Bob Hart, a graduate student in meteorology, demonstrates
the Department of Meteorology's use of Internet2
to deliver weather data to users.
By Heather Herzog
Computer and Information Systems
As of December, Penn State is connected to the super-fast Internet2 computer network known as Abilene -- the most advanced research and education network in the United States today. The new connection, completed via the Pittsburgh Supercomputer Center, is expected to advance information technology developments at the University, as well as provide long-term support for Internet2 efforts already under way, including distance learning, "tele-collaboration" and digital library services.
The Abilene network was developed by the University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development (UCAID) in partnership with Qwest, Cisco and Nortel to provide a high-power, second generation alternative to the current Internet that would meet university research needs. As an Internet2 backbone network, Abilene spans more than 10,000 miles and operates at the impressive speed of 2.4 gigabits per second (around 45,000 times faster than the typical modem) -- a speed that is so fast it could allow the transfer of 150,000 double-spaced, typewritten pages in one second.
Gary Augustson, vice provost for information technology and one of the founders of UCAID, explained that it's essential t that students, faculty and staff have a long-term Internet2 infrastructure to address cross-country connectivity. The University's initial Internet2 connection is part of a five-year project that is ending in April.
Abilene's larger bandwidth (pipe size) will make it possible for scholars to send larger volumes of data such as full-motion video and 3D simulations across distances. By using Internet2-adapted software, these individuals will then be able to simultaneously share, manipulate and make changes to the computer simulations from remote locations. In addition, since Abilene is a testbed for Internet2 research and is currently being used by 96 universities throughout the country, it will enable Penn State users to participate in new technologies that will be available on this network first.
"By enabling many minds to work on problems at once, they can increase the intellectual capital focused on a problem by orders of magnitude," said Kevin Morooney, director of graduate education and research services at the Center for Academic Computing. "When you take the limitations of lower bandwidth networking away, the result is effective collaboration and unbridled innovation."
Creative ability may be the only limitation to the educational uses of Internet2. Morooney envisions there may soon be a day when a renowned musician like Yo-Yo Ma will be able to give interactive lessons to students all over the world from the comfort of his latest tour stop; or when scientists from different countries will collaboratively operate telescopes and other scientific instruments together; and groups of highly specialized surgeons perform surgery from separate hospital locations.
Though it will take time for these possibilities to become realities, Penn State's use of Internet2 is growing steadily. The significance of this network to the Penn State community is demonstrated by the University's rapidly increasing dependence on Internet2 to carry large amounts of information concurrently to and from other Internet2 institutions.
"From July to November, the amount of concurrent information sent by Penn State nearly tripled," said Steve Schroeder, director of network planning and integration in the Office of Telecommunications.
It is expected that Internet2 backbone usage will continue to grow at this dramatic pace as new applications that can only run over Internet2, such as quality video, move from testing environments into the production stage.
The scope of Internet2 research projects is also expanding. In recent years, faculty, staff and students have used the service for a variety of purposes, including:
-- Architecture students at Penn State and The Ohio State University are using the high-speed network to virtually tour and collaboratively critique one another's 3D architecture models.
-- Meteorologists at the University are exploring ways to collect satellite images to explore weather patterns in both spatial and temporal dimensions.
-- Penn State and researchers from Old Dominion University have used high-performance networks to "tele-collaboratively" explore a 3D model of the Susquehanna River Basin, in order to study dynamic relationships among temperature, precipitation and topography.
A great deal of work still remains to be done to develop the tools needed for universities to make full use of Internet2, according to Augustson, who believes the high-speed network is both an "evolutionary" and "revolutionary" concept.
"Though the capabilities of Internet2 are eye-popping," Augustson said, "it is the imaginations of individuals that will ultimately define what this service will bring to the world."