HANOVER, Md., Oct. 15, 2019 – Internet2, a nonprofit, member-driven advanced technology community founded by the nation’s leading higher education institutions, has selected the latest photonic and coherent optical innovations from Ciena to transform its network to a more scalable, programmable and adaptive architecture.

The upgraded network, which connects several hundred universities, government agencies, and community anchor institutions across the U.S., will help Internet2 increase capacity at reduced operating costs to directly support advanced research efforts such as the IceCube Laboratory at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica. The lab was established to study neutrino physics and multi-messenger astronomy. The network will also support the Open Science Grid that enables high-throughput computing for high energy physics, structural biology and cross-disciplinary science.

The infrastructure will consist of a flexible grid open line system (OLS) which strengthens Internet2 and the wider R&E community’s ability to conduct scientific research, enhance collaboration, and improve operations. This foundational element will provide access to a highly reliable, contiguous coherent optical network that can facilitate wavelength delivery and efficient data transfer throughout the continental United States. The OLS also includes Ciena’s commitment to support wavelengths launched directly from Internet2’s member networks for transport to strategic endpoints beyond their regional footprints.

Internet2 will deploy Ciena’s latest-generation Waveserver – powered by WaveLogic 5 Extreme – programmable 200G-800G coherent optics. This will enable Internet2 to deploy 800G wavelengths in metro locations and support efficient 400GE interconnect over native 400G wavelengths between Internet2 points-of-presence system-wide.

Internet2’s deployment will reduce the overall space and power footprint of the current optical add-drop locations by as much as two-thirds, contributing to a lower cost and greener network that supports substantially more capacity.

Internet2 will be able to tune, control and dynamically adjust optical capacity across any path using Ciena’s Liquid Spectrum  analytics software. Additionally, Ciena’s Manage, Control and Plan domain controller will help improve network management and operations.

“Ciena put forth a great proposal that met Internet2’s objectives to efficiently increase capacity, increase optical reach, and support open line system use cases. Together with superior coherent modems and a proven support system, the openness, flexibility and greener profile of this network will play a key role in our ability to accelerate discoveries in the research and education community. We are delighted to have Ciena as a partner in tackling the great research and education challenges of the next decade,” said Howard Pfeffer, President and CEO, Internet2.

“Internet2 is a trailblazer in the R&E community. They are also leaders in developing collaborative environments that are shaping how future high performance, high capacity networks will be created to fuel the digital society. Ciena worked with Internet2 to establish America’s first nationwide 100G R&E network and this latest initiative will significantly enhance Internet2’s services,” said Rod Wilson, Chief Technologist for Research Networks, Ciena.

About Internet2
Internet2 is a non-profit, member-driven advanced technology community founded by the nation’s leading higher education institutions in 1996. Internet2 serves 320 U.S. universities, 60 government agencies, 43 regional and state education networks and through them supports more than 100,000 community anchor institutions, close to 1,000 InCommon participants, and 58 leading corporations working with our community, and 70 national research and education network partners that represent more than 100 countries.

About Ciena

Ciena is a networking systems, services and software company. We provide solutions that help our clients create the Adaptive NetworkÔ in response to the constantly changing demands of their users. By delivering best-in-class networking technology through high-touch consultative relationships, we build the world’s most agile networks with automation, openness and scale. For updates on Ciena, follow us on Twitter @Ciena, LinkedIn, the Ciena Insights blog, or visit www.ciena.com.

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Source: Ciena and Internet2