All documents of this Web server are in Russian. See URL:http://www.free.net/index.htm
FREEnet
General Overview
FREEnet (the network For Research, Education, and Engineering), a corporate noncommercial computer network, connects the academic and research computer networks of the Russian Academy of Sciences research institutes, universities, higher education institutions and other scientific, educational, and research organizations.
History
FREEnet was established on 20 June 1991 by N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry (ZIOC) of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) with the Network Operation Center at Computer Assistance to Chemical Research of RAS. In nineties, when research and educational community in fSU countries lacked the Internet services, FREEnet has developed infrastructure integrated 15 Russian regional RENs as well as some NRENs abroad. The total number of universities and research institution using FREEnet services at those time overcome 350. Later, in accordance with both academic community changing needs, and with general trends of Russian research and educational networking, FREEnet concentrated mostly on providing network infrastructure and advanced services, which users need especially for their research projects, rather than providing just basic Internet services.
FREEnet participated in numerous national and international projects, including those supported by the Ministry of Sciences, Russian Foundation for Basic Research, etc.
Services
Currently, FREEnet provides the following services to its users: