Lighting the Blue Touchpaper for UK e-Science - Closing Conference of ESLEA Project

ESLEA, an EPSRC-funded project, aims to demonstrate the potential benefits of circuit-switched optical networks (lightpaths) to the UK e-Science community. This is being achieved by running a number of “proof of benefit” pilot applications over UKLight, the UK’s first national optical research network. UKLight provides a new way for researchers to obtain dedicated "lightpaths" between remote sites and to deploy and test novel networking methods and technologies. It facilitates collaboration on global projects by providing a point of access to the fast growing international optical R&D infrastructure.

A diverse range of data-intensive fields of academic endeavour are participating in the ESLEA project; all these groups require the integration of high-bandwidth switched lightpath circuits into their experimental and analysis infrastructure for international transport of high-volume applications data. In addition, network protocol research and development of circuit reservation mechanisms has been carried out to help the pilot applications to exploit the UKLight infrastructure effectively. Further information about ESLEA can be viewed at www.eslea.uklight.ac.uk.

ESLEA activities are now coming to an end and work will finish from February to July 2007, depending upon the terms of funding of each pilot application. The first quarter of 2007 is considered the optimum time to hold a closing conference for the project. The objectives of the conference are to:

1. Provide a forum for the dissemination of research findings and learning experiences from the ESLEA project.
2. Enable colleagues from the UK and international e-Science communities to present, discuss and learn about the latest developments in networking technology.
3. Raise awareness about the deployment of the UKLight infrastructure and its relationship to SuperJANET 5.
4. Identify potential uses of UKLight by existing or future research projects

The deliverables of the conference will be electronic and printed conference proceedings.

Editorial Board
Peter Clarke, Clive Davenhall, Colin Greenwood (chairman), Matthew Strong

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