critical first step for designing and improving uran and its management is the analysis of needs,...

Critical first step for designing and improving URAN and its

management is the analysis of needs, core processes and situational factors

Dmitry GalaganDelft University of TechnologyThe Netherlands

Kiev, Ukraine, 1 October 1999

Українська науково-освітня мережа

УРАНURANUkrainian Researchand Academic Network

2TUDelft http://is.twi.tudelft.nl/~dima/research/

Contents• Introduction to my research project

• Model of Real System

• Main idea - carrying out a survey

• Examples of similar surveys in Europe


Management paradigm

Informational influences

Technical influences

Economic influences

Management

Real System

Managerial influences

Information SystemNetwork

Real System


Main concepts of Real System (RS) Core processes People (end-users) and their needs Requirements Preconditions (limitations) Situational factors (specific and generic) Interests of external parties (government,

business, donors)


Model of Real System (no IT)

Core processes

NeedsPeople

cause

have

perform


Core processes• Research and development

– R&D in the ICT area– R&D in the non-ICT area

• Educational– Learning– Knowledge assessment

• Administration• Support

Core processes

NeedsPeople

cause

have

perform


People• Students (scholars)• Teachers (academic staff)• Researchers

– networkers– non-networkers

• Administrative staff• Others

Core processes

NeedsPeople

cause

have

perform


Needs• Information needs• Communication needs

• Processing needs

– Professional

– Private

Core processes

NeedsPeople

cause

have

perform


Model of Real System

are aware ofRS

Core processes

NeedsPeople (users)

cause

have

perform

limit

ManagementPreconditions formulate

Network

Benefits

brings

Requirementsform basis for

define

Interests of external parties

(gov., com., donors)

influence formulation of

are based on Situational factors

describe


Requirements• Availability

• Reliability

• Performance

• Capacity

• Expandability and flexibility (maintainability) with respect to changes

• Compatibility with the standards

• Security

• Confidentiality

• Accountability (ability to invoice)

• etc.


Preconditions

• Centralization/decentralization of activities

• Centralization/decentralization of HW/SW

• Financial resources

• HW and SW supplier lines

• Personnel allocation

• Standardization directives


Situational factors - specific• Type

• Size

• Culture

• Power

• Organizational structure

• Financial state

• Institution age

• IT utilization stage (initiation, contagion, control, integration, data administration, maturity)


Situational factors - generic• Marketing factors

• Regulatory/informational factors

• Economical/financial factors

• Technical factors

• Cultural factors


Situational factors - examples (1)• Ukrtelecom’s present monopoly and

emergence of new players

• Lack of control for the copyright laws (“stolen software” problems)

• President’s edict about exclusive rights on Internet provision for budget-funded org.

• Instability of the legal system

• Complexity of tax and customs systems


Situational factors - examples (2)• Lack of national financial resources to invest

in networking

• Donor’s money cannot be spent on salaries

• Cost reduction on long-distance telco channels for budget-funded organizations

• Old telco infrastructure

• No IX in Ukraine (peering problems)


Some practical issues• Are users interested only in Internet access

when they connect to URAN (now and in the nearest future)?– What to develop - external channels or national

backbone?

• Is a link to TEN-155 necessary? Why?

• How many institutions, departments and their staff (scientists, students) want to be information providers, not consumers?


Conclusion• Analysis of needs, requirements, core

processes and situational factors is very important


A question for donors• Will you consider a network which has such

a background as a proper place for investments and donorship?


Main idea• URAN should not be only a specialized ISP,

but a national network which knows and represents interests of its users, and acts on behalf of them.


Proposal• Survey(s) should be carried out.

• The goal of such a survey is the analysis of needs, core processes, situational factors and requirements.


Similar examples• JANET (UK)

• SURFNET (Netherlands)

• EC Joint Research Center - GARNER project /Gathering and Analyzing Requirements for Networks of Education and Research/


JANET usage• Students’ access:

– students’ traffic = 2/3 of the total traffic

– students expect Internet access as part of what they pay for

• Much of JANET usage is for activities that are not exclusive to higher education

• A need for an intensive qualitative understanding of academics’ and students’ information needs and patterns of use


SURFNET users’ survey89%

46%

84%

13%

22%

85%

74%

0% 50% 100%

1998

1995

Students using the network

Staff using the network

Staff having own homepage

Students having own homepage

External e-mail usage

External library catalogs usage

Have PC at home


GARNER survey• Do researchers use

Internet for:– publishing research

results

– collaborative working

– remote conferencing

– remote learning

– information solicitation

– access to remote facilities

• In what collaborative research projects is your organisation involved?

• How is the Internet used to facilitate collaborative working?

• What future applications/services are required or envisaged?

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