Abilene Network

Abilene Network
Name	Abilene Network
Founded	1999
Dissolved	2007
Operator	Internet2
Country	United States
Type	research and education backbone
Technologies	DWDM, MPLS, OC-192, Ethernet

Abilene Network The Abilene Network was a high-performance backbone network deployed in the United States to support research and education institutions. It connected universities, national laboratories, and research centers to enable advanced applications in science, medicine, and engineering. The project was managed by Internet2 and involved partnerships with telecommunications carriers, academic consortia, and federal agencies.

History

Abilene was announced by Internet2 leadership as part of efforts involving institutions such as University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development member universities, and was built through collaborations with carriers like Qwest Communications and Sprint Nextel. Early deployments linked research sites that included Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, and University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. Major milestones included upgrades to optical systems tied to work with vendors including Cisco Systems, Juniper Networks, and Ciena. The network evolved amid national initiatives such as planning by National Science Foundation and projects associated with Department of Energy laboratories like Argonne National Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Public demonstrations leveraged scientific collaborations like Large Hadron Collider computing testbeds and initiatives connected to National Institutes of Health funded research.

Architecture and Technology

Abilene's architecture combined optical transport and packet switching using technologies from vendors including Ciena, Alcatel-Lucent, and Tellabs. Core links used dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) and OC-192 interfaces, while routing employed hardware from Cisco Systems and Juniper Networks supporting Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS). The design emphasized high-capacity peering with regional networks such as Pacific Northwest Gigapop and University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development affiliates, and interconnection points at exchange locations like Equinix facilities. Network operations relied on management systems and monitoring tools influenced by standards from Internet Engineering Task Force working groups and inter-domain coordination practices drawn from North American Network Operators Group meetings. Security and identity federations integrated with initiatives like Shibboleth and federated authentication pilots involving InCommon.

Services and Applications

Abilene provided dedicated bandwidth for advanced applications including grid computing collaborations with TeraGrid and distributed data transfers for observatories like National Optical Astronomy Observatory and projects linked to NASA missions. Real-time science applications included remote instrumentation control for facilities such as Brookhaven National Laboratory and telemedicine testbeds tied to Mayo Clinic research. Educational uses encompassed teleconferencing and distance learning connecting institutions such as University of Southern California, University of Michigan, and Columbia University. The network supported middleware and data management systems used in collaborations with centers like San Diego Supercomputer Center and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Experimental protocols and multicast demonstrations referenced standards advanced by Internet Engineering Task Force and research groups at Carnegie Mellon University.

Governance and Funding

Governance of Abilene was overseen by the Internet2 community, including representatives from leading institutions like University of Washington and Cornell University, with policy input from advisory bodies tied to Association of American Universities members. Funding combined membership dues from universities, sponsorship by telecommunications carriers including Qwest Communications International, and project grants influenced by agencies such as the National Science Foundation and Department of Energy. Procurement and contractual relationships were negotiated with vendors like Cisco Systems and Ciena Corp., and operational responsibilities were coordinated with Regional Optical Networks and consortia such as Merit Network and ESnet partners. Oversight mechanisms mirrored practices found in consortium governance at organizations like Educause.

Performance and Impact

At peak, Abilene provided multi-gigabit connectivity that enabled throughput and latency characteristics suitable for high-performance computing workflows used by LIGO Scientific Collaboration and climate modeling groups collaborating with National Center for Atmospheric Research. Performance monitoring projects produced data used in research by groups from University of California, San Diego and Princeton University, informing network engineering practice and influencing commercial backbone upgrades by carriers. The network's role in facilitating distributed science supported collaborations spanning institutions like Yale University, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, and California Institute of Technology. Abilene's operational lessons fed into standards discussions at the Internet Engineering Task Force and influenced subsequent research networks such as GEANT and NLR (Networked Laboratory for Research) efforts.

Transition and Legacy

In 2007 the Abilene infrastructure transitioned to a new Internet2 backbone initiative that rebranded and upgraded services, moving toward an open services framework used by projects such as Internet2 Net+ offerings and partnerships with carriers including Level 3 Communications. The migration informed successor architectures, contributing to protocols, peering arrangements, and federation models adopted by research networks worldwide including GEANT in Europe and regional networks like CANARIE in Canada. The legacy persists in operational practices at ESnet, advanced network research at institutions like University of California, Los Angeles, and continuing collaboration frameworks involving National Science Foundation investments and community consortia such as InCommon and Educause.

Category:Computer networking Category:Research networks Category:Internet2