April 21, 2023

Optical Futures: high-performance networking for research and education and optical technologies

Heather BoylesDirector, International RelationsInternet2heather@internet2.edu

18 February 2003Hong Kong

Optical Futures: high-performance networking for research and education and optical technologies

Heather BoylesDirector, International RelationsInternet2heather@internet2.edu

18 February 2003Hong Kong

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Internet2 Mission and Goals

Develop and deploy advanced network applications and technologies, accelerating the creation of tomorrow’s Internet.

• Enable new generation of applications• Create leading edge R&E network capability• Transfer technology and experience to the global production Internet

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Internet2 Areas of Work

Advanced Applications

Middleware

Network Engineering• End to End Performance

Advanced Network Infrastructure

Partnerships and Outreach

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Internet2Backbone Networks

GigaPoPOne

Internet2 Network Architecture

GigaPoPTwo

GigaPoP(n)

GigaPoPThree

5

Internet2 Network Architecture

Internet2 Backbone Network(s)

GigaPoPOne

Regional Network

University C

CommercialInternetConnections

University B

University A

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Abilene NetworkCore Map, January 2003

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Abilene NetworkLogical Map

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What is optical networking?

Utilizing optical fiber to carry light as the lowest level data transport medium

Good source for basics of optical networking: http://www.sura.org/opcook

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How is optical networking being discussed in research networking community?

Currently, two main threads of activity:

1) Obtaining and controlling fiber assets in order to build networks (at campus, metropolitan, regional, national levels)

2) Utilizing that control of optically-based transport layer to provision new types of services – “lambdas**” or “lightpaths”

….and sometimes simulating these without underlying control

**”a pipe where you can inspect packets as they enter and when they exit, but principally not when in transit” (C. deLaat et al.)

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How have we provisioned networks in the past?

To date, primarily by buying services from telecommunications companies

• ATM service, SDH/SONET service, GigabitEthernet Services, wavelength services

Example: Abilene backbone network• Qwest provides 10Gbps wavelength between core nodes

• Abilene owns, controls routers

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Providing network infrastructure by acquiring fiber assets

Unique window in time for fiber assets• Cause: fiber glut, bankruptcies and telcos in distress • Within a year, opportunity on national scale closes?• Hedge against a regression to ‘bad old days’ of monopolies

Technically, getting fiber means controlling the network down to layer 1 (0?)

• Would allow deployment of different wavelengths for differentiated networks (high perf advanced services, network research, more general EDU access)

• Path to doing optical switching when it makes sense

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Unique optical requirements inHigher Education Community

10-Gbps: 10 Gigabit Ethernet preferred over OC-192c SONET

HPC could need 40-Gbps λ’s prior to the carriers

Integrated view of network management• Transport & IP engineering/operational approaches are not

intrinsically different• SNMP preferable for network polling

HEC can provide experimental environment for development of ‘rational’, customer focused optical switching

• Switching tightly integrated with optical transport• Capacity for IP backbone expansion and p2p λ’s

Metro/regional implementations lead (for technical and economic reasons)

Distance scale (km)

Examples Equipment

Metro < 60

UW(SEA),

USC/ISI(LA)

Dark fiber & end terminals

State/

Regional < 500

I-WIRE (IL),

CENIC ONI,

I-LIGHT (IN)

Add OO

amplifiers

Extended

Regional/

National

> 500

PLR,

TeraGrid

Abilene

National Light Rail

Add OEO

regenerators

& O&M $’s

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Variety of campus, metropolitan, regional optical networks in US

CALREN2 – California

IWIRE – Illinois

ILIGHT – Indiana

SURA Optical Cookbook examples• Harvard Joint Trench Project• Southern Crossroads (Atlanta-area dark fiber buildout)

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LaurentianU

CambrianCCBoreal

sureNet

CarletonUUOttawa

Ottawa

AlgonquinCLaCiteC

OMAN

UWindsor

St.ClairC

WEDnet

UWO

London

FanshaweC

LARG*net

City / Town withCollege and University

City / Town withUniversity only

City / Town withCollege only

City with CA*net 3GigaPoP

College [25]

University[19]

PotentialORIONbackbone

LEGEND

Note.-This overview includes ORION PoP’s, associated RANs, and other ORANO members. Other members could be 50 – 60 R&E sites to connect to the nodes

Source: Randy Neals, ORANO

ORION Network – Overview a Canadian (Ontario) example

Queen'sURMC

Kingston

Toronto LoyalistC

CentennialCCGrandLacs

GBrownCHumberCSenecaC

UGuelphUWaterloo

WLU

Kitchener-

Waterloo

ConestogaC

Guelph

Belleville

OCADRyersonPUUToronto

YorkU

SheridanC

McMasterU

TrentU

Hamilton

Peterborough

St. Catharin

es

BrockU

Windsor

SarniaBarrie

Sault Ste. M

arie

Oshawa

DurhamC

SSFlemingC

SLawrenceC

GeorgianC

NorthernC

Timmins

Oakville

MohawkC

WellandNiagaraC

LambtonC

Sudbury

North Bay

NipissingU

LakeheadU

Thunder Bay

ConfederationC

LaurentianUCanadoreC

SaultC

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Regional optical fanout

In the next generation architecture, regional & state based optical networking projects are critical

Three-level hierarchy remains vital• National backbone, GigaPoPs (ARNs), Campuses

Close collaboration with the Quilt GigaPoPs

• Regional Optical Networking project

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Toward a National Optical Networking Facility

Research and education community investment in national-scale fiber assets

• Discussions among a number of partners in US ongoing

–“National Light Rail” – being led by members of Internet2 community – CENIC, the Pacific NorthWest Gigapop and other partners

–SURA – USAWaves project

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Halifax

Edmonton

Seattle

VancouverWinnipeg

Quebec City

MontrealOttawa

Chicago

Halifax

New York

Regina

Fredericton

CharlottetownVictoria

Windsor

London

Sudbury

Thunder Bay

Saskatoon

Kamloops

Buffalo

Minneapolis

Albany

St. John's

Calgary

Toronto

Hamilton

KingstonCA*net 4 Node

Possible Future Breakout

Possible Future link or Option

CA*net 4 OC192

Boston

CA*net 4 Architecture source: Bill St. Arnaud

Light Path Scenarios

Vancouver

Calgary

ReginaWinnipeg

Toronto

Halifax

St. John’s

Seattle

Montreal

Workstation to Workstation Wavelength

University to University Wavelength

CWDM

BCnet

RISQ

GigaPOP to GigaPOP WavelengthCampus OBGP switch

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Lambda* or Lightpath Networks

Current CA*net “customer-empowered networking” - prototypes a day when multiple wavelengths available to a site/desktop

Why?• Router limitations - cost• A few very bandwidth needy applications (e.g. between

radio astronomy sites) for which dedicated circuits make more (technical, economic) sense

• User control – configurability

An area needing more investigation, cost modeling, prototyping, etc.

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Summary

There are many networks out there pursuing the dark fiber opportunity

• Scale is important• Regulatory factors • Take advantage of others’ experiences!

The “lightpath” model will be exciting area of investigation

• What are the right models? “Empowered customer” pays traditional circuit-switched network-type fees?

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