TNC2010 in Vilnius - Wednesday 2/6-2010

Pictures from the other days

This morning, we start by going into the brain at a microscopic level, ...

...guided by Professor Mark Ellisman from National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research (NCMIR) in the USA.

The emergence of automated dissection and scanning microscopes makes it possible to create very large 3D models of specimens like a brain, and this can then be traced and modeled, using immense amounts of storage and network capacity in the process.

He made the intro to the film "Fight Club" which was also shown, where we are taken on a tour from the smallest neuron to the hair roots


Next, Chad J. Kainz, who is doing network projects in the University of Chicago, ...

and he said that the best thing we could do to serve the researchers, was to get out of their way and let them communicate just like they want



A the end of the session, we had an advertisement that you could use IPv6 at the conference venue. This is good, but the trouble is that as long as IPv4 is working (and it has been since the first day), there is no great incentive to convert to IPv6.

I chose a session on virtual networks, chaired by Bartosz Belter from PSNC.

For some reason you tend to prefer the presentations of projects that you are part of yourself. And therefor, I wanted to hear Eduard Grasa tell about Manticore.


If you look at the flags, you can see that NORDUNet is no longer nordic - it is Danish!

Reza Nejabati from University of Essex, who presented the results of what is known to the insiders as GN3-JRA1-T4,

about virtual networking in GEANT.

If you look at this slide out of context, it could seem that GEANT has ambitions to take over Japan.


Last speaker in the session, Sergi Figuerola

My next session had the promising title "Future Networks" and was chaired by Jacqueline Brown.




Lars Fischer from NORDUnet is sending a prayer

and making the very interesting point that although GEANT is a federation, the GEANT network is not a federated network.

Tony Breach, also from NORDUnet,

who has a slide with commendably few words,

but also features the more traditional kind of slides in this good talk about where optical networks are heading and capabilities are merging with the routed/switched world.


Last session this day, about Networking services, was hosted by Otto Kreiter from DANTE

Ann Harding from SWITCH presented the GEANT services on top of the basic network



Operating and trouble-shooting a high-performance network such as ESnet can be quite a challenge.

Brian Tierney from ESnet told us about that.

One of tools they developed for that, is a 10Gbps bandwidth tester. I want one, too!

Next, Domenico Vicinanza from DANTE.





Even long after the sessions are closed, people are still at the venue - probably due to the fact that the network connection here is better than anywhere else in the vicinity.

A quick beer before we go to the gala evening.

Transport to the gala evening took place in a large number of buses

The buses had problems taking off, due to a very badly placed litte car

A few words from a guide

On the way to the restaurant, we passed several landmarks in the city. Here, it is Saint Anne's Church

The gala evening took place at the Belmontas restaurant which is beautifully situated in the forest.

People at the conference: Ann Doyle from Internet2, Robert Ferret and Sabine Jaume-Rajaonia from Renater.

Here, even I am in the picture

While waiting outside the Belmontas restaurant we were served various kinds of local liquor...

...and entertained by local folk music and folk dancing


People at my table: Harri Kuusisto and Janne Niemi from CSC/Funet.





A rich selection of hot starters

More entertainment...

...with traditional instruments. Here, it is a kind of xylophone, ...

and what appears to be a folk clarinet.

Filled with lots of nice food and lots of nice impressions, after another very good day at the conference, we go home on the bus.

Martin Bech, UNI-C, martin.bech@uni-c.dk