CR2Net Experiences:Present and Future of Costa Rica

´s Research and Education Network

Spring 2004 Internet2 Member Meeting

April 19 – 21, 2004

Arlington, VA

Agenda

• Some information about Costa Rica

• Interest of Costa Rica in the NREN´s

• Present state of CR2Net• Main Potential Challenges of Costa

Rica

Costa Rica

• Located in Centro America. • Bounded by Nicaragua, the Caribbean

Sea, Panama, and by the Pacific Ocean.

• Area (19,714 sq mi). • The capital is San José.

Environmental Issues

• Costa Rica’s land is protected by one of the most ambitious conservation programs in Central America.

• It has also established a booming ecotourism business.

• The population of Costa Rica (2003 estimate) is 3,896,092, giving the country an overall population density of 198 persons per sq mi.

Education

• The literacy rate is estimated at 96 percent. • Primary and secondary education is free, and

attendance is compulsory between the ages of 6 to 15.

• In 2000, 551,465 pupils were enrolled in 3,711 primary schools and 255,600 students attended public and private secondary schools, and 58,000 students attended public universities.

Social Services

• Life expectancy is 77 years.

• A national health plan was established in the 1970s.

• A social security program has been in operation since 1942

• Costa Rica has had no armed forces since 1948. The only security forces are the Civil Guard

Why does Costa Rica have interest in the NREN´s ?

“Without education people are condemned underdevelopment ”. (Dr.Castro Madríz, 1er. President of CR, 1847)

• Interest in gaining access to knowledge

• Interest in sharing Costa Rican scientific and intellectual product.

• Interest in having access to new technologies and scientific development.

Present state of CR2Net

• The creation of national policies aiming at:

– Creating CR2Net and declaring it of public interest in 2001.

– Achieving a free broadband of no less than 45Mbps for 7 institutions, of higher Education, Scientific development, as well as the Health and Meteorology Institutes.

NATIONAL IP NETWORK

Present state of CR2Net continue

• An organization body has been created for the management and development of CR2Net.– Is conformed by a Council integrated by the

presidents of the main educational and research organizations in the country, and it´s presided over by the Minister of Science and Technology.

– The Technical Committee is conformed by a representative of the main organizations of CR2Net.

COREGigaRouter

ITCR

UNAUNED

UCRIP 200.9.32.32

IP 200.9.32.64 IP 200.9.32.128

IP 200.9.32.96

NREN´s

45 Mbps

Submarine

Maya -

Arco

s

switch 3500

switch 3500

switch 3500

switch 3500

CCSS

switch 3500

switch 3500

INM

switch 3500

CENATCR2Net

MegaRuter

National IP Net

VPNMPLS

Main National Tasks

• It is in the phase of defining the guidelines for the adequate administration of CR2Net.

• It is developing a regulation model that will guarantee its financial sustainability.

Main International Challenges

• To reach international connectivity through the following Networks: – CLARA– GEANT – INTERNET2

• To encourage the scientific community of Costa Rica to participate in the fields of education and research, that are already being developed at the international level.

Areas of Research and Contribution

• Health • Biotechnology• Biodiversidad• Serum Antiofídicos • Seismology• Veterinary • Tropical Illnesses • State of the Nation/

region.

• Research in Studies of Gender

• Clean Energy• Sciences of the sea

and Limnology • Environmental

Contamination• Sustainable Develop.• Software Develop.

Links to Consult • www.micit.go.cr Ministerio de CyT• www.go.cr Gobierno digital de CR• www.anc.ac.cr Academia Nacional de Ciencias• www.comex.go.cr Comercio Exterior• www.procomer.co.cr Promotor de Comercio• www.inbio.ac.cr Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad• www.ovsicori.una.ac.cr Observatorio Vulcanológico y

Sismológico costarricense.• www.ccss.sa.cr Caja Costarricense Seguro Social• www.vinv.ucr.ac.cr Vicerrectoría de Investigación UCR• www.estadonacion.or.cr Proyecto Estado de la Nación• www.odd.ucr.ac.cr Observatorio del Desarrollo UCR• www.ucr.ac.cr Universidad de Costa Rica• www.uned.ac.cr Universidad Estatal a Distancia• www.una.ac.cr Universidad Nacional• www.itcr.ac.cr Instituto Tecnológico de CR• www.ice.go.cr Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad

Gracias

Vigny Alvaradovalvarad@uned.ac.cr