Syrian Computer Society

Initiatives to promote the

development of ICT

sector in Syria

Dr. Rakan Razouk

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Agenda

The Syrian Computer society.

ICT incubators in Syria.

Promoting the technical skills of children and young

students through hosting competitions (ACM, IRO)

Promoting cloud computing

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Syrian Computer Society (SCS) Founded in 1989.

6000 senior members and 8000 associate members.

Mission: introducing the ICT culture in the Syrian society, and helping shape and regulate the ICT market in the country.

Activities:

◦ Training Courses

◦ Fostering youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship

◦ Promotion of Digital Content

◦ Transferring and Localizing Information and Communication Technologies

◦ Issuing specialized publications

◦ Organizing Conferences, Symposia, Seminars, Lectures, Exhibitions

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Syrian Computer Society (SCS)

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international events

• World Summit on Information Society (WSIS)

• Internet Governance Forum (IGF).

• MENA Inc. network

initiatives

• Rural development

• On-line education and training

• Innovation and Entrepreneurship

• ICT measurement

Partners and stakeholders

• The academia

• The industry

• The civil society

• Regional and international organizations.

ICT incubators in Syria.

ICT in Syria◦ Skilled ICT Graduate◦ Need for new ICT Services◦ New markets◦ Outsourcing, software exporting

ICT Startups challenges◦ Lack of organizational and Administrative Structure◦ Inability to build their own capacities◦ High transaction costs.◦ High Costs of Information Technology◦ Lack of financing organization

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ICTI

First ICT Incubator in Syria

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• A study proposed by ESCWA 2003

• Research on incubators in several countries in the region

(Tunisia, Jordan, Morocco, Iran)

• Established in Damascus 2006.

• A pilot project for a series of incubators throughout Syria.

• A first step towards building science and technology parks.

• Homs, Latakia (2010)

Incubation Program

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Pre-incubation: 4-6 months

• practical training and working on prototype.

• Limited but free services

• Working on business plan

• Preparing for incubator admission

Incubation: 18 months

• Full equipped office space

• Facilities

• Consulting (technical, legal, financial,…)

• Access to funding resources

• Marketing.

• Business training, mentoring and couching.

Supporting Activities

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فكرة

للمشاريع الجامعية المتميزة

Innovative

University Project

Annual Competition.

Supporting Activities

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Boot Camps

Supporting Activities

Entrepreneurship Summer School

Supporting Activities

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Exhibitions

Supporting Activities

Promoting Uses of Information and Communication

Technologies that Deliver Environmental, Social and

Economic Benefits.

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@ ICTI

Training on business planning and feasibility

study.

Help working on the enterprise structure.

Product prototype.

Preparing marketing plan.

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Success Stories

One of the Top 20th in world Bank

Competition for Entrepreneurship and

Innovation

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Success Stories

3 Projects (OASIS 500 )

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Statistics

Total Applications (77)

Accepted (48)

Graduates (20)

In the Market (14)

Currently at ICT Incubator (7)

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Promoting the technical skills

of children and young students

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Competitions

ACM

SCS is the national representative of the ACM

Started in 2006

Four levels : University, National, Regional,

International

Training/couching

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Competitions

IRO

SCS is the national representative of the IRO since

2013

SCS manages robotics clubs established in schools,

universities and some NGOs

Training/couching

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Promoting cloud computing

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Data Center Project

Data Center Overview

• 500 square meter of computer room.

• The largest Tier III data center in the market.

• Modular data center design.

• N+1 technology for all equipment.

• Electrical

•In-Building Utility Substation

•Two power sources from different substations

•Two different delivery paths for power cabling.

•Dedicated redundant Generators

•Redundant Uninterruptible Power Supply Systems (UPS)

• Mechanical

•Redundant CRAC System

•FM200 fire suppression system

Data Center Project

•Security

•Biometric Hand-Geometry Scanners

•Card Key Access

•High Resolution Video Surveillance Throughout with 90-Day Archiving

•Full 24-Hour Building and Facility Access

•Connectivity

•Redundant fiber connectivity to the facility

•Top of the rack technology

•Controls & Monitoring

•On-Site Operations Control Center (NOC-OCC)

•Complete Remote Access for Monitoring

•Temperature & Humidity Monitoring

•Power Monitoring to the Distributed Circuit Level

Cloud Computing

Traditional IT Infrastructure(as a Service)

Platform(as a Service)

Storage

Servers

Networking

Operating System

Middleware

Virtualization

Data

Applications

Runtime

Storage

Servers

Networking

Operating System

Middleware

Virtualization

Data

Applications

Runtime

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Software(as a Service)

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Storage

Servers

Networking

Operating System

Middleware

Virtualization

Applications

Runtime

Data

Thank you !