Holland's SURFnet Deploys Nortel's Common Photonic Layer

SURFnet, which operates an advanced research network in The Netherlands, is using Nortel's intelligent optical solution to power its StarPlane project, which utilizes pure optical technology to deliver on-demand computing power.



The 40Gbps-ready Adaptive All Optical Intelligent solution for SURFnet includes the Dynamic Resource Allocation Controller (DRAC) which enables user-control of network resources for high-performance networking applications like computing and media services.



The StarPlane project provides researchers with access to massive computing power delivering the equivalent of the processing capacity of 500 personal computers to the desktop. StarPlane uses pure optical technology to link the Distributed ASCI Supercomputer 3 (DAS-3) computer clusters at five locations in The Netherlands into a grid to enable delivery of bandwidth on-demand, e.g. enabling computer scientists to reconfigure the topology of the distributed supercomputer. On-demand service activation of photonic networking is delivered using an extension to Nortel's Dynamic Resource Allocation Controller (DRAC) platform.



The SURFnet6 network, built using Nortel's Optical Multiservice Edge 6500 and Nortel's Common Photonic Layer, is deployed across the more than 7000 kms of optical fibre. SURFnet6 links to the international lightpath-capable networks in Amsterdam through NetherLight, the GLIF Open Lightpath Exchange in Amsterdam and to other European research networks for example through the pan European GEANT2 network.

http://www.nortel.com

http://www.surfnet.nl