PRESS RELEASE

September 21-25, 1998. 1st Workshop "Internet-Russia 98" was held in Dubna, Moscow region. "Demos-Internet" (Moscow) and "Contact Co" (Dubna) were initiators of the workshop. MCIWorldCom, Cisco systems, Hewlett Packard, Newbridge and Sonera Rus took part in organization of the workshop and participated in it.

Task of the workshop was to discuss status, problems and development prospects of Internet, to represent companies on the market of Internet, to get closer with partner companies in regions and to talk about their success, tasks and problems.

About 40 companies took part in the workshop. Among them were representatives of western companies, such as "Telia", the big telecommunication company in Sweden, representatives from Moscow and regional Internet Service Providers, scientific organizations, suppliers of informational services in Internet, representatives of Internet providers in ex-USSR: Byelorussia, Moldavia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. Many of them productively cooperate with "Demos-Internet" in communication services and provide equipment to develop Internet-Russia network infrastructure.

Unfortunately, representatives from the eastern part of Russia from Vladivostok, Khabarovsk and Ukhta could not come because of financial crisis.

Nevertheless, we consider that Internet-Russia network was represented quite completely.

Program was scheduled according to the tasks. Workshop was held during 4 days. The 1^st day was devoted to discussion of the state and development prospects of Internet-Russia network. Viktor Kutukov, "Demos-Internet" general director, reported on the theme. Internet-Russia network includes more than 50 nodes in 46 towns and provides Internet services to 70-100 thousand users. Internet-Russia network develops actively: number of users and nodes is growing constantly. According to statistics number of users increased twice in comparison to previous year.

Nick Delregno, MCIWorldCom, reported on the business structure of this big telecommunication company in the USA. Andrey Zuzin, Cisco Systems, reported on the Cisco equipment market in the world, Sonera Rus gave some suggestions for Russian ISPs. Hewlett Packard represented HP Open View for network monitoring in administration of ISP services. Vladimir Osipenko, Newbridge, told about CSI architecture for Internet.

The day was finished by reports of representatives of such well-known Russian organizations as RANS and ROSNIIROS, which regulate mutual relations between providers and state bodies.

Other days were devoted to development of Internet service: development of the Internet-Russia channel structure, development of new technologies of Internet access, including asymmetric technologies, expansion of information services, "CyberPlat" the 1^st Russian pay system. Reports of RSCC and Eutelsat were devoted to Internet commercial communication channels.

Initiators of the Workshop showed the participants the technical state of Internet-Russia network, its development prospects, existing and future informational services, projects "DEMOS-ONLINE", "DEMOS BILLING SYSTEM", IP-addresses database of large-scale enterprise.

The developers of the largest operational projects such as "DEMOS-ONLINE", "DEMOS BILLING SYSTEM", IP-addresses database of large-scale enterprises made their reports on these topics.

Reports of Yurii Korzh, "Global Ukraine" general director, and Vladimir Ivashkevich, commercial director of the Byelorussian company "Solo", on the state of Internet service in their countries were of great interest.

Participants of IntRus 98 visited Dubna RSCC Space Station, where they saw equipment for administration of space stations, via which remote Russian regions have Internet access. These are "IP-SpaceLink" program and the 1^st "Eutelsat" station in Russia.

RESULTS OF THE WORKSHOP

Demand for Internet services grows independent of the unstable economical situation in Russia. Internet has very good commercial perspectives.

Foreign commercial firms consider Russian Internet market promising and ready to cooperate.

Future of Internet in Russia is in development of new access technologies and services.

In order to cultivate cooperation and understanding of the common tasks of Russian Internet it is necessary to meet regularly.

All the participants agreed to make this workshop annual and to exaggerate number of participants.

Workshop was held in the International Conference Hall of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, where IP-telephones to Moscow and computers with Internet network access via 2Mb channel were installed.

Internet of the workshop was homelike.

Friendly atmosphere of Internet-Russia 98 is a good result of it.

info@intrus.ru	Design by Contact	Dubna