1. Scope and services

The Greek Research and Technology Network (GRNET) is the national Public Academic and Research Network. GRNET provides advanced and high-quality services, interconnection, networking and internet access to Public Universities and Educational Institutions (Universities and Technological Educational Institutes), Research Organizations and other entities (hereinafter referred to as “the GRNET entities”). It is a non-commercial (non-profit), national, public backbone network, with points of presence in major Greek cities, where the GRNET entities are located.

The term “non-commercial” means that the provision of GRNET services is not subject to the rules of commercial activity and of “the Market” in a broader sense of the word but it is aimed to:

• the advancement of education, research and technology;
• the use of GRNET services by the aforementioned entities for research and/or educational purposes;

GRNET activities provide the necessary funds for the deployment, maintenance and operation of the networks and services, as well as future upgrades. Such services to the GRNET entities would include, inter alia:

• Internet Access (IPv4 and IPv6): Interconnection and backbone network optimization services (routing) with all Greek and international IP networks, without any restrictions and for all current or future legal services, as they deem fit and appropriate, without GRNET having any knowledge or assuming any responsibility or liability for the content of the transmitted information.
• Guaranteed quality of service – QoS according to the requirements of the GRNET entities, the capabilities of the backbone network and the interconnected entities, as well as according to the services provided by the European Research Network, GEANT;
• Application services (server management, email backup, e-news, streaming services, DNS service, NTP)
• IΤ Support Services – Directory Services, Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Services, Authentication and authorization Infrastructure (AAI) Services, as well as collaboration web tools for their management
• Information services, helpdesk services, small business support, ticketing services, computer security emergency response services (CERT, CSIRT)
• Multicast service
• Voice transmission service, VoiP telephony (in cooperation with GUnet), MCU teleconferencing, high-resolution video and audio conferencing services and streaming service (RTS) of any format
• Bandwidth-On-Demand services, switched circuits service via DWDM or SDH for entities that connect to GRNET-3’s DWDM to and from other GRNET entities as well as to and from neighboring networks such as GEANT and Internet2.

Within the scope of its objectives, GRNET accepts to operate as a platform for applying new or experimental technologies, under the condition that the   provision of its basic “production” services is not affected.

2. Connected networks

A. GRNET connects networks that belongs to the GRNET entities:

• the public Universities and Technological Institutes
• the schools of primary and secondary education through the Greek School Network.
• the Research Institutions, as well as Public Sector Organizations and Centers, whether supervised or not, by the General Secretariat for Research and Technology;
• certain Ministries and Public Organizations directly related to the above, such as the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Economy and Development and the Greek Parliament.

B. GRNET reserves the right to provide/accept limited services to/from other networks, insofar the provision of such services does not violate GRNET’s non-commercial nature and directly benefits the connected networks. In that sense:

• It provides internet connectivity services to the broader Greek Internet community, by installing and maintaining Internet Exchangenodes;
• It provides limited interconnection to R & D departments or to training departments of other entities;
• It receives limited interconnection from content and services providers that are relevant to the Greek academic-research community. This can be implemented in the manner deemed to be the most fit and appropriate, either through an Internet Exchange node or through a GRNET entity.

In the event of breach of any of the above fundamental rules, GRNET is entitled, upon giving an appropriate formal notice, to suspend the connection of the defaulting network until it remedies.

3. GRNET terms of use

1. To establish a connection, each GRNET entity accepts the installation of an access switch at its central node, where the access fiber (or any other connection) originating from the nearest GRNET network node, ends up. The responsibility for the management of the access switch pertains to the distributed network management center of GRNET in cooperation with the respective center or the manager in charge of the entity concerned.
2. Users of GRNET services must comply with any written and unwritten – customary rules governing the use of Internet (e.g. netiquette), including  telecommunications and IP networks in general. Thus, it is not allowed to use GRNET as a means for doing, inter alia,  any of the following  :

• Any attempt to breach (successfully or not) the security of computer systems pertaining to GRNET, any connected entities-networks thereof – and/or any third party networks – whether such effort is associated or not with  loss of data;
• Any attempt to violate (successfully or not) any user’s privacy through GRNET;
• Any denial of service attack (successful or not) aimed at GRNET, any of the connected entities-networks thereof as well as  any third party  networks;
• Overloading and misusing GRNET computing and network resources or any other networks;
• Sending bulk e-mails without pertinent request from such e-mail recipients (spam);
• Any use of network resources and computing systems that could pose a threat to the country’s national security and relationships with third countries.
• Any use of network resources and computer systems for illegal activities.
• Any use of network resources targeted to the infringement (by way of producing, publishing or distributing material) of copyright holders’ rights.

3. The academic-research, non-commercial nature of GRNET means that it may provide free services for the benefit mainly of the Greek Academic-Research community and as a result of the entire Internet. At the same time, it means that:

• the transmission through GRNET of any information, the sender and the recipient whereof are both commercial entities or networks which do not belong to the aforementioned or to any to any foreign counterparts thereof, is not allowed.
• the conduct of any commercial activities through GRNET is not allowed. Such activities would include the sale of goods or services, the sub-leasing of capacity and the advertising from connected networks or any third parties. Such restriction does not apply to the online purchase of goods by users of the GRNET connected networks.
• GRNET may not be used for purposes other than research and educational, as mentioned above.

In case of non-compliance with the above, GRNET is entitled, upon an appropriate formal notice, to suspend the connection of the GRNET infringing entity until it complies.

The GRNET connected entities are required to put in place their own internal, acceptable use policies  in line with GRNET.

4. Limitation of Liability – Force Majeure:

In the event of “force majeure” which shall include any incidents clearly and evidently beyond the control and responsibility of GRNET SA, the latter shall bear no liability to pay any damages for failing to provide advanced and high quality networking services and internet access to GRNET entities. Moreover, a failure to perform any obligation to provide such services during such suspension, shall not give rise to any entitlements or claims in favor of, or against such entities or any individual GRNET users.

Without exception, all the terms of the present  GRNET  rules of use  and any relations resulting therefrom, shall be governed by the applicable laws of the state, and any disputes  arising therefrom shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the  competent courts of Athens.