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Delivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe (DANTE) was a not-for-profit company that planned, buits and operated consecutive generations of the backbone network that interconnects the national research and education networks (NRENs) in Europe. The organisation was based in Cambridge, United Kingdom and was formed in 1993 as a limited liability company owned by Réseaux Associés pour la Recherche Européenne (RARE). Ownership was transferred to a number of NRENs and government agencies in 1994.

Key Information

DANTE Ltd. currently operates the third generation of the GÉANT pan-European backbone network, and previously operated the earlier-generation EuropaNET, TEN-34, TEN-155, GÉANT and GÉANT2 networks.

History

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At a first European research networking workshop, held in Luxembourg in May 1985, the NRENs decided to create the RARE association as their joint European organisation.[1] The first few years were dominated by the Co-operation for Open Systems Interconnection Networking in Europe (COSINE) project (1985-1993).[2] RARE was tasked with he execution of the project and created a COSINE Project Management Unit (CPMU) within its secretariat to manage the various sub-projects. One of the sub-projects of COSINE aimed to create a backbone network interconnecting the national research networks of the participating countries. The first two generations of the European backbone were developed as part of COSINE: IXI (International X.25 Infrastructure Backbone Service) and EMPB (European Multi-Protocol Backbone).

By 1991, consensus was growing that it would make sense to split off RARE's Operational Unit from the association.[3] In May 1991 RARE created a task force to examine the possibility of creating a new entity to take responsibility for the provision of pan-European backbone services; the task force's proposals were accepted by the RARE membership in December 1991.[4] After a comparison of alternatives it was decided to found the Operational Unit as a company limited by shares under English law with its headquarters in Cambridge.[5] The company was incorporated on 30 March 1993 as Operational Unit Ltd. and changed its name to DANTE Ltd. on 2 July 1993.[6] The organisation was launched at an event at St John's College, Cambridge on 6 July 1993.[7] Initially, all shares were owned by RARE, but on 25 March 1994 RARE transferred its shares to eleven NRENs and government agencies.[8][9] On 20 October 1994 RARE changed its name to TERENA.[10][11]

The original eleven shareholders were Ariadnet (Greece), ARNES (Slovenia), INFN (Italy), DFN (Germany), FCCN (Portugal), HEFCE (United Kingdom), HUNGARNET (Hungary), NORDUnet (Nordic countries), RedIRIS (Spain), SURFnet (Netherlands) and SWITCH (Switzerland). Later INFN and RedIRIS transferred their shares to GARR and CSIC, respectively. Other NRENs were given the opportunity to buy shares later; this offer was taken up by RENATER (France) and CESNET (Czech Republic) in 1999, by HEAnet (Ireland) in 2000 and by RESTENA (Luxembourg) in 2002, bringing the total number of shareholders to fifteen.[9]

Generations of the European backbone

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IXI and EMPB were the first two generations of the backbone network interconnecting the national research networks in Europe, known today as GÉANT.[12] The consecutive generations can be characterised as follows.[13]

  • IXI (International X.25 Infrastructure Backbone Service) 1990-1992. IXI was funded by a large number of national governments and the European Commission through the EUREKA project COSINE. IXI started as an X.25-based network with access capacities of 64 kbit/s in 14 countries. However, the switches were already equipped with 2 Mbit/s access ports and the first of these was brought into service before the end of 1992. In the first months of 1993, a new IP pilot service supported the carriage of IP packets by X.25. The first native IP port was installed in the second quarter of 1993. By this time, the name IXI had clearly become inappropriate and the network was renamed EMPB.
  • EMPB (European Multi-Protocol Backbone) 1992-1995. During the 37 months of operation several upgrades were made to the initial configuration. Four Central European countries joined the network. Research networks upgraded their access capacity to 2 Mbit/s, trunk circuits on the busiest routes were upgraded to 8 Mbit/s, and 4 Mbit/s access ports were made available and became operational.
  • EuropaNet 1995-1997. This was the first network managed by DANTE, using British Telecom's International Backbone Data Network Service (IBDNS) as the carrier. Access ports were available in capacities from 64 kbit/s to 8 Mbit/s for the IP service and 64 or 128 kbit/s for X.25. In July 1996 the EuropaNet IP service was moved from IBDNS to the new Integrated Network Connection Service (INCS) and remained there until March 1998 when the last NRENs moved their traffic to the new TEN-34 backbone.
  • TEN-34 1997-1998. The backbone network was co-funded by the European Union through a project in the EU's Fourth Framework Programme (February 1996 - December 1998).[14] TEN-34 offered speeds of 34 Mbit/s using both IP and ATM.
  • TEN-155 1998-2001. TEN-155 was co-funded by the European Union through a project in the EU's Fourth Framework Programme called QUANTUM (October 1998 - May 2000).[15] At the start, the network had access capacities of 155 Mbit/s in eight European countries. Many upgrades followed, and by December 2000 TEN-155 had trunk lines of 34/45, 155, 2×155, 3×155 and 622 Mbit/s.[16]
  • GÉANT 2001-2005. The GÉANT network was co-funded by the European Union through a project in the Fifth Framework Programme called GN1 (November 2000 - October 2004).[17] GÉANT consisted of a core network at 10 Gbit/s, complemented by 2.5 Gbit/s connections, with smaller outlying countries connected at 34, 155 or 622 Mbit/s.
  • GÉANT2 2006-2009. The GÉANT2 network was co-funded by the European Union through a project in the Sixth Framework Programme called GN2 (September 2004 - August 2008).[18] GÉANT2 was the first generation set up as a dark fibre network, offering switched point-to-point connections in addition to normal IP traffic.
  • GÉANT 2009-2013. It was decided to use the name GÉANT for the next-generation backbone, rather than GÉANT3. The new GÉANT network was co-funded by the European Union through a project in the Seventh Framework Programme called GN3 (April 2009 - March 2013).[19]
  • GÉANT 2013-2015. Funding of the GÉANT network was continued through a successor project in the Seventh Framework Programme called GN3PLUS (April 2013 - March 2015).[20]

Current GÉANT network

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DANTE Ltd. currently operates the third generation of the GÉANT backbone network that interconnects Europe's National Research and Education Networks (NRENs). Together GÉANT and the NRENs connect 40 million researchers and students across Europe, facilitating collaborative research in a diverse range of disciplines, including high-energy physics, radio astronomy, bio-medicine, climate change, earth observation, and arts and culture.

GÉANT offers the robustness that large research projects rely on; they require outstanding service availability and service quality. Over 10,000 terabytes of data are transferred every day via the GÉANT IP backbone. GÉANT's flexibility means that services and infrastructure can be tailored to individual user requirements. GÉANT offers very large network capacities: key routes on the GÉANT network run at 40 Gbit/s and upgrades to 100 Gbit/s are in progress. The GÉANT Network Operations Centre run by DANTE provides effective and efficient operations. GÉANT offers the services needed for a seamless networking experience: IP and dedicated circuits, testbeds and virtualised resources, monitoring and troubleshooting, and advisory and support services.

Access to the GÉANT network provides the standard, high-bandwidth IP connectivity (GÉANT IP). In addition, GÉANT offers virtual private networks created by reserving capacity on the network backbone (GÉANT Plus and GÉANT Lambda). These specialised point-to-point connections provide dedicated bandwidth. The connectivity services are supported by a range of network monitoring, security and support services aimed at optimising the network performance, These services work to provide seamless access to the infrastructure and enhanced monitoring to identify and remedy any incidents that disrupt the data flow and by eliminating attempts to disrupt service by maintaining high levels of network security.

Global connectivity

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Connectivity between GÉANT and research networks in North America is part of the EU-funded projects mentioned above. In addition, DANTE is involved in a number of EU-funded projects to provide connectivity between GÉANT and research networks in other world regions. These include ORIENTPLUS[21] for connectivity to China, TEIN3 for connectivity to the Asia-Pacific region, EUMEDCONNECT3 for the southern and eastern Mediterranean, CAREN for Central Asia, and AfricaConnect for sub-Saharan Africa.

References

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Further reading

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DANTE

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''Dante'' is an Italian poet known for his masterpiece The Divine Comedy, widely regarded as one of the greatest works of world literature and a profound synthesis of medieval theology, philosophy, and politics. Born around 1265 in Florence to a family of modest means, Dante experienced early education in grammar, philosophy, and literature, and at age nine met Beatrice Portinari, whose death in 1290 inspired much of his poetic vision of love as a path to divine salvation. He married Gemma Donati around 1285, served in the Florentine military—including at the Battle of Campaldino in 1289—and engaged actively in civic politics as a member of the White Guelph faction opposing excessive papal influence. In 1302, following the triumph of the Black Guelphs, Dante was exiled from Florence on trumped-up charges, a sentence that became permanent and forced him into itinerant life across northern Italy, including stays in Verona and Ravenna. During exile he produced his major philosophical and political writings, including the unfinished Convivio and De Vulgari Eloquentia, the treatise Monarchia advocating universal imperial authority, and his epic The Divine Comedy (composed c. 1308–1321), which traces the soul's journey through Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. He died in Ravenna in 1321, having elevated the Tuscan vernacular into a literary language capable of expressing the highest philosophical and spiritual truths.

Early life

Dante Alighieri was born in Florence, Italy, in 1265, likely in late May. He was the son of Alighiero di Bellincione Alighieri and his first wife Bella (surname possibly degli Abati). His mother died during his childhood, and his father remarried, having additional children. The family was of minor noble status within the Guelph faction but modest means. Little is known of his formal education, but he likely received instruction in grammar, rhetoric, Latin literature, and philosophy at schools associated with religious orders in Florence, such as Franciscan or Dominican studia. At the age of nine, Dante met Beatrice Portinari (aged eight), with whom he fell deeply in love at first sight; he described this encounter in his works as a transformative experience. He saw her again nine years later. Beatrice died in 1290, profoundly influencing his poetic vision of love leading to divine salvation. Dante was betrothed as a youth and married Gemma di Manetto Donati around 1285; the couple had at least three children (sons Jacopo and Pietro, and daughter Antonia). In his youth, Dante befriended poets such as Guido Cavalcanti and studied under or was influenced by Brunetto Latini. He served in the Florentine military, participating in the Battle of Campaldino in 1289. Following Beatrice's death, he immersed himself in philosophical studies (including Boethius, Cicero, and Aristotle) and began composing poetry in the vernacular, culminating in his early work Vita Nuova (c. 1292–1295). By the late 1290s, he entered Florentine civic life through the Guild of Physicians and Apothecaries and aligned with the White Guelphs.

Early career

Dante received an education in grammar, rhetoric, philosophy, and literature, engaging with classical authors and the emerging dolce stil novo poetic movement. At around age nine, he met Beatrice Portinari, who became a central figure in his early poetry as an ideal of spiritual love. Around 1285, Dante married Gemma Donati in an arranged marriage; the couple had several children. He participated in Florentine civic and military life, fighting with the Guelph forces at the Battle of Campaldino in 1289 against Ghibelline Arezzo, contributing to the Florentine victory. Dante became active in Florentine politics as a member of the White Guelph faction, which resisted excessive papal intervention in secular affairs. In 1300, he served as one of the six priors of Florence, the city's highest executive office. His early literary output included lyric poems and the prosimetrum La Vita Nuova (c. 1295), a collection celebrating his love for Beatrice (who had died in 1290) and blending autobiographical elements with philosophical commentary.

Transition to Dante

Association with Howard Thurston

In 1922, Howard Thurston engaged Harry August Jansen to star in the #2 Thurston show, also referred to as the second unit of his production, after recognizing Jansen's talent and seeking to incorporate rather than compete with it. Jansen contributed substantially to the second-unit show by building its illusions and serving as co-producer. The collaboration involved a formal business structure, with Thurston acting as co-owner of the venture that became Dante the Magician Inc. in 1925. This arrangement enabled Jansen to headline a touring edition of Thurston's show, expanding the reach of Thurston's brand through the second unit. As part of this association, Thurston bestowed upon Jansen the stage name Dante.

Adoption of the Dante name and company formation

In 1922, Howard Thurston engaged Harry August Jansen to headline the second unit of his touring magic show and bestowed upon him the stage name Dante. This marked the revival of the name, which had previously been used by Oscar Eliason (1869–1899), an American illusionist known as Dante the Great who died after being accidentally shot during a hunting incident in Australia. Thurston had considered adopting the name himself in 1906 but refrained due to the recency of Eliason's death; by the 1920s, with more than fifteen years having passed and no other performer claiming it, Thurston deemed it suitable for Jansen. In 1925, Dante the Magician Inc. was established as a formal company to manage the enterprise, with Thurston as co-owner of the title and Jansen as the performing head. This corporate structure supported the second-unit show that Thurston and Jansen co-produced, securing the Dante identity for future professional use.

Major stage career

Sim Sala Bim production

Dante adopted the phrase "Sim Sala Bim" as his signature incantation and the title of his flagship revue, drawing it from a Danish children's song. The nonsensical syllables served as his trademark magic words throughout his performances. The Broadway production of Sim Sala Bim opened at the Morosco Theatre in New York on September 9, 1940, and closed on October 20, 1940. Presented as a special revue, it showcased Dante's elaborate stage magic. The show incorporated several of his signature large-scale illusions, including sawing a woman in half, the Backstage Illusion, and the vanishing horse and rider. These grand effects highlighted Dante's reputation for spectacular, high-production-value presentations.

International tours and notable illusions

Following the death of Howard Thurston in 1936, Dante (Harry August Jansen) inherited the reputation as the world's premier magician, a title he held until his death in 1955. He was frequently billed as "Dante, King of Magicians" and continued as a leading independent touring illusionist. Dante led his company of between 25 and 40 performers on extensive international tours that brought his large-scale revue to audiences across all five continents, a global reach unmatched by his contemporaries, including rival Harry Blackstone. These tours, conducted during the golden age of grand illusion shows, included performances in Europe, South America, Australia, and beyond, with his production showcasing elaborate staging and numerous assistants. His live shows emphasized large illusions, including an improved version of Horace Goldin's "Sawing a Woman in Half" that became a signature effect, along with other notable presentations such as "The Un-Sevilled Barber," "Backstage," "The Magician's Rehearsal," and "Black and White." These spectacles maintained the tradition of spectacular stage magic, drawing on Dante's innovations developed during his worldwide travels.

Film and television appearances

Dante Alighieri (c. 1265–1321) lived centuries before the invention of motion pictures and television and therefore has no personal film or television appearances.

Feature film roles

None. The posthumous songwriting credit and all described film roles pertain to a different individual, a 20th-century stage magician also known as Dante (Harry August Jansen), and are not relevant here. During his long exile after 1302, Dante lived an itinerant life across northern Italy, residing at various courts and under the patronage of noble families. He spent extended periods in Verona with the della Scala lords, particularly Cangrande della Scala, and also stayed in places such as Lunigiana. In his final years, from around 1318 or 1319, he settled in Ravenna under the protection of Guido Novello da Polenta, lord of the city. There he completed Paradiso, the third part of The Divine Comedy.

Death

Dante died in Ravenna on September 13 or 14, 1321, at the age of about 56. He contracted quartan malaria during a diplomatic mission to the Republic of Venice on behalf of Guido da Polenta and succumbed shortly after his return. He was buried in Ravenna at the Church of San Pier Maggiore (now the Basilica di San Francesco). A tomb was later built there in 1483, and his remains have stayed in Ravenna despite repeated requests from Florence to repatriate them.

Legacy

Influence on magic and successors

Dante occupied a pivotal place in the traditional lineage of great American stage magicians, a succession often described as the Royal Dynasty of Magic, which extended from Alexander Herrmann to Harry Kellar, Howard Thurston, and then to Dante himself. In the 1930s, Thurston named Dante as his successor in this chain. Shortly before his death in 1955, Dante approached the young magician Lee Grabel to serve as his successor and continue the lineage, though no public announcement of this decision was ever made. The magic community did not learn of Grabel's selection until the publication of the book The Magic and Illusions of Lee Grabel in 1986. Historians regard Dante's passing as marking the end of the era of large-scale traveling illusion shows, commonly referred to as the Golden Age of Magic. This perspective positions Dante as the final major figure in that tradition of grand, touring theatrical magic spectacles. Aspects of his influence and successor arrangements are documented in biographies such as Dante – The Devil Himself (1991) and Trouping with Dante (2006).

Historical significance

Dante, born Harry August Jansen, is recognized as the most prominent magician to perform under the stage name "Dante," succeeding Oscar Eliason, who originated the name earlier in the century. His adoption and development of the persona elevated it to international recognition as a symbol of grand-scale illusion during the golden age of touring magic shows. Dante epitomized elegant stage presence in the history of magic, characterized by refined mannerisms, formal attire, and a charming, sophisticated demeanor that contrasted with more flamboyant or comedic contemporaries. This polished showmanship contributed to his reputation as a model of class and professionalism in live illusion. He holds a distinctive position as the only major illusionist of his era to have successfully toured and performed his full production on all five continents, achieving widespread success across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas with "Sim Sala Bim." This unprecedented global reach demonstrated the viability of large-scale magic as an international entertainment form in the first half of the 20th century and cemented his legacy as a pioneer in worldwide touring magic.
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