Dates: 9-10 April 2026

Format: 2 half days + informal dinner


Location:

SURF Utrecht office 

Located in: Offices Hoog Overborch (Hoog Catharijne)

Address: Moreelsepark 48, 3511 EP Utrecht, Netherlands


 

Accommodation/recommended hotels:

  1. Inntel Hotels Utrecht Centre

  2. NH Utrecht

  3. Hampton by Hilton Utrecht

  4. Bunk Hotel Utrecht


REGISTRATION LINK HERE

(both on-site and online participation is possible)


For any questions, please email nadelina.sandu@geant.org

AGENDA (Times in CEST)

9th of April

09:15 - 09:30

Arrival 

9:30 - 09:45

Welcome - Eduard Gil, Managing Director, CSUC

 

Session 1 - Network Operations - Chair Mick O'Donovan
09:45 - 10:15

The EuroHPC Network from the operations point of view, Keith Slater, GÉANT

Now that the EuroHPC tender has been awarded, collaboration between  GÉANT  and the NRENs is crucial. Together, we are responsible for delivering, monitoring, and managing the EuroHPC network. Our operational focus is on ensuring seamless performance, including comprehensive incident management and reporting, to provide reliable access to this critical infrastructure for Europe’s scientific community.

Slides available on request.

10:15 -10:45

Maat, Tomasz Szewczyk, PCSS

Maat is a Source of Truth application that ensures efficient management of infrastructure information in network service orchestration and automation systems. The approach used allows for easy definition of advanced resources and services and the creation of relationships between them. The application offers secure REST API, a nice UI, authentication and authorization features using the well-known open-source Identity and Access Management software Keycloak.

Developed under the GN5-2 project and released under the open Apache v2 license, Maat has already proven its value in production within the Polish PIONIER network, where its adaptability and ease of modelling resources and services have earned the trust of network engineers.

Slides

10:45 - 11:15Coffee break
 Session 2 - Communication Tools and Resilience - Chair: Ivana Golub
11:15 - 11:45

Flash talks

  • The Iberian power outage from the point of view of the Network, Maria Isabel Gandia, CSUC
    This talk will summarize the incidents, points of view, success and horror stories that the massive power outage in the Iberian Peninsula brought in April at Anella Científica, the regional research and education network in Catalonia.

    Slides

  • The GuardXP project: Strengthening cybersecurity through privacy, Pere Barlet, UPC
    GuardXP is a project supported by the RIPE NCC Community Projects Fund 2024. It aims to develop a privacy-enhancing tool to combat web tracking and data exploitation. Unlike traditional blacklist-based solutions, GuardXP uses code analysis to detect and block tracking scripts without compromising website functionality. In this talk, we will share the project’s progress and review the tools currently under development.

    Slides
11:45 - 12:45

Exercise:  Do we only rely on US Cloud tools or do we have a European alternative?, Jonny Lundin, SUNET

12:45 - 13:45 

Lunch

 Session 3 - Resilience Continuation and the NOC - Chair: Jože Hanc
13:45 - 14:00

Recap from session 2 exercise, Jonny Lundin, SUNET

14:00 - 14:30

Flash talks - Configuration Management

  • ASNET-AM NOC Flash Talk, Robert Tadevosyan, ASNET
    Slides
  • GRNET NOC flash talk, Antonis Lioumis, GRNET
    Slides
14:30 - 15:00

Coffee break

 Session 4 - Network Visualization and Data Sharing - Chair: Ivana Golub
15:00 - 15:45

Flash talks

  • Flow data sharing with MetrANOVA, Andrew Lake, ESnet
    MetrANOVA develops and shares open architectures, technical components, design patterns, best practices, and policy recommendations to create effective network measurement systems, looking at flow data visualisation and sharing. The talk will also touch on policy aspects of flow data sharing.
    Slides
  • GREN Map, Gustavo Araujo, RNP
    The idea of sharing research and education networks data in order to create a global map and see their network topology has been around for years. What prerequisites, pros and cons are there around the idea.
    Slides
  • perfSONAR on-demand measurements UI, Ljubomir Hrboka, CARNET
    perfSONAR is the performance Service-Oriented Network monitoring ARchitecture, a network measurement toolkit designed to provide federated coverage of paths and help to establish end-to-end usage expectations. Recently renewed UI for on-demand measurements will be presented and demoed.
    Slides
15:45 - 16:30

Discussion: How much data would you like to see and share?, Ivana Golub, PCSS

Research and education institutions participate in many multi-domain project that require a resilient end-to-end network. But, what happens when there is a problem and we can not see the whole path? Are we willing to share our data? And, if so, up to how many data would we share? Following the example from Metranova, we will see the possibilities we have, examples, etc.

Slides

 

End of Day 1

17:00 - 20:00

Social activity: Cosmocaixa Science Museum

Link to location

20:00

Group dinner: La Tagliatella

Link to location

10th of April

09:00 - 09:15
Welcomes

Session 5 - Network Automation and Orchestration, and Flow Monitoring - Chair: Jonny Lundin

9:15 - 9:45

Inside BSC's network: Connectivity and Marenostrum5, Maria Manco, BSC

The network architecture of the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) must be robust, reliable, and secure, ensuring strong external connectivity and a well-defined security perimeter with advanced firewall protection. This infrastructure supports MareNostrum5, one of Europe’s leading supercomputers, which relies on a high-performance Ethernet network and a low-latency InfiniBand fabric to deliver the scalability and efficiency required for cutting-edge research.

Slides

9:45 - 10:15

Discussion: Flow Monitoring Tools, What do we use?, Joze Hanc, ARNES

Following the discussions in the mailing list, this open debate will focus on the tools we use to visualise raw flows from the network. From open-source to commercial tools, there are dozens of tools out there. What are they pros and they cons? What are we missing?

10:15 - 10:45

WorkFlow Orchestrator in 2025, Mick O'Donovan, HEANET

At the recent community hub sessions at TNC25 it was suggested to have a discussion on WFO and its use within the NREN community. Mick will present some updates on its use in HEAnet 2 years on from starting to use it as well as some updates from the inaugural Workflow Orchestrator Developer Days meet up in GÉANT's offices in Amsterdam in September.

Slides

10:45 - 11:15Coffee break
 Session 6 - More AI for Network Operations, Configuration Management and the NOC - Chair: Maria Isabel Gandía
11:15 - 11:45Reimagining Network Operations: Unified IP-Optical Automation with AIOps, Bruno de Troch, Nokia

The growing complexity of IP and optical infrastructures requires a new operational paradigm.

This session explores the evolution toward autonomous networks, enabled by Artificial Intelligence for Network Operations (AIOps) and advanced automation. AI-driven capabilities are transforming network operations, making processes more efficient, predictive, and resilient.

A key focus is the convergence of IP and optical domains, where unified monitoring and joint operation drive higher efficiency and innovation. Breaking down silos between layers unlocks end-to-end visibility and streamlined management. The result is a strategic shift toward networks that are more intelligent, adaptive, and ready for the future.

Slides

11:45 - 12:45

Flash talks

  • AI within the Security domain, Mick O'Donovan, HEANET, and Maria Isabel Gandia, CSUC
  • Intelligent Networks: The Rise of Generative AI in Network Management, Ivana Golub, PCSS
    Slides
  • RHnet NOC Flash Talk, Ingimar Jónsson, RHnet
    Slides
  • NetBox developments in CESNET,  Ladislav Loub, CESNET
    Slides
12:45 - 13:00 Meeting Evaluation and future topics, volunteers for next host
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch