Janet, the privategovernment-funded computer networkdedicated to education and research, has launched Aurora -
a fibre network that will provide a platform for photonics and
optical systems research.
With about 350km of dedicated fibre, this is one of Europe's
biggest test-beds for optical networking research and will allow
projects that, until now, have been impossible to perform on
existing research network infrastructures, said Dimitra Simeonidou
of Essex University's department of electronic systems
engineering.
The network
will connect research groups at the universities of Cambridge,
Essex and UCL, with access to intermediate locations along each
fibre path, where additional equipment can be sited.
The Janet Lightpath service will provide further access to the
network for other research groups wanting to use the facility,
including international sites for collaborative projects.
Networking needs are growing and will need to support future
transmission bit-rates up to 100gbps and beyond.
Janet Aurora will enable research groups to pursue their work
with minimal constraints, in a way that would be impossible on a
public network carrying real traffic.
The network will enable researchers to trial prototype equipment
and test advanced network architectures and technologies in real
operational conditions.
"Janet Aurora has enabled us
to connect three internationally leading photonic laboratories
in the UK with the scope to share experimental facilities and test
prototype photonic technologies and ultra-high-speed transmission
techniques in a real field environment," said Simeonidou.