Archived Press Releases

About Stichting Nlnet Foundation
The non-profit NLnet Foundation was formally started in 1989, but incorporates networking activities that go back as early as 1982. The foundation (in Dutch called "Stichting NLnet" or shortly "NLnet") has played a major role in raising the so-called pan-European "UNIX" Network and the commercial and public Internet network provision in Holland. Some NLnet milestones are: the first Internet backbone in Holland, the first local dial-in and ISDN infrastructure with full country coverage, the definition and implementation of a low cost connectivity structure. The Foundation is currently setting up software projects that support the Internet community and is trying to synchronize its activities with other organizations active in the network field. The activities are focused on providing network technology to the community and on keeping the outcome in the so-called "public domain" (Open Source).

Proposal Guidelines
Proposals should address topics that will benefit the USENIX and NLnet communities, and are best addressed through international exchange.

Proposals will be accepted at any time, and can be submitted to either the USENIX Association or the NLnet Foundation. Proposals should include the following:

1. Description of the research project envisioned and specification of the technology exchange involved. This description should clearly state the goals of the research, how the research relates to other work in the field, and precisely what the scope of the work will be.
2. Relevance of the project to both USENIX and NLnet communities
3. Names, descriptions, and capabilities of the participating research institutes, universities, or other entities, including their areas of expertise and priority research areas
4. Expected results of the project, and how they will be measured
5. Implications of the project for advanced networking computing and future collaboration, including the impact on the participating institutions
6. Project plan including timeline, milestones and deliverables
7. Names, affiliations, roles in project, and qualifications of researchers to be involved in the project.
8. Budget, including the total budget for the project as well as the amount requested from USENIX and/or NLnet Foundation (if other institutions are supporting the project). Please identify any additional funding sources for this project. Allowable costs include travel, housing, daily living expenses, tuition (if applicable), stipend, and equipment. No overhead or indirect costs will be covered.
9. Contact information, including name, mailing address, telephone, fax, and email address

Criteria for Evaluation
Proposals for research exchange will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria:

• Demonstrated international involvement, with evidence that the exchange is the optimal way to achieve the project goals
• Relevance to advancements in network technology
• Type of the research being proposed (applied research is preferred)
• Expected impact on the computer networking community
• Qualifications of the project researchers, including the student's preparedness for the project
• Qualifications of the participating institutes with regard to the proposed project
• Availability of funding
• At least 50% of the exchanges should involve a European research institute or group.
• At least 25% of the exchanges should involve a Dutch research institute or group.

Proposal Submissions
Proposals should be submitted electronically to the rex@usenix.org or rex@nlnet.nl. Proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Generally, funding notifications will be made within six weeks of the date of submission.

Conditions of Funding
Funds provided by USENIX or NLnet must be used exclusively for the proposed project. Regular monthly progress reports, submitted electronically, are required. If necessitated, a representative of the ReX committee may visit one or more of the institutes involved in an exchange to acquire additional information. Within 60 days after the end of the project, a final report should be submitted that includes a full financial accounting of the project. Whenever USENIX funds a proposal, student travel stipends are also pre-approved so that students involved in the project can attend a USENIX conference (or event co-sponsored by USENIX or NLnet, such as NLUUG's SANE conferences) and present the results of the work. However, the student is responsible for submitting the paper to the conference. USENIX conferences provide an excellent opportunity to report on results to the network of professionals, to announce plans, and to arrange committee meetings.

All findings from the funded project must be made freely available to the computing community as a whole. All parties involved in the exchange must agree that the products of the research exchange (such software or manuscripts) will be made freely redistributable, free of charge.

Anytime the work that has been funded through the project is presented or published, the support of USENIX and NLnet must be acknowledged. Additionally, it is requested that the USENIX and NLnet banners be added to the project homepage (if one exists) with a link to both institutions' home pages.

ReX Oversight
A five-person committee comprised of representatives from both USENIX and Stichting NLnet Foundation provides oversight of the ReX Initiative. The role of the committee is to develop guidelines for proposals, solicit, and review all proposals, make funding decisions, and monitor the funded projects. Members of the ReX Steering Committee are: Frances Brazier, Teus Hagen, Evi Nemeth, Peter Honeyman, and Mike O'Dell.

An Advisory Board of known and acknowledged researchers in advanced computing supports the ReX Committee by providing advice and strategy, as well as actively soliciting potential exchanges.

The Initiative receives executive and administrative support from both the USENIX Association and Stichting NLnet Foundation.

The ReX Committee reports at least twice yearly to both the USENIX and the NLnet Foundation Boards of Directors.

For More Information
Please visit our website for more information about the project, or contact the USENIX Association or the NLnet Foundation directly at:

USENIX Association
2560 Ninth Street, Suite 215
Berkeley, CA 94710

Phone: +1 510 528 8649
FAX: +1 510 548 5738
URL: https://www.usenix.org

Stichting NLnet
Koenestraat 92
3958 XH Amerongen