Overview of the vBNS and Other Related Initiatives Dr. Samir Chatterjee CIS Department Georgia State University

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

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

NSFnet 56 kbps network “Fuzzball routers” All SCC connected.

NSF Supported Upgrade l In 1987, Merit, MCI, IBM and State of Michigan won a competition to manage the NSFnet backbone (now included 13 sites). l It was soon upgraded to T1 speeds (1.5 Mbps). l In 1989, it was apparent that even greater bandwidth would be needed and it was upgraded to T3 (45 Mbps) in l At this time there were 16 sites on the NSFnet backbone and it was viewed as a “cloud”.

Backbone Network Services l The “cloud” had MCI lines and IBM routers and became the world’s first open 45 Mbps network. l 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”. l NSF also helped foster understanding of various viable networking services. It created InterNIC and began registration, database and information services.

Competitive Services Architecture vBNS NSP #1 NSP #2 Regional Campus

Why vBNS? l “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..” l 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. l vBNS is a state-of-the-art wide-area testbed available to research institutions.

The vBNS Backbone Topology Pacific Bell NAP SF SDSC NCAR DenverChicago Ameritech NAP Houston CTC Sprint NAP MFS NAP PSC NCSA ATM Switch Network Access Points (NAP)

SCC’s and NAP’s l 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). l NAP’s: Sprint - New York; MFS - Washington D.C.; Ameritech - Chicago; Pacific Bell - San Fransisco. l Initially links to other research and educational institutes were missing but was soon created under the “new connections” program.

vBNS SCC Architecture ATM Wide Area Network FORE ASX 1000 Cisco 7507 router NetStar GigaRouter SCC FDDI SCC HIPPI switch HIPPI vBNS private FDDI DEC alpha traffic mon. SCC ATM Attachment OC-3 SCC FDDI Attachments

The Role of vBNS l For the SCC’s, it provides high-bandwidth connectivity to support distributed processing for a “supercomputer metacenter”. l Via NAP connections, vBNS brings SCC environment to Internet users. l It is intended that researchers use vBNS as a resource and experiment applications with a stated focus on “high- bandwidth meritorious applications”. l It is NSF’s key testbed to introduce new hardware, new protocols, and new transmission technologies by MCI as part of network evolution.

Applications Research l The Internet and many distributed applications have been a tremendous success. l Yet the current Internet only gives us mediocre bandwidth and its growth is a growing pain! l We must be able to demonstrate all sorts of applications that can scale and perform. l Networking researchers need a flexible testbed to experiment emerging ideas and have access to source code. l vBNS is such a testbed for both application researchers (at the edge) and networking researchers (inside) to meet their goals.

NGI -The Federal Vision Next Generation INTERNET 21st century environment for business, 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 on the move, will have same environment. Privacy, security, reliability.Customer chooses level of service and pricing. Agile economy, greater choices of places to live and work, easy-access to life long learning and better opportunity to participate in the community, nation and the world.

I2 - What is it? l 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). l I2 consortium - academic institutions, government and state agencies and private corporations. l I2 will create and help sustain a leading edge network capability for the national research community.

AUP and Meritorious l What is acceptable use? –For vBNS, high-bandwidth meritorious applications for non-profit purposes. l 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 , Internet led to WWW. –vBNS is here. Use it or lose it!!

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