Internet2: A New Network for a 25th Anniversary
A Q&A with Rob Vietzke
With Internet2 in its 25th year, it seems fitting that this is the time the organization will transition to a new network. And after months, or by some measurements, even years of preparation and work, Internet2's new network is set to be rolled out in October. Here, CT speaks with Internet2 VP of Network Services Rob Vietzke for an update on the Next Generation Infrastructure to be launched this coming month.
"This is the fifth generation of infrastructure for the Internet2 community, and we are delivering the most comprehensive set of network improvements in Internet2's history." —Rob Vietzke
Mary Grush: Given that the new network rollout is about to happen, how does it fit in with the 25th anniversary of Internet2?
Rob Vietzke: The timing is somewhat serendipitous. The majority of the work on the Internet2 Next Generation Infrastructure will be finished in early October, when we celebrate our 25th anniversary. This is the fifth generation of infrastructure for the Internet2 community, and we are delivering the most comprehensive set of network improvements in Internet2's history.
Grush: Can you describe the process of replacing an already advanced, powerful network with a new one? How do you establish organizing principles for such a large transition?
Vietzke: For us, the process began with the Next Generation Infrastructure project, which we started almost five years ago. We asked the community to tell us what was important. As a result, there were about 50 papers published, ranging from software enablement, to economics and agility, to greater support for data-intensive sciences and global science collaborations.
The process began with the Next Generation Infrastructure project, which we started almost five years ago. We asked the community to tell us what was important.
Those papers brought out five key principles: supporting access to the cloud for research and administration, supporting teams with software enablement, supporting the campus and regional ecosystem on an edge-to-edge basis, resetting the economies of scale to enable reinvestment, and supporting data-intensive research. Those five things became the template through which we did procurements and the basis for the way we designed the infrastructure.
That design and procurement phase ended about a year and a half ago. Since then, our attention has focused mainly on getting the infrastructure deployed, and on moving the traffic from the "old" network to the new network as we build the new network in parallel with the old.
Grush: How does Internet2 handle change of this scope, especially considering risk?
Vietzke: I've always thought of Internet2 as a really dynamic and even aggressive leader of new technologies and strategies. Internet2 is willing to take some risk in order to move forward on behalf of our broad community in ways that individual institutions can't.
Change is constant in what we do, and in many ways, what we are trying to do is orchestrate the biggest return on investment with the greatest benefits for our community in the context of limited resources. We focus on moving quickly and being agile — all for the purpose of serving our community and moving forward with the community's values.
Change is constant in what we do, and in many ways, what we are trying to do is orchestrate the biggest return on investment with the greatest benefits for our community in the context of limited resources.
Grush: What are the main differences between the current, "old" network and the new network? How would you describe the new network infrastructure?