The work of the Unit directly supports the Communication Network Development Initiative defined in the Research Infrastructures Action of the "Structuring the ERA" FP6 Programme. It will exploit the potential of the new Instruments in FP6 to ensure critical mass, economies of scale and a cohesive approach to the deployment of Infrastructures for the ERA.
The work done in Unit F3 "Research Infrastructure" will reinforce and complement eEurope 2005 objectives (in aspects such as "broadband"), will be in line with recently endorsed Communications of the Commission (in topics such as IPv6) and will be an essential building block for the European Research Area (ERA).
Work Programme
Within FP6, the "Research Infrastructure" Unit is responsible for implementing the following parts of the Specific Programme "Structuring the European Research Area" within the Research Infrastructures activity:
- GÉANT - provision of a high-capacity and high-speed communications network interconnecting the European National Research and Education Networks. It will represent a significant step forward as compared to FP5, both in terms of services, communities served, geographical scope, bandwidth and readiness to adopt relevant new technologies.
- Grids - deployment of advanced Grids-empowered infrastructures. They should exhibit production-level performance capabilities and constitute themselves distributed facilities at gigabit/terabit scales (in terms of computing, storage and communication power).
The Unit also take part in implementing the "Integrating and strenghtening the European Research Area" Specific Programme, within the Information Society Technologies Priority, focusing on:
- Research networking test-beds - deployment of advanced, user-driven large scale test-beds with the goal to integrate and validate the state-of-the-art technology.
For further information, please visit:
eInfrastructure (Communication Network Development) in FP6 Portal
