Internet2 Network Overview Steve Cotter, Director Network Services Internet2 Technical Coordination Meeting 11/12 July 2006 Ottawa, CA

Steve Cotter2 Contents Background Strategic Objectives Requirements Architecture Engineering Network Usage Policy Network Research Services

Steve Cotter3 Background A defining goal of Internet2 is to support the US research universities’ need for scalable, sustainable, high-performance networking In 1998, the Abilene network was created using 2.5 Gbps SONET circuits as part of a partnership with Qwest Communications, Cisco Systems, and Nortel Networks The original agreement with Qwest was later extended to October of 2007 and the Abilene network was upgraded to a 10 Gbps network A further extension for one year was possible if notification was made by March 31, 2006, an extension that was recently declined Abilene is an IP packet based network similar in design to the original NSFnet, but with greater capabilities and bandwidths Today there is great Interest in Hybrid networks Greater availability of circuit based capabilities Greater interest world wide to bring circuit based services closer to the edge Most RONs now have developed this capability already The HOPI project has experimented with the basic ideas for the last two years Background

Steve Cotter4 Strategic Objectives Ensure community control of the underlying network infrastructure Control those elements that allow development of new network capabilities Leverage the capabilities of a global telecommunications leader Providing carrier class reliability and expanded breadth of services, along with a broad set of partnership options Capitalize on the latest technological advancements in networking Create an asset that benefits the entire community - researchers, universities, regional optical networks, industry, government, K- 12, and the international community Strategic Objectives

Steve Cotter5 Community Requirements Requirements documents produced during the spring of 2005 were considered The Group A report, produced by a joint engineering committee from NLR and describing a wide ranging set of network attributes The Abilene Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Report outlining a need to provide for new experimental services along with production services like IP The MORPHnet document (1997) - Multi-Modal Organizational Research and Production Heterogeneous Network Input from the Quilt Optical workshops and discussions with the RONs Research examining a wide variety of different types of capabilities DRAGON and CHEETAH - NSF funded projects examining dynamic provisioning Science related projects such as UltraLight and eVLBI OptIPuter and TeraGrid HOPI Testbed Input from the International community GEANT2 providing hybrid types of capabilities GLIF and lightpath capabilities for scientific work Requirements

Steve Cotter6 Process With pending end of MoU with Qwest, Internet2 began complete examination of all the possibilities Think out of the box - look at new ideas Consider different network options - IP, hybrid networks, etc. Considered a variety of different carrier and existing fiber options. For example, How does one share wavelengths on an existing system? Several viable options were available In the end, one option stood out - the Dedicated Wave System (DWS) from Level3 A Hybrid Network, not just an IP network and waves Supports a wide variety of services and capabilities, from highly experimental to production level Control at layer 1 Uses equipment and fiber dedicated to Internet2 Internet2 board has approved the DWS for the Internet2 network and the contract has been executed. Background

Steve Cotter7 Architecture Design Goals Develop an innovative optical system on a national footprint to serve the broad research and education community The goal is to support all Internet2 members and to enhance the ability to serve a wider community Develop a hybrid network capable of providing point-to-point services together with an IP network Every connector (RON) connects to a backbone ring across a metro location not requiring extensive backhaul The community retains complete control of the layer 1 optical system including provisioning and switching of wavelengths Internet2 does not have to concentrate on reliability and sparing - Level 3 is responsible for an SLA. The community focus is on networking, not on managing devices like amplifiers The system is capable of supporting network research in wide variety ways Minimal Conditions of Use (CoU), allowing full participation from the entire community in providing new services and capabilities Architecture

Steve Cotter8 The System System uses dedicated fiber from Level3 Communications Built on Infinera platform providing innovative optical technology Simple and convenient add/drop technology Simple and convenient wave setup Demonstrated high reliability in initial period of operation on the Level3 network Economics of Infinera system are disruptive in the market place Architecture has maximum flexibility. Every RON can access every wave on the system if needed System includes grooming capabilities - lightpaths can be built over Ethernet or SONET Can take advantage of advanced SONET capabilities like GFP, VCAT, and LCAS Capable of lightpath provisioning to the campus Architecture

Steve Cotter9 The System RON connectivity expected to evolve to 2 x 10 Gbps connections 10 Gbps IP connection 10 Gbps point-to-point connection (capable of STS-1 granularity lightpaths provisioned in seconds), most likely provision using Ethernet (GFP based) Hybrid capabilities Expect connectors Simple and consistent connection scheme Promoting aggregation Need input and discussion on exceptional cases The following diagrams represent preliminary thoughts on topology Exact locations being finalized through discussions with each of the current Abilene connectors and Level3 Architecture

Steve Cotter10 Layer 1 Switching Nodes PROVISIONAL TOPOLOGY Architecture

Steve Cotter11 Detailed Layer 1 Topology PROVISIONAL TOPOLOGY Architecture

Steve Cotter12 IP Network IP network built on top of optical system High reliability - architecture provides a variety of protection options Commodity service offering - standard connection will include commodity services Current plan is to continue to use highly reliable Juniper routers, but open to new technologies Will likely use fewer routers, emphasizing point-to-point capabilities and hybrid networking Potential near term option of 40 Gbps Architecture

Steve Cotter13 Layer 1 Topology with IP Network PROVISIONAL TOPOLOGY Architecture

Steve Cotter14 Architecture Summary Initially provisioned with ten 10-Gbps wavelengths (100 Gbps) Capacity: up to 80 wavelengths (0.8 Tbps) Scalability: Potential for 40 & 100 Gbps wavelength support Reliability: Carrier provides standard service assurances for these wavelengths Provide a variety of different types of reliability Flexibility: Support for dynamic provisioning and wavelength switching Architecture

Steve Cotter15 Node Architecture PROVISIONAL ARCHITECTURE Advanced optical DWDM equipment Grooming capabilities in ADM to provide sub channels Support for other networks having a national footprint Simplified and standardized interface to connectors, exchange points, and other global research and education networks 2 x 10 Gbps interfaces Example displayed is the Denver optical node, showing connections required by the collocated IP router node and an additional network Architecture

Steve Cotter16 Node Architecture PROVISIONAL ARCHITECTURE – SUBJECT TO DISCUSSION Node without IP router IP connection to remote router Same basic architecture Architecture

Steve Cotter17 Node Architecture PROVISIONAL ARCHITECTURE – SUBJECT TO DISCUSSION Node without network connector Support for Other Network Same basic architecture Architecture

Steve Cotter18 Timeline Currently finalizing architecture with Level3 and our connectors Conducting calls with each of Abilene’s 35 current connectors and key partners to identify colo requirements/node locations/etc. Selection of grooming box soon after Joint Techs Evaluation process underway Equipment delivery forecasted by Infinera for the fall – with network delivery early next year Deployment schedule decided by end of July Some key routes turned up and handed over by early Dec. Transition off Abilene will begin as soon as routes are handed over to Internet2, to be completed by Oct Deployment

Steve Cotter19 Network Usage Policy The use of the network facility shall be consistent with the broad set of non-profit objectives of the U.S. research and education community and its affiliates Internet2 will seek to maximize the ability of the network to support the broad collaboration requirements of the Internet2 membership and their affiliates to interact with the broadest scope of domestic and international networks and collaborating organizations Each organization utilizing the facility will be responsible for complying with all technical and operational standards developed for the network, and will avoid actions that adversely impact the performance or stability of the facility itself or those experienced by other users The facility shall not be used for illegal, classified, life-safety, or unrelated commercial activities Additionally, Internet2 will seek to maximize to its members the value of IP transit by expanding connectivity through peering with commercial networks including content providers (e.g., Google, Akamai) and other regional and national service providers (i.e., tier 2 ISPs) Network Usage Policy

Steve Cotter20 Example Projects on NewNet Dynamic services Creating lightpaths across multiple administrative domains in seconds Development of “Domain Controllers” Support for applications - setup of “Application Specific Topologies” Dynamic inclusion of optical paths into IP networks for backup or expansion TCP data transfers File transfers with long segments not having to require congestion control Network research projects deploying programmable Ethernet capable chipsets at each optical node using “NetFPGA” cards from Stanford Service trial with GEANT2 on dynamic provisioning of 1 GigE circuits across Internet2 and GEANT2 Architecture

Steve Cotter21 Engineering Building on the experience from projects such as Abilene, HOPI, and NLR, operational support is expected to fall into three broad categories: Control plane development, deployment, and support. The Mid- Atlantic crossroads through the DRAGON project has focused on dynamic resource allocation. Application support, enabled by targeting key applications for the research community, applications such as eVLBI. The North Carolina Research and Education Network has focused on this area for the past year through the HOPI project Engineering, monitoring, and management has been provided by the Global Network Operations Center at Indiana University These groups were originally selected as the HOPI testbed support center Internet2 expects to continue these relationships for the new network Engineering

Steve Cotter22 Network Research The Internet2 network is an ideal platform for network research - the ability to support both highly experimental projects along with production based services is a key objective The Abilene observatory will be expanded to include the new capabilities of the network Data collection at all layers of the network, with datasets made available to network researchers Support for collocation of equipment in optical nodes Internet2 has supported individual network research projects whenever possible. Examples include The router clamp MPLS tunnels for researchers - these can now be supported at layer 1 Support for the 100x100 project Flexibility is key feature of the new network Smaller projects at lower bandwidths can be supported on variable footprints Projects can also be supported for variable lengths of time Projects like VINI and GENI can be supported by the new network Network Research

Steve Cotter23 Services “On-net” Waves: point-2-point or point-2-multipoint sub-λ circuits Free short-term, dynamically provisioned, deterministic STS-1 granularity circuits with framing either SONET or GFP mapped Ethernet – subject to blocking. Guaranteed long-term circuits – price determined by distance, speed, duration Example 1: 5G circuit, Boston-NYC for 1 month: ~$1,400 Example 2: 2G circuit, DC-Sunnyvale for 1 week: ~$1,200 Long-term waves for a minimum of 1 year with guaranteed SLAs Example: 10G wave, Houston-El Paso for 1 yr: ~$76,000 Can provide ultra-high availability waves (protected) utilizing Infinera protection capabilities “Off-net” Waves: Carrier services provisioned as OC-x or DS-x on the Level3 footprint beyond Internet2 network backbone. These waves are provisioned through different Infinera equipment. Services

Steve Cotter24 Services Cont’d High-quality IP services offered via multiple carriers at aggregated pricing Strong desire for redundant connections – wavelength and IP 2 YR continuation of the FiberCo agreement with Level3 Long-haul fiber – 33,000 route miles 150 markets Metro fiber – 22,000 route miles 110 markets, over 5,000 on-net buildings Professional Services for engineering, installation, network management support National Content Exchange Fabric: Intent is to intelligently pursue peerings with key content providers at multiple exchange points around the country Seeking the right balance between content value, commodity savings and network costs HealthNet: exploring using the infrastructure for a shared, secure network for healthcare facilities, teaching hospitals and pharmaceuticals to collaborate using advanced networking technologies Potential for other services: VoIP, production video, etc. Services

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