Overview of the vBNS and Overview of the vBNS and Other Related InitiativesOther Related Initiatives

Dr. Samir Chatterjee

CIS Department

Georgia State Universityschatter@gsu.edu

404-651-3886.

AgendaAgenda

History of NSF infrastructure initiatives Overview of the vBNS NGI and I2 A note on “Usage and Meritorious”

applications.

Evolution of NSFnetEvolution of NSFnet

In 1986, NSF created Division of Networking and Communications Research and Infrastructure (NCRI).– foster research in networking and communications

– build national infrastructures.

– NCRI established a three-tiered model of the internet.

An NSFnet backbone, mid-level networks and campus-level networks to connect all our universities, colleges and research companies.

1986 - NSFnet1986 - NSFnet

56 kbps network“Fuzzball routers”All SCC connected.

NSF Supported UpgradeNSF Supported Upgrade

In 1987, Merit, MCI, IBM and State of Michigan won a competition to manage the NSFnet backbone (now included 13 sites).

It was soon upgraded to T1 speeds (1.5 Mbps). In 1989, it was apparent that even greater

bandwidth would be needed and it was upgraded to T3 (45 Mbps) in 1991.

At this time there were 16 sites on the NSFnet backbone and it was viewed as a “cloud”.

Backbone Network ServicesBackbone Network Services

The “cloud” had MCI lines and IBM routers and became the world’s first open 45 Mbps network.

By 1992, MCI’s national network had grown; regional networks connected to the MCI “cloud” and the term “backbone” was replaced by the “NSFnet backbone network services”.

NSF also helped foster understanding of various viable networking services. It created InterNIC and began registration, database and information services.

Competitive Services ArchitectureCompetitive Services Architecture

vBNS

NSP #1

NSP #2

Regional

Regional

Regional

Regional

Campus

Campus

Why vBNS?Why vBNS?

“NSF created a very high speed Backbone Network Service (vBNS) cloud that supports an environment for advanced networking research and for meritorious applications that require high performance connectivity..”

NSF realized that it was time to transition to this more market driven model (multiple backbones), while still focussing on the need to continue to advance the internet technology and services it provides to the research and education community.

vBNS is a state-of-the-art wide-area testbed available to research institutions.

The vBNS Backbone TopologyThe vBNS Backbone Topology

Pacific Bell NAP

SF

SDSC

NCAR

Denver Chicago

AmeritechNAP

Houston

CTC

Sprint NAP

MFS NAP

PSC

NCSA

ATM Switch

Network AccessPoints (NAP)

SCC’s and NAP’sSCC’s and NAP’s

SCC’s : Cornell Theory Center (CTC), National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), National Center for Super Computing Applications (NCSA), Pittsburgh Super Computer Center (PSC), San Diego Super Computer Center (SDSC).

NAP’s: Sprint - New York; MFS - Washington D.C.; Ameritech - Chicago; Pacific Bell - San Fransisco.

Initially links to other research and educational institutes were missing but was soon created under the “new connections” program.

vBNS SCC ArchitecturevBNS SCC Architecture

ATM Wide Area Network

FOREASX 1000

Cisco 7507 router

NetStarGigaRouter

SCC FDDI

SCCHIPPIswitch

HIPPI

vBNS private FDDI

DEC alphatraffic mon.

SCC ATMAttachment

OC-3 OC-3

OC-3

SCC FDDIAttachments

The Role of vBNSThe Role of vBNS

For the SCC’s, it provides high-bandwidth connectivity to support distributed processing for a “supercomputer metacenter”.

Via NAP connections, vBNS brings SCC environment to Internet users.

It is intended that researchers use vBNS as a resource and experiment applications with a stated focus on “high-bandwidth meritorious applications”.

It is NSF’s key testbed to introduce new hardware, new protocols, and new transmission technologies by MCI as part of network evolution.

Applications ResearchApplications Research

The Internet and many distributed applications have been a tremendous success.

Yet the current Internet only gives us mediocre bandwidth and its growth is a growing pain!

We must be able to demonstrate all sorts of applications that can scale and perform.

Networking researchers need a flexible testbed to experiment emerging ideas and have access to source code.

vBNS is such a testbed for both application researchers (at the edge) and networking researchers (inside) to meet their goals.

NGI -The Federal VisionNGI -The Federal Vision

Next Generation INTERNET

21st century environment forbusiness, education, culture &entertainment.

Sight, sound, and even touch

Powerful computers,displays, networks

People will shop, bank, study, entertain, work and visit each other.

Office, home or onthe move, will have same environment.

Privacy, security, reliability. Customer chooses levelof service and pricing.

Agile economy, greater choices of places to live and work, easy-access to life longlearning and better opportunity to participate in the community, nation and the world.

I2 - What is it?I2 - What is it?

Mission: Facilitate and coordinate the development, deployment, operation and technology transfer of advanced, network-based applications and network services to further U.S leadership in research and higher education and accelrate the availability of new services and applications on the Internet (or I2).

I2 consortium - academic institutions, government and state agencies and private corporations.

I2 will create and help sustain a leading edge network capability for the national research community.

AUP and MeritoriousAUP and Meritorious

What is acceptable use?– For vBNS, high-bandwidth meritorious

applications for non-profit purposes. How to judge meritorious and who will be the judge?

– If you build it, they will come.– We have never predicted the outcomes of our

innovations: Arpanet led to e-mail, Internet led to WWW.

– vBNS is here. Use it or lose it!!

Current InitiativesCurrent Initiatives

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