May 2002 1

Global Terabit Research Network:Building Global Cyber Infrastructure

Michael A. McRobbieVice President for Information Technology & CIO

Indiana University

Internet2 Members MeetingMay 2002

May 2002 2

Digital Science

Science is becoming almost totally digital

Data is being generated, collected, processed, analyzed, visualized and stored in digital form.

Simulations and modeling are being carried out completely digitally

Historical and contemporary archives of science are being converted into digital form

All this is e-Science

May 2002 3

Global e-ScienceNetwork-enabled global collaborative research communities (grids) are rapidly forming – each can number in the 1000s

These communities are based around a few expensive – often unique – instruments or distributed complexes of sensors that produce terabytes & petabytes of data (high energy physics, astronomy, earth sciences, …)

They carry out research based on these huge amounts of data using network-connected computation, storage and visualization facilities distributed world-wide

All of this is global cyberinfrastructure

Digital data of e-Science can be shared with collaborators not just on campus, but across cities, within states, nationally and ultimately internationally

e-Science is becoming completely international – it knows no boundaries

May 2002 4

Global Cyberinfrastructure Components

Huge hierarchical data storage facilities located worldwidePowerful supercomputer arrays located worldwide to analyze dataSoftware to make use of the above to extract information from dataSupport and management structure for hardware, software and applicationsGlobal high-speed research & education (R&E) networks are the critical glue that connects these facilities together and allows the terabytes & petabytes of data to be distributed worldwide

May 2002 5

The Need for a Global Research and Education Network

A global R&E network is required to support true global cyberinfrastructure which will underpin global e-scienceHowever international connections very slow compared with regional & national R&E network backbone speedsGlobal connection effort not well-coordinated – dominated by bilateral thinking

May 2002 6

Regional, National and Multi-National R&E Networks

I-Light as an example of an operational Regional Network• An optical fiber infrastructure owned by Indiana University and

Purdue University• Connects IU Bloomington, IUPUI and Purdue University West

Lafayette• Installed (2) conduits on each route – one with fiber and one empty

for future use, 100% in public right of way• ~700,000 feet of fiber, 99.9% underground• A long term investment by the State in research infrastructure• Provides enough networking capacity for the next 10-20 years

between the three main research campuses• Believe Indiana is the first state to deploy such a high-performance

R&E network

May 2002 7

May 2002 8

Regional, National and Multi-National R&E Networks (con’t)

Several successful national and multi-national advanced high speed R&E networks have been operational for some time:• Internet2 Abilene , US Fed nets (e.g. ESnet) (US); CANet3

(Canada); GEANT (Europe)

These have OC48 backbones todayMoving to OC192 as next evolutionInstitutions connect to backbone at OC12 or greater (a few connections at OC48)Native high-speed IPv4Motivated by the need for quality of service (QoS)Support for IPv6 (but at much lower performance due to router constraints)

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US/Europe Connectivity

Country Network Bandwidth (Mb/s) US Connection Point

EU (GTRN) DANTE 2400 x 2 Abilene (NYC)

BE BELNET 155 Abilene (NYC)

FR RENATER 45 STAR TAP

IE HEANET 310 Abilene (NYC)

Israel IUCC 45 STAR TAP

NL SURFNET 1244 Abilene (NYC)

Nordic NORDUNET 622 Abilene (NYC)

RU MIRNET 6 STAR TAP

UK JANET 622 Abilene (NYC)

CERN CERN 155 STAR TAP

TOTAL 7382

May 2002 13

US/Asia-Pacific ConnectivityCountry Network Bandwidth (Mb/s) US Connection

Point

APAN/US (GTRN) TransPAC 622 x 2 STAR TAP

Australia AARNet 310 Abilene (Seattle)

China CERNET 10 STAR TAP

Korea KREONet2 45 STAR TAP

Japan NACSIS 45 Abilene (LA)

Japan GEMnet 45 STAR TAP

Japan GEMnet 45 Abilene (LA)

Singapore SingAREN 45 Abilene (LA)

Singapore SingAREN 45 STAR TAP

Taiwan TANet2 45 STAR TAP

Thailand AI3 10 Abilene (LA)

Total 1889

May 2002 14

Americas Connectivity

Country Network Bandwidth (Mb/s) US Connection Point

Canada CA*net3 1.2Gb/s Abilene (Seattle) and STAR TAP

Mexico CUDI 45 Abilene (LA)

South America AMPATH 45 Abilene (Miami)

TOTAL 1290

May 2002 15

Requirements for a Global R&E Network

Provides a single global backbone inter-connecting global network access points (GNAPs) that provide peering within a country or regionProvides global backbone speeds comparable to those of the R&E networks, i.e. OC192 in 2002Allows coordinated global advanced service deployment (e.g. QoS, IPv6, multicast)Is based on stable carrier infrastructure or leased or owned fiber or wavelengths.Is persistent based on long-term agreements with carriers, router vendors and optical transmission equipment vendorsIs scalable – e.g. OC768 by 2004, multiple wavelengths running striped OC768 by 2005, terabit/sec transmission by 2006Allow GNAPs to connect at OC48 and above. To scale up as backbone speeds scale upProvides a production service with 24x7x365 management through a global NOC

May 2002 16

Global Terabit Research Network (GTRN)

Announced 18 February 2002 as a production service

A partnership to establish a true world-wide next generation Internet to interconnect national and multinational high speed R&E networks as a critical part of global cyberinfrastructure

Involves NREN-Consortium/Dante in Europe & Internet2, Indiana University, CANARIE, StarTAP/Starlight & Pacific Wave in the United States & Canada

Currently connects the major R&E networks in Europe and North America

Regionally based (initially Europe & North America; soon Asia Pacific,… )

May 2002 17

May 2002 18

The Global Terabit Research NetworkInitially 2 x OC-48 unprotected POS Trans-Atlantic circuits

Trans North American capacity to Seattle (Pacific Wave) via Chicago (StarLight) provided by tunnelling over Abilene

Run as a single AS (AS21230)

Second set of Trans-Atlantic OC-48s planned

A set of 2 x OC12s to connect the Asia Pacific to the GTRN

Governed and managed internationally

NOC services across the globe

www.gtren.net

May 2002 19

Global Terabit Research Network (con’t)

Additions underway• GTRN AS at STAR TAP/Starlight• GTRN AS at Pacific Northwest GigaPop (PNG)• Tunneled capacity across Abilene to connect these points• Resulting GTRN topology: Europe, North America; Asia Pacific

expected soon• Participation in New York layer two exchange point (Manhattan

Landing)

May 2002 20

A Global PartnershipInitial Planning Group • Fernando Liello (European NREN Consortium)• Dai Davies (DANTE)• Michael A. McRobbie (Indiana University)• Steven Wallace (Indiana University)• Doug van Houweling (Internet2)• Heather Boyles (Internet2)

Participating and Supporting Individuals (Organizations) • Bill St. Arnaud (CANARIE/CAnet*3)• Tom DeFanti (STAR TAP/Starlight)• Ron Johnson (Pacific Wave)

May 2002 21

May 2002 22

Future GTRN Expansion & Activities

Further deployment of GNAPs (e.g. in the Asia Pacific)

Extension to the Latin Americas via AMPATH

More formal global NOC services (e.g. GTRN weather map, seamless trouble reporting, etc.)

Formal GTRN inauguration in Brussels May 21

May 2002 23

Global Terabit Research Network:Building Global Cyber Infrastructure

Michael A. McRobbieVice President for Information Technology & CIO

Indiana University

Internet2 Members MeetingMay 2002