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IEEE San Francisco presents the Internet 2.




Internet2 Network

Internet2 provides the U.S. research and education community with a dynamic, innovative and cost-effective hybrid optical and packet network. The network was designed to provide next-generation production services as well as a platform for the development of new networking ideas and protocols. With community control of the fundamental networking infrastructure, the Internet2 Network provides the necessary scalability for member institutions to efficiently provision resources to address bandwidth-intensive requirements of their campuses such as, collaborative applications, distributed research experiments, grid-based data analysis and social networking.

of note

Quick Links

New! Architecture Development [pdf]

An Advanced Hybrid Optical and Packet Network

The Internet2 Network's physical implementation is made up of several robust, logically different, but related networks, each on its own overlaid infrastructure. These networks include:

  • Advanced IP network (provided by Juniper routers)
  • Virtual Circuit network (provided by the the multiservice switching capabilities of the Ciena CoreDirectors)
  • Core optical network (provided by the Infinera platform)

Internet2 Combined Infrastructure Topology

IP Network
The IP network is built across a carrier-class infrastructure and supports leading edge IPv4, IPv6, multicast, and other advanced networking protocols, as well as the ability to more easily and flexibly increase its capacity beyond any other R&E  network in the world.

Internet2 ION
Internet2 ION is a revolutionary, virtual circuit network service that provides dedicated bandwidth for the most demanding applications. Internet2 ION uses community-developed technologies and protocols to provide on-demand, dedicated optical paths between endpoints. Internet2 ION is built on technology developed in collaboration with the Department of Energy's ESnet, GÉANT and other leading R&E network organizations. Just as the R&E community led the way decades ago in expanding the reach and capabilities of packet networking using the IP and TCP protocols, Internet2 ION breaks new ground to provide the U.S. research and education community dedicated, customizable, on-demand bandwidth.

Services enabled by ION include short-term, point-to-point circuits, setup by the requestor or application in standard SONET bandwidth increments up to 10 Gbps. This virtual circuit network is based upon the connections into the Ciena CoreDirectors and use of control plane software. A variety of control plane software is under development, building on the work of the OSCARS and DRAGON projects, with the goal of enabling automated reservations.

Static Circuit Services
Internet2 WaveCo provides a unified service for Internet2 members looking for long-term, static, point-to-point circuits to cost-effectively extend their network connectivity. Circuits are provisioned either by Internet2 over the Internet2-controlled optical infrastructure or by Level 3 Communications, on their nationwide footprint.

Commercial Peering Service - More Performance, Less Cost

Commercial Peering (CP) service is included in the base connection fee, so it is available for Internet2 Network connectors at no additional cost.

CP Service
Through CP service members can leverage their existing Internet2 Network investments to help serve their commercial Internet needs, thereby saving money on commodity Internet charges. We offer this service to all Internet2 Network connectors, for no additional fee.