The presidents of the NREN of Guatemala, El Salvador and Costa Rica, met with representatives of the IDB and RedIris, Spain, to begin to outline how they will push for a new project: the Alliance Regional Advanced Network of Central America (ARRANCA).

In the context of the ARRANCA project, funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the highest authorities of the Central American NRENs connected to RedCLARA met yesterday in San Salvador, El Salvador, with the aim of defining the first join that will lead to more strongly promote advanced networks in the region.

Dr. Rafael Ibarra, president of the Advanced Network Research and Education Science El Salvador (RAICES), Dr. Luis Furlan, president of the Guatemalan Advanced Network Research and Education (RAGIE) and Dr. Alvaro de la Ossa, who chairs the National Collaboratory for Advanced Computing Costa Rica (CNCA-CeNAT), met with representatives of the IDB and the deputy director of RedIris, Alberto Perez, to discuss the current status of advanced networks in the region, the challenges of the NREN and ways to harness the resources of the project starts.

Perez shared the experience of RedIris and urged executives of the NREN to promote advanced networks with their respective governments so that they become a priority country and not in a titanic effort of some pioneers.

RedIris deputy director explained the model of financing the Spanish NREN, and the various services offered to users, going beyond just providing infrastructure.

At the end of the day, the presidents of the NREN and representatives of the IDB agreed on steps to follow during 2011 with the ARRANCA project, among which the recruitment of staff to support network and making a diagnosis to measure important indicators such as the current demand and the projection of this.