Development of the Science and Education

The project strategic purposes are:

1. creation and development of AMNET (Academic Moldavian Network) infrastructure with the access into INTERNET, uniting more than 25 research institutes of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova (ASM), Universities and other non-governmental organizations of Moldova;
2. rendering an effective support of regional and international academic cooperation.

The project realization will permit to provide new conditions for using of national information resources and its integration into the international information space and help to increase of science contribution to Moldova social-economic development.

The Computer Center (CC) of ASM, possessing more then 30-years experience in informatization of scientific activities of ASM, and the corresponding departments of the Universities, participating in the project, will play the leading role in the project realization.

Satisfaction of increasing information needs of scientific, educational and other structures of the society is connected with the creation of information systems infrastructure on the basis of perspective information technologies. In the project will be find a solution of two main problems of the network development:

1. creation and development the network infrastructure, ensuring an effective access to national and global information resources for all departments of ASM and Universities of Moldova;
2. providing a new approach to regional and international scientific cooperation and effective integration of AMNET into global INTERNET.

In the scope of project realization it will be created and provided the necessary services, which may be subdivided into three main groups:

1. development of WWW servers with access both for AMNET and INTERNET users;
2. delivering software and hardware environment for effective creating of applied systems available for networking utilization;
3. creation of information – demonstration center (IDC) for training and raising the skill level of scientists and specialists, doctorants and students in the sphere of new information technologies use.

The development of AMNET infrastructure is based on following principles:

1. Creation of the central communication node of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova with access to INTERNET through the independent satellite channel.
2. Academy institutes, situated in the Academy city and in immediate proximity (up to I km) to the central communication node are connected in local mode, using an optical cable with transmission capacity up to 100 Mbps.
3. Networking complexes of the Universities and remote (for 4-18 km) ASM institutions are connected by radiochannels with transmission capacity up to 512 Kbps (in exceptional cases – by leased channels).
4. For small remote organizations and separate users the access is provided through leased or dialed telephone lines.

It is provided to fulfill the project in three stages:

1. Stage 1 (1997) Creation of a satellite channel and central communication node of AMNET. Connecting remote buildings of ASM and universities complexes.
2. Stage II (1998) Academic WWW server and IDC will be realized and AMNET users training will be organized. Creation of applied databases on multi-user SUN Microsystems servers will be arranged.
3. Stage III (1999) Linking all other establishments and separate users. Network optimization.

Detailed budget plan on 1998 and 1999 (Stages II and III) will be prepared and delivered to NATO Scientific Affairs Division later.