FOR RELEASE: February 24, 1999
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FOR RELEASE: February 24, 1999 |
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Abilene Network is Test Bed for Internet of the Future for Corporations and Consumers
WASHINGTON D.C. — The Abilene Project, the most advanced research and education network in the US, today began nationwide operations delivering high performance network services to 37 universities.
Abilene serves as a test bed for Internet applications of the future such as distance learning, tele-medicine and digital libraries that will become commonplace in the future. Qwest Communications, Cisco, Nortel Networks and Indiana University are contributing equipment and services with an estimated value of $500 million over three years to deliver Abilene.
As an Internet2 backbone network, Abilene spans over 10,000 miles and operates at 2.4 gigabits per second, a speed 45,000 times faster than a 56K modem. More than 70 Internet2 universities and research facilities are expected to connect to Abilene by the end of 1999. The Abilene network is a project of the University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development (UCAID), home of the Internet2 project.
Abilene is comprised of best of breed technology and resources from its partners including 10,000 miles of Qwest Communications' advanced fiber optic network and engineering support. In addition, Cisco has provided high-speed communications equipment that enables the integration of data, voice and video, and on-going engineering support for all eleven nodes of the Abilene network. Nortel Networks has provided network planning and engineering services, network management and optical networking capable of a transmission rate of 10 gigabits per second. Indiana University runs Abilene's Network Operation Center and has provided Abilene with problem determination and resolution and asset management.
"Qwest is proud to, not only provide the backbone for the Abilene network, but also to work side-by-side with other world technology leaders to create and test the advanced data applications of the future," said Lew Wilks, president of IP and multimedia markets for Qwest. "The success of Abilene, in such a small amount of time, is a testimonial to the dedication and determination of all involved parties to make Abilene a project that positively impacts the way we work and play."
"Cisco Systems is pleased to be a key partner in the Abilene project which has brought together the academic, research and corporate communities to make this network possible," said Judy Estrin, chief technology officer, Cisco Systems. "Cisco is committed to advancing the capabilities of the Internet by delivering integrated data, voice and video as well as other higher level services. Abilene and other Internet2 projects provide the testing ground for universities to develop these advanced applications." "Nortel Networks is pleased that our innovations in optical networking are being used to further advance the pioneering efforts of the Abilene IP network," said Mike Unger, president, optical networks, Nortel Networks. "Nortel Networks 10 Gbps optical platform delivers maximum network reliability, capacity and performance -critical attributes for what will be such an influential network infrastructure."
"The fact that the Abilene network is operational is of great significance for member universities whose faculty and researchers now have access to unsurpassed networking capabilities for teaching and research," said Indiana University vice president for information technology, Michael McRobbie. "Indiana University is delighted to be a partner in Abilene and to provide the Abilene Network Operations Center which will support the research and education community's needs by providing outstanding expertise in network management for the physical and operations aspects of the Abilene."
"The remarkable collaboration among the Abilene Partners has provided Internet2 members with unsurpassed networking capabilities," said Dr. Douglas E. Van Houweling, president and CEO of UCAID, which is leading the Internet2 and Abilene projects. "Just as the research networks of a decade ago produced technologies that have transformed the way we all work, learn and live today, Abilene will help develop the technology we will all use tomorrow."
A primary goal of Abilene is to support the efforts of the Internet2 project. To enable collaboration among university and corporate Internet2 members, Abilene will also connect corporate research labs; among the first will be IBM's research facilities in Watson, N.Y. and Almaden, Calif. For more information on Abilene please see: http://www.internet2.edu/abilene/
About UCAID
The Abilene network is a project of the University Corporation for Advanced
Internet Development (UCAID), home of the Internet2 project. In partnership
with Qwest Communications, Cisco Systems, Nortel Networks and Indiana
University, UCAID is deploying Abilene as the most advanced and far-reaching
research and education network in the United States. Over 70 Internet2
institutions are planning to connect by the end of 1999. For more
information on Abilene please see: http://www.internet2.edu/abilene/
About Qwest Communications
Qwest Communications International Inc. (Nasdaq: QWST) is a leader in
reliable and secure broadband Internet-based data, voice and image
communications for businesses and consumers. Headquartered in Denver, Qwest
has more than 8,000 employees and 80 sales offices in North America, Europe
and Mexico. The Qwest Macro Capacity (SM) Fiber Network, designed with the
newest optical networking, will span more than 18,500 route miles in the
United States when it is completed in mid-1999. For more information, please
visit the Qwest web site at www.qwest.com.
About Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for
the Internet. News and information are available at http://www.cisco.com.
About Nortel Networks
Nortel Networks optical networking equipment is responsible for carrying 75
percent of all backbone Internet traffic in North America. Nortel Networks
has built more than 20 global networks to date with its 10 Gbps solution and
leads the market due to unsurpassed capacity, reliability and network
performance. Nortel Networks' 10 Gbps optical networking platform has
over 90 percent market share. For more information, visit Nortel's web site
at http://www.nortel.com.
About Indiana University
Indiana University, one of the oldest state universities in the Midwest, has
been ranked among the ten best public institutions of higher education in
the US. In addition to being selected as the site for the Abilene Network
Operations Center (NOC), networking highlights at IU include having a
high-speed connection to the vBNS and receiving a grant from the NSF to
develop a high-speed, international network connection, called TransPAC,
between the vBNS and the Asia Pacific Advanced Network (APAN).
http://www.indiana.edu
Contact Information:
| Greg Wood UCAID 202-872-9119 ghwood@internet2.edu Diane Reberger Abby Smith |
Alain Bourget Nortel Networks (514) 818-2596 boural@nortelnetworks.com Karen Adams |
Abilene Connected Universities
Internet2 GigaPoPs and Universities Connecting to Abilene, February 1999
| Arizona State University* Baylor College of Medicine Boston University* California Institute of Technology CalREN2 GigaPoP Case Western Reserve University Colorado State University* Florida GigaPoP* Front Range GigaPoP* George Mason University George Washington University Georgetown University Georgia Institute of Technology* Great Plains Network GigaPoP Harvard University* Indiana GigaPoP Indiana University Kansas State University MAGPI GigaPoP* Massachusetts Institute of Technology* MCNC GigaPoP* Michigan State University Mid Atlantic Crossroads (MAX) GigaPoP MREN GigaPoP North Dakota State University Northern Crossroads (NOX) GigaPoP NYSERNet GigaPoP* OARnet GigaPoP Ohio State University |
Ohio Supercomputer Center Oklahoma State University Old Dominion University Onenet GigaPoP Oregon State University Pacific Northwest GigaPoP Pennsylvania State University* Pittsburgh Supercomputer Center GigaPoP* Portland State University Purdue University Rice University South Dakota School of Mines * South Dakota State University * Southern Crossroads GigaPoP* Stanford University Texas A&M University Texas GigaPoP Tufts University* Tulane University* University of Akron University of Arizona* University of Arkansas University of Arkansas Medical Sciences * University of Arkansas* University of California at Davis University of California at Berkeley University of California at Irvine University of California at Los Angeles University of California at Riverside |
University of California at San Francisco University of California at Santa Cruz University of California Office of the President University of Chicago University of Cincinnati University of Houston University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign University of Kansas University of Maryland University of Michigan University of Nebraska University of North Dakota University of Oklahoma University of Oregon University of Pennsylvania* University of Pittsburgh* University of South Dakota University of Southern California University of Virginia University of Washington University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee University of Wyoming* Vanderbilt University* Virginia Tech Washington State University Wayne State University Wright State University |
* Indicates connection currently in process
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Posted 24 February 1999
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Copyright © 1999, The
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University