Business need

Successful research based on scientific computing depends on the ability to move enormous amounts of data, to access data and computing resources over the network, and to collaborate in real-time from multiple locations regionally, nationally and around the world.  For successful research and collaboration, research networks must interconnect computing platforms to support cluster processing, grid computing and transfer of very large volumes of data.

Challenges

Bandwidth requirements of the research community far outstrip traditional service provider services, requiring significant network resources for connectivity. Additionally, the research community requires control of connectivity to ensure bandwidth can be provisioned dynamically to support research projects between institutions as they are scheduled. The provisioning intervals of traditional service providers for high-bandwidth connectivity services are too long. The network should be an enabler for research. not an impediment.

Solution

A research network must provide high amounts of bandwidth, (GbE, 10GbE, and 40G connectivity), across regional and national geographies. In order to support project timelines, research applications should provide researchers with the control and flexibility to allocate GbE and 10GbE bandwidth on demand. Therefore researchers require tools for ease of management and automated power optimization as new channels are added, changed or disconnected between sites. To reach required levels of network performance, it is imperative that the capabilities of IP networking be complemented by a smart, flexible Layer 1/2 architecture.

Ciena's offerings

Ciena provides platforms that flexibly and efficiently deliver GbE and 10GbE connectivity to researchers, spanning from campus to regional to national networks. Intelligent Layer 1/2 technologies complement routing, minimizing complexity and routing hops and enabling low-latency connections. Ciena's solutions are the most manageable in the industry, enabling point-and-click provisioning and integrated design, configuration and management. As a partner to the R&E community, Ciena consistently engages with the customer to design and deliver tailored solutions that fit user requirements.

Benefits

• Flexibility: Supports multiple protocols up to and including 10GbE, featuring software-based configuration to allow provisioning of any service anywhere on the network
• Control and Manageability: Integrated design, configuration and management with point-and-click provisioning. Leading platforms for optical switching provide intelligent control plane management and dynamic provisioning
• Efficiency: Highest-density multiplexing and dynamic bandwidth assignment enable the network to fit unique application requirements
• Partner to the R&E Community: Senior expertise in the design and deployment of research networks, building the most advanced research networks in the world