What is Internet2

Asks diane

A. Internet2 is a non-profit consortium of 180 universities, primarily in the US, backed by the US National Science Foundation and the US Federal Government that has, over the past couple of years, been working towards developing and deploying advanced network applications and technologies to accelerate internet connections.

Its primary goals are:

�

a) to create a leading edge network capability for the national (US) research community

�

b) enable revolutionary internet applications

�

c) ensure the rapid transfer of new network services and applications to the broader internet community.

�

The original internet was created through a research and development partnership between academia, industry and government. That evolved over many years; it is hoped Internet2 will replicate this and advance the way we use the internet in the future.

�

Q. Why is a new form of the internet needed

A. The concept of a new internet, which became known as Internet2, was first established in 1996. A group of 40 research scientists in the US �believed that the growth of e-business was threatening the experimental nature of the internet.
Instead of competing against the growing demands and bandwidth required by email and e-commerce, they decided a new network was needed so that advanced network technologies could be developed that would take the internet into its next phase. This has now been achieved and will continue to develop over the next�10 years.

�

Q. Will Internet2 be a separate network

A. No, it is not a separate physical network but rather an arena for developing new technologies and capabilities that will later be deployed on the internet as a whole when finalised.

�

Q. So will Internet2 just be faster and more reliable to use

A. It will be faster and more reliable - but a lot bigger in its ability to provide new services that the current system just cannot support, eg new applications like virtual laboratories, multicasting, digital libraries, distance learning and tele-immersion will all become possible. These�cannot even be supported in concept form on the current internet system.

�

Q. Why are universities, and not industry, taking the lead in developing a future internet

A. The universities are working in conjunction with industry to develop these new capabilities, but it is in their own interest to do so because universities are the principal source of both the demand for advanced networking technologies and the talent needed to implement them.

�

Q. How much is being invested in the Internet2 project

A. University campuses in the US have committed US$80 million (�60 million) per year to the project, and corporate members of Internet2 have committed US$30 million (�20 million).

�

Q. Are there any similar initiatives to Internet2 in Europe

A. Yes, on 1 December 2001 a new pan-European network, known as GEANT was launched. It is a bigger project than Internet2 as it will serve 3000+ of Europe's academic and research institutes.

�

It is backed by the European Commission and has a budget of 200 million euros (80 million euros will be provided by the European Commission) for a four-year period.

And although the GEANT network will not be operated by separate physical connections, ie separate fibre-optic cables etc it will be a new and separate network to the internet as we know it today. What GEANT has done in effect is buy connectivity on the open markets from telecommunications companies and then earmark it for research and development purposes only, so it is connected but separate at the same time.

The GEANT network has been built by a Cambridge-based company, Dante.

�

If you have any other Internet & Technology related questions, please click here

�

by Karen Anderson