LANET - Latvian Academic Network has been created to provide Latvian academic society - teachers, professors, scientists, students, etc. - with an opportunity to access INTERNET. After breakdown of Soviet Union, western nations granted significant help for creation of LANET. LANET was first conceived in 1992 on the initiative of the German Federal Republic and IBM. The German government donated 800,000 DM for development of the net. This amount was provided for the purchase of hardware and software, as well as for the training of specialists. With help of these funds, a group of specialists was created that was responsible for development of LANET, necessary hardware for LANET was purchased, FDDI optical connection was established that connected University of Latvia (UL) and Riga's Technical University (RTU), leased line connections were financed, etc.

In 1992, IBM donated an IBM 4381 and software to UL and RTU. IBM also funded the training of Latvian specialists, technical personnel and system programmers. All of this gave an opportunity to use about 200 terminals in different places of Riga with a possibility to access INTERNET.

The ISF donated $200,000 for the further development of LANET. This money was used for the acquisition of equipment and software, user education, course development, "hot-line" service, etc. With the funds of ISF, the most important acquisition for LANET was made - in LANET node IBM 4381 was substituted with more sophisticated and up-to-date technology IBM RISC/6000 models G30 and E20 with software. IBM gave LANET special discounts for acquisition of technology.

LANET main node at Aspazijas 5
LANET IP network curent standing
LANET Fiber Network Future

Harijs Bondars
Head of Department of CS University of Latvia
LANET centre
University of Latvia
Raina b. 19.
Riga, Latvia
Phone (371) 7210127, Fax (371) 7222620

Janis Pinkis
Head of Laboratory
LANET centre
University of Latvia
Raina b. 19.
Riga, Latvia
Phone (371) 7211003, Fax (371) 7222620