Internet2 Announces Abilene Replacement

Speaking at an Internet2 conference, Douglas Van Houweling, president of the organization, gave some details about the backbone network that will replace Abilene, Internet2’s current high-speed backbone, in about 18 months. The new network, currently being called “Newnet,” will initially offer roughly 10 times the bandwidth now provided by Abilene.

Each institution connected would have a wavelength dedicated to conventional Internet traffic and access to a separate wavelength that institutions could use as they choose, according to Steve Cotter, director of network services for Internet2. Cotter said the goal is to allow institutions to order extra bandwidth as necessary. The network would apportion the requested bandwidth and make it available within a few minutes, rather than the several months it often takes to get extra bandwidth from commercial vendors. The announcement to proceed with plans to replace Abilene came after merger talks between Internet2 and National LambdaRail broke down. Although Van Houweling and Larry Faulkner, chairman of Internet2’s Board of Trustees, both said higher education would benefit from a single research network, Faulkner said of the merger talks, “At this moment, there is no mechanism for moving the discussion forward.”

Chronicle of Higher Education, 26 April 2006