Chris Robb <chrobb@indiana.edu>

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The Hybrid Packet and Optical Initiative as a Connectivity Solution

Presented to the APAN NOC & Resource Allocation Committee

By Jim Williams

On 27 January 2004

Chris Robb <chrobb@indiana.edu>

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Discussion Points….

• Background & Open Questions

• HOPI Description

• Current Status and Resources

• Future Possibilities

Chris Robb <chrobb@indiana.edu>

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Background & Open Questions

• Optical networks gaining momentum in the US, but not all US R&E networks ready to connect

• IP-based networks still the most common method of transport

• There’s clearly a need for both types of network infrastructures during (and after!) this transition period

• Is an optical network more reliable than an IP network? Is the performance any better?

– We don’t really know the answers to these questions on a national scale

• What will the next generation Internet2 network look like in 3 years?

• There’s clearly a need for a national infrastructure that can address the above issues and open questions.

• Proposed solution: HOPI

Chris Robb <chrobb@indiana.edu>

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HOPI (Hybrid Optical & Packet Infrastructure) Description

• HOPI is an Internet2-designed network that is being positioned as a solution to these issues

• The goals of the project are still being worked out by a small group of engineers from the US R&E community.

– HOPI design team co-chaired by Rick Summerhill (Internet2) and Linda Winkler (Argonne National Labs)

• Initial goals include the ability to interface non-optical networks to optical networks via the Internet2 Abilene backbone

– “stitching” of lightpaths will be accomplished via MPLS between the two optical components

– Lightpaths are defined as DWDM lambdas, SONET services, GigE services, MPLS tunnels, and any other layer1/layer2 technology.

– Lightpath “stitches” will be available between administrative domains (e.g. an optical path from SDSC to Abilene , over MPLS, then back to an optial path to GEANT)

Chris Robb <chrobb@indiana.edu>

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Status and Resources

• The initial plans are still being worked out with no concrete examples yet formed up

– The network design group is tasked with coming up with a design by April, 2004

– The design will depend on the needs of the community

• HOPI will be installing a Cisco ONS 15454 at the MANLAN interconnection point in New York

– This will allow for some initial experiments between the US and European networks

– Can be combined with CA*Net4 and TransPAC resources in Chicago

• MPLS tunnel currently implemented between North Carolina ITEC and Indiana University as an experiment

• Design team is not tasked with vendor recommentation– Too early to think about vendors - We don’t know what we’ll need yet!!

Chris Robb <chrobb@indiana.edu>

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Future Possibilities• First possibility: a lightpath between a cluster in California and a cluster in

Europe– TDM connection across Tyco OC-192 from Amsterdam to New York– TDM connection from New York to Chicago through CA*Net4– MPLS tunnel from Chicago to Los Angeles– This should create a point to point ethernet interface between two end hosts– This exercise will familiarize us with the challenges and issues with creating

lightpaths aross multiple administrative domains

• Interest in working with the Asian-Pacific community and their optical testbeds.

– After initial experiment between SURFnet and Abilene, we plan to extend the experiment even further to a testing partner in the Asian Pacific region

• Experiments and challenges will help formulate a picture for the Abilene follow-up in 2006.

– Should Abilene be purely IP-based?– Should it provide MPLS or other tunneled protocols?– What are the challenges that will hamper a more production network like Abilene?

Chris Robb <chrobb@indiana.edu>

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Questions???

• Please feel free to ask questions of Chris Robb <chrobb@indiana.edu>

• Administrative questions should be directed to: – Rick Summerhill <rrsum@internet2.edu>– Linda Winkler <lwinkler@mcs.anl.gov>

Thank you!