Slovenian Education Network

Vladimir Batagelj, Andrej Brodnik, Matija Lokar
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Laboratory of Education, Jadranska 19, 61111 Ljubljana, Slovenia
http://www.educa.fmf.uni-lj.si/ro/izomre/novice/network.htm
(Ta sestavek obstaja tudi v sloven{~ini.)

Motivation

In 1994, the Slovenian government started a six years project RO -- Ra~unalni{ko opismenjevanje (Information Technology in Slovenian Schools). It should contribute toward problem oriented, more efficient and more friendly school.

The following factors were identified as crucial for the success of the project:

Internet offers a lot - the whole world; that is too much. The problem is to find the desired information. The answer is known - organization.
We expect that a number of schools will in the following years establish their own servers and offer through them their own educational materials. Besides, there will be established servers at individual faculties and other institutions connected with the educational process (museums, galleries, institutes, ...).
In October 1995 we decided to start organizing Slovensko izobra`evalno omre`je (Slovenian Education Network), that should provide access to individual servers and material offered through them.
Schoolnet/Canada is an example of a similar network.


Principles

Organizing the Network we have to consider the following principles:

Benefits


Architecture

Slovenian School network is built on top of ARNES (Academic and Research Network of Slovenia).

Network consists of three levels:

Upper Level - Ring of Entry Servers
consists of a small number of entry servers that have knowledge about the structure of the Network and direct the user to the proper server/material. All entry servers are equivalent - they provide the same information about the Network. This ensures:
Lower Level - Information Providers
consists of ordinary servers that actually provide the information. For some time some information providers will be hosted at other organization's servers.
User Level
consists of schools with the Internet access.

Entry Servers

  1. Entry servers are appointed by the RO Program Committee.
  2. Duties of entry servers are:
  3. All entry servers have the same structure of information about the Network - system services:
  4. Entry servers may offer their own information as ordinary servers.
  5. If certain entry server is not fulfilling its duties it loses its status.

Services of Entry Servers


Ordinary Servers

  1. To become a member of the Network, an ordinary server applies to the maintainer of the List of ordinary servers. The application contains: See the proposal of the application form.
  2. On the entry page of the ordinary server has to appear the emblem of the Slovenian Education Network and the connection to the closest entry server. Somewhere on the server also has to appear the list of all entry servers.
  3. Responsibilities of ordinary servers are:

Some Problems and Solutions


Acknowledgments

In the design of the Slovenian Education Network also participated: M. Bona~, J. ^a~, S. Divjak, T. Dolenc, and T. Skulj.
Jan 16, 1996 / Jan 15, 1996; V.B. and A.B.