Membership in CARNET Network for Institutions

The Minister of Science makes the Decision on Membership of the Academic Institution in the CARNET Network and Education based on the Decision of the Ministry of Science and Education on the acquisition of the status and rights of the users of CARNET. In order to gain access to the internet via the CARNET network for an institution from the academic community, it is necessary to submit a completed Membership form to the CARNET Network for Academic Institutions in the Ministry in which it is necessary to emphasize:

• general information on the institution (mandatory address of the location for which the connection is required)
• based on which document the institution was established
• what kind of membership in the CARNET network is required (full, associated, temporary)
• why the institution needs to connect to the CARNET network.

All needs to be supported by valid documentation, and the Form is sent to the following address:
Ministry of science and Education
Donje Svetice 38
10000 Zagreb

By way of exception, the CARNET Governing Council may also decide to provide the membership to institutions for which CARNET provides support during the pilot projects.

Upon gaining the status of a member of the CARNET network, the academic community institution is required to enter into a membership agreement with CARNET regulating mutual rights and obligations related to the use of services and resources and appointing its official representatives in CARNET relations:

• CARNET coordinator and
• CARNET system engineer.

The Minister of Science and Education also issues the Decision on membership of the school in the CARNET Network. In order to gain access to the internet via the CARNET network for primary and secondary schools and student dorms it is necessary to submit a completed form for connection to the Ministry to the following address:
Ministry of Science and Education
Donje Svetice 38
10000 Zagreb

Once a school or student dorm receive their member status, a contract with CARNET is signed, which regulates mutual rights and obligations related to the use of services and resources, and the primary and secondary school institution is obliged to appoint its official representatives in relation with CARNET:

• directory administrator and
• resource administrator.

CARNET (Croatian Academic Research Network) is a computer network to which schools, institutes, faculties and other institutions from the science and education system are connected with the promotion of computer technologies and the opportunities they offer in the world of science and education. CARNET operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Science and Education from whose budget it finances.

The right to access the CARNET network can be:

a) at the level of an institution that is a member of CARNET, so the institution joins the CARNET network,

b) on a personal level via wireless internet, cable internet or ADSL for home connection if you are a pupil, student or employee of a member of the CARNET network. A list of available services is available here.

CARNET is a computer network of academic, scientific-research and educational community, and therefore, CARNET’s members are primarily institutions in the science and education system. These are:

• universities and their faculties
• other higher education institutions
• scientific and research institutes
• primary and secondary schools.

It is important to note that membership in the CARNET network is not assigned by CARNET but the Minister of Science and Education based on file Decision of the Ministry of Science and Education.

The application for membership in the CARNET network should therefore be sent to the following address:

Ministry of Science and Education

Donje Svetice 38

10000 Zagreb

To make it easier for users to apply for membership in the CARNET network, CARNET has developed special forms that need to be filled in and verified by the Principal/Dean of the institution and sent to the Ministry. The forms include all the information you need to fill out: Form for joining the CARNET network for primary and secondary schools and students’ dorms Form for joining the CARNET network for institutions in the academic community

It is necessary to emphasize why your institution needs to connect to the CARNET network and to which address you want to connect. After that, you will receive a Decision of the Ministry that will inform you if your request has been approved and what kind of membership your institution has been granted.

A copy of the Decision is also received by CARNET. Exceptionally, a decision on temporary membership may be made by the CARNET Governing Council.

According to the aforementioned Decision, the Minister of Science and Education can assign to your institution one of three membership types in the CARNET network.

Full membership – obtained by legal persons whose core business is financed from the budget of the Republic of Croatia, division of the Ministry of Science and Education (public higher education institutions, scientific and research legal entities and secondary schools). The decision on acquiring the status of a full member is made by the Minister of Science and Education and is acquired for an indefinite period of time.

Associated membership – can be obtained by legal entities that contribute to the functioning of the science and higher education system by their activities and, in the opinion of the Ministry of Science and Education, have the right to such status. The decision on acquiring the status of Associate Member is made by the Minister of Science and Education and is acquired for an indefinite period of time.

Temporary membership – can be obtained by legal entities; especially institutions from the health and culture system, education institutions, state bodies and associations, which grant temporary admission to the CARNET network for certain jobs and activities. The decision on obtaining the status of a temporary member is made by the Minister of Science and Education or the CARNET Governing Council, based on cooperation with the pilot project of the institution, and is acquired for a certain period of time. 

CARNET secures and leases the telecommunication line to full-fledged members required to connect to the CARNET network and assigns them the communication equipment needed to connect to the CARNET network.

Temporary and Associated Members are obliged to finance and acquire communications equipment as well as to lease the TC line needed for connecting, according to the specification specified by CARNET, unless otherwise decided by the decision of the Minister of Science and Education.

Pupils, students and employees of full-fledged and affiliated member institutions have the same rights regardless of the type of membership (see 8.). Temporary members do not have the right to enter the AAI@EduHr system except exceptionally if the Council AAI@EduHr so decides.

• the right to connect to the Internet via the CARNET network whose costs are borne by CARNET
• the right to use the assistance to end-users in the form of a Support Service (Helpdesk)
• the right to use CARNET services, depending on the type of membership and type of institution, the list of services is available here.

By creating an electronic identity in the AAI@EduHr system in the member institution of the CARNET network, CARNET offers to pupils, students and employees of full-fledged and associate members the following services:

• the right to use CARNET services, depending on

A copy of the Decision is also submitted by the Ministry of Science and Education to the CARNET Customer Service, which then contacts the new member and arranges an introductory meeting. At that meeting, the member’s representatives meet the rights and obligations arising from the assignment of CARNET membership status and the procedure for connecting to the CARNET network.

In order to initiate the connection process as soon as possible, it is necessary for the institution to fulfill some administrative and technical requirements. Therefore, the following is to be done as soon as possible:

1. to nominate the persons who shall be in charge of contacting CARNET:

Institutions from the academic community:

• contact person – CARNET coordinator
• person for the technical support contact – CARNET system engineer.

Institutions from the education system:

• Resource administrator
• Directory administrator.

2. To sign a CARNET agreement regulating mutual rights and obligations related to the use of services and resources. The contract is sent by CARNET after the meeting has been held.

3. To meet the minimum technical requirements required to connect to each location that are described in the CDA0018.

Upon receipt of the appointment of the person for contact with CARNET and the notification of the fulfilment of the minimum technical conditions, CARNET initiates the connection procedure of the institution.

Forms for appointing contact persons with CARNET are available to the Pricipal of institutions in the application potpis.carnet.hr when selecting “Forms” on the toolbar or via a direct link:

Appointment form for Directory Administrator
Appointment form for Resource Administrator
Appointment form for e-Class Register administrator

Other forms for appointing persons for contact with CARNET must be certified and signed by the here and they need to be certified and signed by the Dean/Principal of the institution and sent to our address:

Croatian Academic and Research Network – CARNET
Josipa Marohnića 5
10000 Zagreb

Once we have received the appointments, we shall contact the appointed persons to give them further instructions for the work.

The CARNET coordinator is a person for the official contact of CARNET and the member, it is desirable to have the organisational capability to plan and encourage the best application and use of CARNET resources in the member institutions, to organize the use and application of the resources mentioned.

Each institution can have only one appointed CARNET coordinator, regardless of the number of locations where the facility is located.

Once the institution has appointed a new CARNET coordinator, CARNET automatically discharges the duties of the person who previously performed this function.

CARNET coordinator is the person who notifies CARNET of any changes and needs of the institution, including administrative changes, CARNET equipment status reports, referral to CARNET for upgrade of communication equipment or connection.

CARNET Coordinator’s duties include, among other things, informing the users and the management of the CARNET activities, preparing CARNET annual reports, raising awareness of the benefits of information technology in the day-to-day activities of the institution (more actively using IT) and cooperation with the administration and a system engineer with a view to optimizing the use of equipment and achieving quality of service for CARNET users. Coordinators of all institutions actively participate in the work of the Users Board, advisory body of the CARNET CEO.

CARNET system engineer is a person with adequate technical education and experience in working with computer technologies through which CARNET realizes technical contact regarding the computer communication resources CARNET has made available to the member. One of the duties of the system engineers is the maintenance of the CARNET equipment placed at the facility.

Each institution can have only one appointed CARNET system engineer, regardless of the number of locations where the facility is located.

Once the institution has appointed a new CARNET system engineer, automatically discharges the duties of the person who previously performed this function.

The directory administrator is the official school representative who must be a member of staff, appointed by the Principal. The Directory Administrator is a CARNET-related and member-related function, and is not a job. The Administrator is obligated to respect and enforce the decisions and to respect the recommendations made by CARNET regarding the CARNET resources made available to the member.

The Directory Administrator is an administrator in the school in charge of updating the LDAP directory. Directory updating is of utmost importance since the directory is part of a unique authentication and authorization infrastructure (AAI).

It is recommended that the administrator is a school employee who is otherwise responsible for keeping a student register, that is, one of the administrative staff of the school.

At the beginning of each school year, the administrator updates the directory, i.e. adds electronic identities to the new AAI@EduHr students and teaching staff, and users who no longer have student status or school staff that are deleted from the database. In addition to the obligation to update the directory annually, the directory administrator is obliged to update the status of the directory (e.g. arrival/departure of new teaching staff or pupils from/to the school).

The form for appointing a directory administrator can be downloaded here.

The resource administrator is the official representative of the school and must be a member of staff, appointed to this function by the Principal. The resource administrator is obligated to respect and enforce the decisions and to respect the recommendations made by CARNET regarding the CARNET resources made available to the member.

The resource administrator is an IT educated person in charge of allocating resources to end-users and can only allocate the resources that CARNET has provided to his school only to users of his school.

On behalf of the school, he may ask for additional resources towards CARNET and establish technical contacts regarding the computer communication resources CARNET has made available to the member. If a member has a larger number of persons, associates or institutions that take care of the computer communication and information infrastructure of the member, the officially appointed resource administrator is solely the person through whom technical contact between the member and CARNET is realized.

In the name of the Member, he is responsible for the correctness and stability of the resources that CARNET has made available to the Member, as well as for the general technical and security status of the computerized communication system member of the CARNET network.

The resource administrator appointment form can be downloaded here.

Each institution can only have one CARNET coordinator and one CARNET system engineer or one resource administrator and one directory administrator and each new appointment shall automatically revoke the old one. Therefore, no official dismissal is required.

After receiving notification of minimum technical conditions for appointing and receiving appointments for contact persons, CARNET immediately starts negotiating on the manner and possibilities of connection with telecommunications operators. However, the realization itself depends on the CARNET budget and the procurement process. This can be due to the lack of adequate telecommunication infrastructure for connecting the site.

Once the institution meets the minimum technical requirements stipulated in the CDA0018 and is thus ready to join the CARNET network, it is not necessary to send a memo to CARNET, but it is enough to inform the Helpdesk at helpdesk@carnet.hr via e-mail.

Regardless of the membership type, CARNET members have the right to connect an unlimited number of additional locations into the CARNET network. The decision to include an additional location in the plans for joining the CARNET network is made by the Minister of Science and Education individually for each additional location.

The decision to include an additional site in the plans for joining the CARNET network is made by the Minister of Science and Education.

To request additional locations from the Ministry to connect, fill out the form and send it to the address indicated in the form. In the case of relocation from one site to another, it is necessary to indicate from which location the institution is moving in order to relocate the leased lines of the operator and state the address/location for which the connection is required.

Form for connecting/disconnecting additional locations for academic institutions.

Form for connecting/disconnecting additional locations for institutions from the education system.

A copy of the Decision shall also be obtained by the CARNET Customer Service which shall inform member representatives of the conditions to be met to begin the process of joining as soon as possible (CDA0018). The procedure is the same as for connecting the base location – when the CARNET coordinator via e-mail helpdesk@carnet.hr informs CARNET that the conditions are met and the connection process shall begin.

If a member of the CARNET network moves to another location, it has to apply for a change of location to the Ministry of Science and Education at the following address:

Ministry of Science and Education

Donje Svetice 38

10000 Zagreb

The application is submitted by filling in:

Form for relocation for the academic community

or

Form for relocation of a school or a student dorm

Once both the institution and CARNET receive the Ministry’s decision, the procedure is the same as for connecting the base location.

CARNET does not assign its computer equipment to its members.

Both the institution and CARNET are obliged to fulfil the provisions of the signed contract which ensures the highest quality of cooperation. This implies, among other things, that each CARNET member institution should:

• provide the right to use the CARNET resources and enable the continuous opening of the electronic identity in the AAI@EduHr
• regularly inform all its users (employees, pupils, students) about the CARNET services and policies
• enable the promotion and presentation of CARNET activities and activities at the institution
• prevent the use of CARNET services to endanger other systems on the Internet
• establish and maintain www and directory service
• publish and update information on the activity of the institution and prevent the use of information services from third-party institutions
• notify CARNET of any technical upgrades of existing local computer infrastructure that provide additional access to the resources CARNET offers to members
• the academic community institution needs to have an updated DNS server for the institution, the (LDAP) server, and the RADIUS server
• have antivirus protection for outgoing e-mail
• the institution must not indirectly or directly charge access to and use of the CARNET resources and may not permit the use of information services of an institution for commercial purposes.

The annual reports are a survey conducted by the Customer Service to track customer satisfaction and the ability to introduce new technologies and services to the CARNET network. According to the agreement between CARNET and member institutions, the Annual Reports are

prepared by CARNET coordinators and resource administrators. Based on the report, CARNET and the Ministry are trying to improve their services, monitor the need for the use of certain technologies and the utilization of the allocated resources.

CARNET member status ceases in one of the following ways:

• by the decision of the Minister of Science and Education if a member fails to comply with some of the terms based on which it was granted the status of a CARNET member
• by the expiration of the time period in which the member was granted status (for temporary members)
• if the institution does not meet the requirement or violates the terms of the mutual agreement between the member and CARNET
• by decision of the CARNET Governing Council (for temporary members who have acquired status by decision of the Governing Council).

In the event of a problem with the connection to the CARNET network, you should contact the Helpdesk by e-mail at helpdesk@carnet.hr or by phone +385 1 6661 555.

In case of additional questions, please contact the Helpdesk at e-mail helpdesk@carnet.hr or by phone +385 1 6661 555.