Internet2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Internet2 or UCAID (University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development) is a non-profit consortium which develops and deploys advanced network applications and technologies, mostly for high-speed data transfer. "Internet2" is a registered trademark. It is led by 207 US universities and partners from the networking (Cisco Systems), publishing (Prous Science) and technology industries (such as Comcast, Intel, Sun Microsystems). Some of the technologies it has developed include IPv6, IP multicasting and quality of service.
Internet2 (and its members) created the Abilene Network and frequently collaborates with the National LambdaRail project. In fact, Internet2 and National LambdaRail are planning to merge sometime soon, which likely means somewhere in the 2006-2009 timeline. More information about discussions of the future Internet2/NLR merger is available at the official Internet2 website[1]. Another document summarizing the merger discussions as of early July 2005 is available here.
Internet2 relationship to the Abilene Network
In light of a recent series of lawsuits filed by the RIAA against university students attending several of the major participants in Abilene, there has been a recent trend in the media to report on a network called "Internet2." Some sources go so far as to suggest Internet2 is a network wholly separate from the Internet. This is misleading since Internet2 is in fact a consortium and not a computer network. It is possible that many news sources have adopted the term Internet2 because it seems like a logical name for a next-generation Internet backbone. Articles that reference Internet2 as a network are in fact referring to the previously mentioned network backbone known as the Abilene Network. This forms a high-speed backbone by deploying many of the technologies developed by Internet2. Abilene, although a private network used for education and research, is not entirely an isolated network, since its members usually provide alternative access to many of their resources through the public Internet. Abilene is not technically part of the Internet since it does not peer with the public Internet networks.
The Abilene project is supported greatly by Qwest Communications through the use of Qwest's optical fiber networks. Internet2's Abilene transport agreement with Qwest is due to expire somewhere around October of 2007.[2]
The official website of Qwest, one of many major contributors to the Abilene Network, has a good FAQ section that clarifies the distinction between Internet2 and Abilene.[3]
The official website of Internet2 clearly states what the consortium is and its purpose on their "about" page.[4]
