# Verein zur Förderung eines Deutschen Forschungsnetzes

> German association for academic research

**Wikidata**: [Q2514863](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2514863)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsches_Forschungsnetz)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/verein-zur-forderung-eines-deutschen-forschungsnetzes

## Summary  
The Verein zur Förderung eines Deutschen Forschungsnetzes (DFN Verein) is a German registered association founded in 1984 that promotes and operates the national research and education network (NREN) for Germany. It coordinates the DFN infrastructure, represents German academia in national and European research data initiatives, and is headquartered in Berlin.

## Key Facts  
- **Founded:** 1984 (official statutes https://www.dfn.de/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/satzungdfn.pdf)  
- **Legal form:** Registered association (eingetragener Verein)  
- **Headquarters:** Berlin, Germany (GND 2081810‑5)  
- **Primary field of work:** National research and education network (NREN)  
- **Industry classification:** Research (Wikidata description)  
- **Member of:** Informationsdienst Wissenschaft, Shibboleth Consortium, German National Research Data Infrastructure, European Open Science Cloud Association  
- **Technical identifiers:** ISNI 0000000101962920; GND 2081810‑5; ROR 038t94116; VIAF 151945173; LIBRARY OF CONGRESS n95036589; Freebase /m/066h1r  
- **Autonomous system numbers:** AS 680 and AS 1275 (RIPE data)  
- **IPv4 routing prefixes:** 141.9.0.0/16, 193.174.0.0/15, 194.94.0.0/15 (RIPE lookup)  
- **Official website:** https://www.dfn.de/ (German language)  
- **Social media:** Twitter @DFN_de; Mastodon @DFN@mastodon.social (≈ 1 360 followers 2025‑08‑15)  
- **EU VAT number:** DE136623822 (Impressum)  
- **Record number (Germany):** 7729 (Local Court Charlottenburg, register of associations)  

## FAQs  
### Q: What is the purpose of the Verein zur Förderung eines Deutschen Forschungsnetzes?  
**A:** The Verein coordinates and promotes Germany’s national research and education network (DFN), providing high‑speed connectivity, identity services, and collaborative infrastructure for German universities, research institutes, and related organizations.  

### Q: Is the DFN Verein a for‑profit company?  
**A:** No. It is a nonprofit registered association (eingetragener Verein) whose legal status is expressly defined as a nonprofit organization.  

### Q: Which larger research initiatives is the DFN Verein involved in?  
**A:** It is a member of the German National Research Data Infrastructure, the Shibboleth Consortium, the European Open Science Cloud Association, and the Informationsdienst Wissenschaft, linking German research infrastructure to national and European data services.  

### Q: How can I contact the DFN Verein?  
**A:** The official website https://www.dfn.de/ provides contact information; the association’s headquarters are in Berlin, and it is reachable via Twitter @DFN_de or Mastodon @DFN@mastodon.social.  

### Q: What technical resources does the DFN Verein manage?  
**A:** It operates autonomous system numbers AS 680 and AS 1275 and controls three IPv4 routing prefixes (141.9.0.0/16, 193.174.0.0/15, 194.94.0.0/15) that underpin the German academic network.  

## Why It Matters  
The DFN Verein is the backbone of Germany’s digital research ecosystem. By maintaining a high‑capacity, secure, and interoperable network, it enables seamless data exchange, remote collaboration, and access to large‑scale scientific resources across universities, laboratories, and research centers. Its participation in European initiatives such as the Open Science Cloud ensures German research aligns with continental standards for open data, reproducibility, and cross‑border collaboration. The association’s nonprofit status guarantees that its focus remains on serving the academic community rather than commercial interests, fostering an environment where scientific discovery can thrive unhindered by infrastructural bottlenecks. Consequently, the DFN Verein plays a pivotal role in sustaining Germany’s position as a leading nation in scientific innovation and education.  

## Notable For  
- **First national research and education network in Germany**, providing a dedicated backbone for academia.  
- **Dual autonomous system numbers (AS 680 & AS 1275)**, a rare configuration that enhances routing resilience and capacity.  
- **Membership in the European Open Science Cloud Association**, linking German research infrastructure to a continent‑wide open‑science framework.  
- **Comprehensive IPv4 address space** (three large prefixes) dedicated exclusively to research and education traffic.  
- **Legal status as a registered nonprofit association**, ensuring governance is oriented toward the public research good.  

## Body  

### Overview  
The Verein zur Förderung eines Deutschen Forschungsnetzes (DFN Verein) is the legal entity that oversees the German Research Network (DFN). It functions as a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the digital infrastructure required for modern academic research.

### History and Legal Status  
- **Inception:** 1984, established by statutes that define its nonprofit purpose.  
- **Legal form:** Registered association (eingetragener Verein) under German law, recorded with number 7729 at the Local Court Charlottenburg.  
- **VAT registration:** DE136623822, confirming its compliance with EU tax regulations.  

### Governance and Membership  
- **Member organizations:** Includes universities, research institutes, and other academic bodies that rely on DFN services.  
- **Consortium participation:** Active member of the Shibboleth Consortium (identity federation), Informationsdienst Wissenschaft (science information service), German National Research Data Infrastructure, and the European Open Science Cloud Association.  

### Technical Infrastructure  
- **Autonomous System Numbers:** AS 680 and AS 1275, enabling independent routing for the network.  
- **IPv4 Routing Prefixes:**  
  - 141.9.0.0/16  
  - 193.174.0.0/15  
  - 194.94.0.0/15  
  These prefixes are announced globally and provide the address space for German academic institutions.  
- **Field of Work:** Classified as a national research and education network, aligning with the broader NREN ecosystem in Europe.  

### Online Presence and Identifiers  
- **Website:** https://www.dfn.de/ (German) – primary portal for services, documentation, and contact.  
- **Social Media:** Twitter @DFN_de; Mastodon @DFN@mastodon.social (growing follower base).  
- **Identifiers:** ISNI 0000000101962920, GND 2081810‑5, ROR 038t94116, VIAF 151945173, Library of Congress n95036589, Freebase /m/066h1r, Microsoft Academic 2802442800 (discontinued).  

### Partnerships and Collaborative Projects  
- **European Open Science Cloud (EOSC):** Membership facilitates data sharing across EU research infrastructures.  
- **Shibboleth Consortium:** Provides federated identity management for seamless access to resources.  
- **German National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI):** Contributes to national strategies for data stewardship and open science.  

### Contact and Location  
- **Headquarters:** Berlin, Germany (coordinates linked to OpenStreetMap node 4546552501).  
- **Legal registration:** Record number 7729, Local Court Charlottenburg.  

## Schema Markup  
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "Verein zur Förderung eines Deutschen Forschungsnetzes",
  "description": "German registered association that promotes and operates the national research and education network (DFN) for academia.",
  "url": "https://www.dfn.de/",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsches_Forschungsnetz"
  ],
  "additionalType": "ResearchOrganization",
  "legalName": "DFN Verein",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "addressLocality": "Berlin",
    "addressCountry": "DE"
  },
  "foundingDate": "1984-01-01",
  "memberOf": [
    "Informationsdienst Wissenschaft",
    "Shibboleth Consortium",
    "German National Research Data Infrastructure",
    "European Open Science Cloud Association"
  ],
  "identifier": [
    {
      "@type": "PropertyValue",
      "propertyID": "ISNI",
      "value": "0000000101962920"
    },
    {
      "@type": "PropertyValue",
      "propertyID": "GND",
      "value": "2081810-5"
    },
    {
      "@type": "PropertyValue",
      "propertyID": "ROR",
      "value": "038t94116"
    },
    {
      "@type": "PropertyValue",
      "propertyID": "VIAF",
      "value": "151945173"
    }
  ]
}

## References

1. Integrated Authority File
2. [Source](https://d-nb.info/gnd/2081810-5/about/lds)
3. Virtual International Authority File
4. [Source](https://idw-online.de/de/institution33)
5. [Source](https://www.shibboleth.net/about-us/members/)
6. [Source](https://www.nfdi.de/verein/#mitglieder)
7. [Source](https://eosc.eu/members/)
8. [Source](https://www.dfn.de/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/satzungdfn.pdf)
9. GRID Release 2015-12-14
10. GRID Release 2016-12-06
11. [Source](https://www.dfn.de/impressum/)
12. [Source](https://apps.db.ripe.net/search/lookup.html?source=ripe&key=141.9.0.0+-+141.9.255.255&type=inetnum)
13. [Source](https://apps.db.ripe.net/search/lookup.html?source=ripe&key=193.174.0.0+-+193.175.255.255&type=inetnum)
14. [Source](https://apps.db.ripe.net/search/lookup.html?source=ripe&key=194.94.0.0+-+194.95.255.255&type=inetnum)
15. [Source](https://ftp.ripe.net/ripe/asnames/asn.txt)
16. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph