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07/18/2001 Archived Entry: "Internet2 Puts Broadband To The Test"

InternetWeek > In Depth > High-Speed Networking > Internet2 Puts Broadband To The Test > July 18, 2001


Imagine a more robust public network--one that runs at multigigabit speeds end to end, with an infrastructure that supports multicasting, quality of service and IPv6 features such as enhanced security and 128-bit address base.


It sounds a little like pie in the sky. But there is such a network out there, although it's not yet available for commercial use.


Abilene, built by researchers with the Internet2 project, is a test bed for what's in store for the future of the Internet. It offers promising glimpses of the kind of videoconferencing and distance learning applications that may be mainstream at businesses and educational institutions by mid-decade.


"For IT managers, Internet2 is a snapshot of what will be here five years down the road," says Steve Corbato, director of backbone network infrastructure at Internet2.