The project aims to develop an open, flexible, programmable and dependable (reliable, secure, and manageable) network architecture based on novel active node concepts. The network architecture will be validated by deploying and exercising interoperable active IP network nodes, in order to support new business models of network control and management and a wide range of distributed applications as envisioned in the future information society.

It proposes a new generic architecture for active networks with an innovative integration of active networking, distributed object and mobile agent technology. The architecture is the core of the work, surrounded by effective solutions for service security and autonomous management that are critical for a realistic business adoption. The architecture will be validated and evaluated in Pan-European trials with international links to USA.

The project FAIN has been created by an international consortium consisting of Univesity College London, Integrasys S.A., Hitachi Ltd Japan, Hitachi Europe Ltd, Deutsche Telekom Berkom, France Telecom, KPN Research, Siemens Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, (German acronym: ETH), GMD-Fokus, IKV++, Jozef Stefan Institute Slovenia, Universidad de Atenas, Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya, and University of Pensylvania. FAIN contributes to the information society (IST) activities of the Fifth Framework under the European Commission coordination.