks portion of the IST Framework 5 Programme of the European Commission. The project is for the period October 2002 - March 2005. The European Commission is providing 220,000 Euros to the project. Cisco Systems is acting as a Supporting Partner, and is providing additional equipment and software.