terena nordunet networking conference 1999 lund norman wiseman jisc head of programmes...
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TERENA NORDUnet
Networking Conference 1999
Lund
Norman Wiseman
JISC Head of Programmes
JISC Programme for Middleware JISC Programme for Middleware Development Development
Joint Information Systems Committee
Programme
• The JISC: a thumbnail sketch
• Middleware: what it is and why it is important
• What JISC is doing and an update on current projects
• Next steps
Joint Information Systems Committee
• JISC is the Joint Information Systems Committee
• JISC receives funding from all of the UK higher
education funding bodies
• JISC provides network and other infrastructure
services to 1.5 million students and 200,000 staff
in UK higher education
• Advises funding bodies and institutions on
innovative uses for information servicesJoint Information Systems Committee
Background
Joint Information Systems Committee
Joint Information Systems Committee
Structure Budget
(Euro)
32m
12m
5m
3m
Network
Content, Resources,
Services
Development Programme
Human Issues and Advice
What is Middleware?
• An infrastructure layer that enables users to take advantage of the opportunities that powerful networks offer
• “Those things that network people don’t want to do and applications writers can’t”
• “The GLUE Factory”
Joint Information Systems Committee
What is Middleware?
Learning Research Business
Joint Information Systems Committee
Core Layer Security Quality of Service
Network ManagementNetwork Layer IPv6
Network
MIDDLEWAREMIDDLEWARE
Why have Middleware?
• Drivers– collaboration across the sector– distance learning, residential learning– sharing of information– security and trust
• Scalability• Interoperability• Improving Accessibility
Joint Information Systems Committee
Middleware for Education
Joint Information Systems Committee
• Special Needs of Higher Education– Mobility – Multiple roles for individuals– Non-monetary economics – Small market niches - remote instruments
digital libraries
• HE is a pre-market
JISC Middleware Activities
Joint Information Systems Committee
• Distributed National Electronic Resource Metadata, Z39.50, searching
• Interoperability, IMS partner
• Information Strategies and Information Security Strategies
• Network management ,monitoring, QoS- UKERNA and Technical Advisory Unit
- mirrors and caching service
JISC Middleware Activities
Joint Information Systems Committee
• Security
Studies, reports, smartcards
• Access Management
Identified need
Development Project
Pilot Service
Access Management: drivers
Growth in use of electronic services
• Simplify administration / increase efficiency
Protection of rights:
• Suppliers
• Intermediaries & Customers
Development of new markets:
• Lifelong learning and distance learners
• Government initiatives - UFI, NGFLJoint Information Systems Committee
Strategy
• Pragmatic
• Flexible
• Quick
• Short term
Develop existing product - ATHENSATHENSDevelopment work done by NISS, a JISC Service
Started April 1997, launched November 1997
Joint Information Systems Committee
ATHENS:
An access management service controlling access to distributed resources on a network
• Single, unique userid and password for all services• WWW, Telnet and Other resources • Resilient• Scaleable• Free to HE• Recommended for all JISC Services & Projects
Joint Information Systems Committee
ATHENS Service Statistics
• No. of DSP : 12
• No. of registered resources : 75
• No. of sites : 237
• Total administrators : 1,300
• Total accounts : 400,000
• Number of daily accesses : 40,000
• Peak Load : 10/second
Joint Information Systems Committee
The Lessons Learned So Far
Technology - important, difficult, expensive, must be open,
commercial solutions likely
People - equally important,
probably even more difficult!
Simplicity - essential
Trust - licensing and copyright, privacy
Joint Information Systems Committee
More Lessons Learned
Flexibility- link local, national and international systems
Awareness - information service providers,users and management
Management- resources,
cultureNew Demands -more services
more statisticsmore features
Joint Information Systems Committee
UK: Next Steps
Joint Information Systems Committee
• Middleware will be a major JISC activity
• JISC brings:– funding– experience and testbed– link all layers from network to human issues– relationship with vendors– mobilise skills in UK community
• Partnerships– Internet2 and UKERNA, Europe?
More Information
Joint Information Systems Committee
Web:
www.jisc.ac.uk
ATHENS
www.athens.ac.uk, and in DLIB
email: [email protected]