Through this interview the leader of the Canadian advanced network (CANARIE), shares with us his visions on the role of research and education networks and the importance of global collaboration.

What comes to your mind when you hear that a researcher is talking about collaboration?
Almost all researchers are collaborating, regardless of their field of research. The questions that we ask these researchers are designed to uncover what kind of digital infrastructure they will need for their collaboration. In particular, do they have any extraordinary needs for data transfer, compute or storage.

What would you identify as the main importance of research and education networks?
R&E networks underpin the increasingly collaborative and digitally-driven research undertaken by university and government researchers around the world. Our R&E networks facilitate this research in the same way that roads facilitate transportation. Done properly, R&E networks increase the impact of research funding in all disciplines.

How would you describe the role of CANARIE at both a regional and a global level?
Like all NRENs, CANARIE focuses inward and outward. Within Canada we work closely with the research and education community to ensure that we are delivering digital infrastructure that meets our community’s growing needs. This includes high performance networking, cloud computing, software platforms, cloud services and more. Globally we work closely with the rest of the NREN community to ensure international connectivity and to drive innovation.

How important for CANARIE is collaboration with other regional networks and in what ways do you collaborate at a global level?
Collaboration international is a key element of our strategy as Canada’s national NREN. We work with other NRENs on policy initiatives, technology development, bandwidth acquisition and more. The NREN community is tight-knit and inclusive. CANARIE would not enjoy the success it has seen without the close working relationships with the global NREN community.

How do you think global collaboration among regional networks will change in the coming years?
Collaboration has always been important among the NREN community. International collaborative research projects are growing in scope. Big science increasingly is becoming global rather than local in its focus. Examples include the LHC and SKA. Moreover, most jurisdictions are coping with fiscal challenges. All these factors point to a need for even closer collaboration among the global NREN community.

Could you describe your vision of R&E networks in the future?
We will continue to push the envelope of what is possible both in terms of bandwidth but also in terms of the underlying technology. NRENs will also provide increasingly sophisticated services that leverage the networks. Cloud computing will continue to grow in importance. In Canada, CANARIE will also continue to use its position to stimulate growth in the technology sector.