Comments on: National Lambda Rail, Internet2 Merger is Off. Again.

By: Bandwidth Startup’s Big Plans Hit By Credit Crunch

Bandwidth Startup’s Big Plans Hit By Credit Crunch — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:26:56 +0000

[...] a generation behind what’s used by commercial providers. I heard from some sources that when NLR and Internet2 were planning to merge, there was talk of ripping out the Cisco gear. Darkstrand executives said they were in close talks [...]

By: DarkStrand Launches to Commercialize National Lambda Rail - GigaOM

DarkStrand Launches to Commercialize National Lambda Rail - GigaOM — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 04:01:33 +0000

[...] When it bid for the contract to offer commercial access to the federal fiber network, Dark Strand competed against telecommunications providers like Qwest, Level 3 and AT&T that were also seeking to use the network for IP transport. [...]

By: Joseph Pally

Joseph Pally — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 14:44:12 +0000

You are correct, Vijay. I got a bit confused between IPv6 and Internet2. Thanks for straightening it out.

By: vijay gill

vijay gill — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 22:43:23 +0000

Dave, that is right, except no longer with AOL. Agree with the value being on the edge, not in the network, which is why who controls the center doesn't matter as long as they make it transparent. See my presentation at SANOG in new delhi on this topic.

As for Mr. Pally, no, there isn't anything these inet2 folks can do that the commercials cannot. They are not in any way shape or form faster.

/vijay

By: Dave Siegel

Dave Siegel — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 17:44:33 +0000

10 bucks says that's Vijay Gill from AOL. AOL's backbone is a perfect example of a production network that makes the Internet2 look like a backyard sandbox compared to Santa Monica beach when comparing total capacity. Indeed, even Global Crossing's Internet backbone carries 6x as much traffic as the total capacity of the Internet2 backbone.

IMHO, the real value of the Internet2 is not the network itself, but in the research and applications being conducted over it. Grid computing, tele-presence, security, IPv6 research... this is where the value is, and it's not something that comes with a purchase of the network itself, because it's the customers of the network, the Universities, that are conducting the research.

By: Joseph Pally

Joseph Pally — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 07:18:36 +0000

Vijay, Internet2 is the next generation of Internet (faster, with lots more capacity and addresses). Some even say that the IP addresses are going to get over in some years.

At the moment, it is some legal/political issues between the two organizations.

By: vijay

vijay — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 06:21:35 +0000

I am unclear as to what these networks do that aren’t available commercially? In most cases, we were running networks that had more bandwidth, more reach and far more relevance than either.