| Trans-European Research and Education Networking Association | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | TERENA |
| Motto | networking the networkers |
| Formation | 13 June 1986 as Réseaux Associés pour la Recherche Européenne (RARE) |
| Purpose/focus | To promote and participate in the development of a high-quality international information and telecommunications infrastructure for the benefit of research and education. |
| Headquarters | Amsterdam, Netherlands, |
| Region served | Europe |
| President | Pierre Bruyère |
| Main organ | TERENA General Assembly |
The Trans-European Research and Education Networking Association (TERENA, /ˈtɜreɪnə/ tur-ay-nə) is a not-for-profit association of European national research and education networks (NRENs) incorporated in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. TERENA was originally formed on 13 June 1986 as Réseaux Associés pour la Recherche Européenne (RARE) becoming TERENA in October 1994 through the merger of RARE and the European Academic Research Network (EARN).
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The objectives of TERENA are to promote and develop high-quality international network infrastructures to support European research and education. This includes:
Full membership of TERENA is open to NRENs (one per country or territory as defined by the ITU) and international public sector organisations. Associate membership is available for other organisations (commercial or otherwise) with an interest in research and education networking. A complete list of the current members can be found on the TERENA website.
Other similar organisations elsewhere in the world include Internet2, APAN (Asia-Pacific Advanced Network), UbuntuNet Alliance and CLARA (Cooperación Latino Americana de Redes Avanzandas). In addition, DANTE operates the pan-European research and education backbone network.
TERENA was founded under the name Réseaux Associés pour la Recherche Européenne (RARE) on 13 June 1986.[1] It was founded by several European networking organisations to promote open computer networking standards (specifically the OSI protocols).[2] The first few years were dominated by the Co-operation for Open Systems Interconnection Networking in Europe (COSINE) project.[3] COSINE led to the implementation of some of the first standardised network-related services, for example X.400 email and X.500 directory service. X.25 technology was generally used for connectivity, forming a network called IXI.[4] It also created the first generation of the backbone network interconnecting the national research networks in Europe, known today as GÉANT. To run the European backbone, RARE’s Operational Unit was later split off from the association under the name DANTE.
Brian E. Carpenter led the team at CERN, a central site for networking in Europe.[3] By the early 1990s, a wider range of networks and protocols became involved in RARE.[5] Internet Protocol (IP) became the dominant protocol in data networking, leading to the creation of the Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre in 1992 by RARE, and later to the set-up of the RIPE NCC as a separate legal entity. By 1992, the IXI terminated, and a project called EBONE was proposed.[6]
In 1982 the European Academic Research Network (EARN) had been set up by IBM[7] to perform a similar role to RARE. It used similar technology to the BITNET in the US, and included email gateway capability.[8][9] By 1993 it was clear that EARN needed to merge with RARE, which it did on 24 October 1994.[10] Since then, RARE has been known as the Trans-European Research and Education Networking Association (TERENA).
TERENA runs an annual conference for academic networkers called the TERENA Networking Conference (TNC). Usually held in late May or early June, TNC is hosted by a member NREN and attended by around 500 delegates from academic backgrounds including networking specialists and managers from European networking and research organisations, universities, worldwide sister institutions and industry representatives. Each TNC has a different theme and presentation are tailored to promoting the theme. Recent themes have included 'Enabling Communities' and 'Living the network life'.
TNC Locations: