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Breakthrough Optical Networking Demo Will Achieve Multiple Firsts at Supercomputing '05

Posted on: Wednesday, 16 November 2005, 15:00 CST

Hybrid Optical and Packet Testbed Sponsored by Internet2 and Enabled by Glimmerglass to Transmit Massive Real-Time Data Flows from Globally Distributed Radio Telescopes

Radio astronomy data collected by three radio telescopes located around the world will be correlated and displayed in real-time by researchers at MIT's Haystack Observatory in a demonstration sponsored by Internet2's National Hybrid Optical Packet and Infrastructure (HOPI) project at the Supercomputing 05 (SC /O5) conference, November 12-18, booth # 2435.

This demonstration features several firsts. Most notably, these telescopes will share and display massive datasets in real-time via dynamically provisioned optical circuits. It will also be the first time such large datasets will move unimpeded across multiple administrative domains via optical circuits. Additionally, this will be the first major test of Internet2's National HOPI testbed. Using off-the-shelf commercial products, this collaborative demonstration will show how powerful yet affordable optical networks deliver significant benefits for science.

The Glimmerglass intelligent optical switch is key to this demonstration. The switch enables Internet2's network engineers to instantly establish data circuits that deliver affordable, high-bandwidth connections that are easy to manage.

"Until now, researchers at each of the telescope sites took days to transfer data onto mass storage media and mail it to a central observatory, where it would be correlated with data from other telescopes," said Rick Summerhill, Internet2's director of network research, architecture and technologies and HOPI Design Team co-chair. HOPI is a project sponsored by Internet2, the foremost U.S. advanced networking consortium led by the research and higher education community. "Reducing this to a nearly instantaneous process using the HOPI testbed has tremendous benefits for science, but requires establishing and managing optical network connections for short durations on a global scale. The Glimmerglass switch will enable us to dynamically provision an optical circuit in seconds, transmit the data and then re-allocate that circuit back to the 'pool' once the transmission is finished. It's a necessary element for the affordable, practical, real-time sharing of such large datasets."

The demonstration will connect the MIT Haystack telescope and observatory in Westford, MA to telescopes in Onsala, Sweden and Greenbelt, MD., with a live display feed to the conference. The telescope data will be used for high resolution imaging of distant radio signals in the universe and for making accurate measurements of the earth in motion.

"It's great to be a part of breakthrough developments in science through practical, affordable networking solutions," said Robert Lundy, Glimmerglass CEO. "We're proud of our involvement with Internet2 and of the work that they've accomplished in an incredibly short time."

About Internet2

Led by more than 200 U.S. universities working with industry and government, Internet2 develops and deploys advanced network applications and technologies for research and higher education, accelerating the creation of tomorrow's Internet. Internet2 recreates the partnerships among academia, industry, and government that helped foster today's Internet in its infancy. For more information, visit: www.internet2.edu.

About Glimmerglass

Glimmerglass offers a new approach to managing fiber infrastructure. Its customers achieve an ROI in just a few months rather than over several years as with conventional equipment. Glimmerglass' intelligent optical switch enables customers to automatically, remotely and instantly monitor and manage fiber optic connections in a wide range of applications. For more information about Glimmerglass, visit: www.glimmerglass.com.

Glimmerglass is a trademark of Glimmerglass Networks, Inc.

All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective holders

Source: Business Wire

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