Obiective si Sarcini

Aims & Tasks

The Public Association „RENAM” (further Association „RENAM”) is non-governmental, non-commercial and non-profit organization, established in the form of the public institution, carrying out its activities in conformity with the Constitution and the law of the Republic of Moldova, currently in force, according to the international norms and conventions, with its Statute, aimed at public benefit. The „RENAM”‘s activities has as its principal purpose the constant development of communication and information infrastructure of the scientific and educational community, as well as governmental organizations in Moldova.

The Association was founded and registered by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Moldova in June 1999 under registration no. 1089. As it is underlined in its Statute, the Association is open for every scientific and educational body in Moldova, which is interested in its networking and information resources. The Association is a republican association with unlimited term of existence and develops its activities on the whole territory of Republic of Moldova, with the right to establish its branches both in the Republic and abroad. The Association and its branches develop their activity in close cooperation with state and public organizations, with other public associations and societies in the Republic and abroad, which purposes do not contradict to the Association’s aims.

The aim of the Association is to establish and develop computer network and information services on a modern level mostly in higher and secondary education, research institutions, libraries and public collections. Furthermore the continuous and active participation in the work of international computer network organizations is also set as an aim. The program is supported by the following organizations: NATO Science Programme Committee, Ministry of Education of Moldova, Academy of Science (ASM) of Moldova and leading universities. The aim of the Association is foundation and development of the networking infrastructure that includes the IP backbone in Chisinau, the capital of the country, the principal communication nodes for providing external connections and interurban links to the nodes in peripheral cities of Moldova, where universities and scientific institutions are located.

The Association unites many qualified specialists and scientists from different fields of science and engineering as associated collaborators. There are two departments within the Association having full time busy personal.
RENAM Network – Current State and Development Plan

National Research and Educational Network of Moldova RENAM in accordance with the approved Accessible Use Policy provides connectivity and informational services for research institutions, universities, secondary schools, hospitals and other medical institutions, libraries and museums. RENAM Association has built and permanently develops its own networking infrastructure that allowed creating 12 communication nodes in two main cities – Chisinau and Balti. 23 Institutes of Academy of Sciences, 10 leading Universities of Moldova, more than 10 colleges, 3 hospitals and some governmental establishments are connected now to RENAM infrastructure. RENAM network provides connectivity to about 5000 scientists and professors (75% of all researchers), 1000 Ph.D. students and more than 80 000 university and colleges students (85% of all students). RENAM infrastructure covers organizations placed in other localities of Moldova. The network node was realized in Balti State University.

In years 2002-2004 due to successful realization of NATO project there was installed more than 20 km of optical cable for connection all principal research and higher education institutions in Chisinau City. The municipal fiber optics infrastructure has ensured utilization of modern communication technologies, implementation of main communication highways with internal capacity that can satisfy customers’ needs for some years ahead, allowed accumulating the necessary experience and raising the skills of RENAM personnel that permitted to elaborate new perspective projects based on modern fiber optics technologies. The mentioned project has found its prolongation in 2005-2006 when an Agreement between RENAM and State Enterprise “The Center of Special Telecommunications” was signed that permitted to extend RENAM fiber optics infrastructure in Chisinau on more than 10 km. Core networking backbone in Chisinau is based on dark fiber highways and Gbit Ethernet technology and provides high speed access to the National IX point. Separate and far located campuses are connected by wireless point-to-point connections with up to 24 Mbps capacity. Peripheral research and educational centers are linked using microwave radio-relay technology and “Moldtelecom” S.A. leased communication fluxes. All GRID clusters and GRID nodes that are deploying now within SEE-GRID2 project in Moldova are included In RENAM optical MAN backbone.

RENAM network at present operates two external connections. Main of them is provided through direct gateway of 155 Mbps capacity to RoEduNet – Romanian NREN and consequently to GEANT2 Trance-European Academic network. The second Internet access channel of 40 Mbps back-up capacity is offered by local ISP “StarNet” Ltd. Current capacity of external connections does not satisfy the community needs and existing congestion will be only increasing in the process of National Research and Educational Network extension.

Plans for development of internal infrastructure include installation of new DF MAN connections in Chisinau that will provide fiber connectivity for two new nodes and expansion of the network on the territory by utilization of radio-relay facilities of State Enterprise “Radicommunicatii” and “Moldtelecom” S.A. data transmission fluxes. Free resources of the existing radio-relay links allow organize connection of two peripheral universities’ centers in Cahul and Comrat cities. There is a possibility to upgrade from 8 to 16 Mbps radio-relay link to Balti where in near perspective plans to be installed one GRID cluster in State University “Aleco Russo”.

Perspectives of external connectivity development are based on the following fundamental documents:
RENAM–RoEduNet Agreement that determined the policy of direct RENAM – RoEduNet connection utilization and stipulates parameters of RENAM access to GEANT infrastructure;
The adopted list and specification of external routes elaborated during EC “Porta Optica Study” project realization (contract number 026617).
The most urgent task is RENAM – RoEduNet link upgrading that would ensure integration of RENAM network in SEE regional infrastructure and provide all necessary resources for regional SSE-GRID e-infrastructure operation. This vital connection modernization is planned to be realized by construction of direct Dark Fiber (DF) link Chisinau-Iasi (Romania).

DF link construction is the most effective and for a long time living solution that allows permanent and scalable upgrading the connection capacity. The detail project “New RENAM-RoEduNet gateway based on CWDM technologies” that is devoted to the direct DF link implementation was elaborated by RENAM and RoEduNet specialists. The project specifies all required expenses and technical solutions – the volume of cable installation works, appropriate communication technology and equipment choice.onsidering the actual requirements and trends, the next step to be followed is upgrading the capacity as well as recasting the Moldovan Education Network so that the upgrading decision match with the requirements in order to challenge the future.