Frequently Asked 

Questions

What is the vBNS?

How does the vBNS work?

Who can use the vBNS?

Since MCI owns and operates the network, can MCI determine who connects to the vBNS?

What is the difference between the vBNS and Abilene?

What is the difference between the vBNS and the Internet?

What is Internet2?

What is the relationship between vBNS and Internet2?

What is the Next Generation Internet initiative?

Is the vBNS part of NGI?

Need more information?


 
 

What is the vBNS?

vBNS stands for very high performance Backbone Network Service.

The vBNS is a nationwide network that operates at a speed of 622 megabits per second (OC12) using MCI's network of advanced switching and fiber optic transmission technologies. At speeds of 622 megabits per second, 322 copies of a 300-page book can be sent every seven seconds.

 Launched in April 1995, the vBNS is the product of a five-year cooperative agreement between MCI and the National Science Foundation (NSF) to provide a high bandwidth network for research applications.
 
 
 
 

How does the vBNS work?

 The vBNS relies on advanced switching and fiber optic transmission technologies, known as Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) and Synchronous Optical Network (SONET). The combination of ATM and SONET enables very high speed, high capacity voice, data, and video signals to be combined and transmitted "on demand".

 The vBNS' speeds are achieved by connecting Internet Protocol (IP) through an ATM switching matrix, and running this combination on the SONET network.
 
 
 
 

Who can use the vBNS?

 The vBNS was designed for the scientific and research communities and originally provided high speed interconnection among NSF supercomputing centers and connection to NSF-specified Network Access Points. Today the vBNS connects two NSF supercomputing centers and research institutions that are selected under the NSF's high performance connections program.

 The vBNS is only available for meritorious research projects with high bandwidth uses and is not used for general Internet traffic.
 
 
 
 

Since MCI owns and operates the network, can MCI determine who connects to the vBNS?

 No. The NSF awards grants under its high performance connection program. MCI is not involved in the program or the decision process. For more information on the NSF's high performance connections program, contact:

 Dave Staudt and/or Doug Gatchell at (703) 306-1950.
 
 
 
 

What is the difference between the vBNS and Abilene?

The vBNS, created in 1995 in partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF), provides to NSF designated organizations a high performance production research platform with service features and performance characteristics designed to be "one step ahead" of what is currently available in the commercial Internet. In addition to the production network, MCI also provides, as part of the vBNS program, a separate standalone testnet for the investigation of new routing and switching technologies, new service features and network performance experimentation.

Abilene, under development by the University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development (UCAID) in partnership with Qwest Communications, Nortel (Northern Telecom) and Cisco Systems, is planned to be a high-performance network dedicated to the support of the UCAID membership. Abilene is scheduled for initial operation in early 1999.

Below are 14 highlights to help outline the unique, and unequalled, features and functionality already offered in the vBNS.

  1. High performance national OC-12c network (Planned upgrade to OC-48c 1999)

    2. a) Low latency (average coast to coast less than 100 ms)
    b) High throughput (over 490 Mbps of payload)
    c) Stable (99.95% or greater service availability)
    d) Uncongested (average utilization less than 50%)
    e) 622 Mbps 14,000+ route mile backbone network
  2. Dedicated engineering team focused on development and deployment of advanced IP services and functionality (QOS, Multicast, IPv6, etc . . .)
  3. 7 X 24 Network Operations Center
  4. High speed interconnection and peering with NSF designated Federal R&E networks (i.e. NREN, ESnet and DREN)
  5. High speed interconnection and peering with NSF designated International R&E networks (e.g. CA*net II, SINGAREN, TANet and others)
  6. NSF AUP compliance

    7. a) Network access and utilization restricted to only NSF designated organizations
    b) No commercial/commodity Internet access
    c) No transit services
  7. Differentiated routing services defined by institution classification (vAI vs vPI)
  8. Network traffic and performance monitoring at full line rates
  9. User defined network performance and traffic measurement
  10. Full and open disclosure of all network, and engineering, plans and activities in both on-line and hard copy formats (DOC set)
  11. Monthly, Quarterly and Annual network traffic and performance reporting, findings and service objectives
  12. Web based archive for public access to all performance reports, engineering objectives, white papers, presentations, network maps and other program activities
  13. Support of advanced routing services

    14. a) Native Multicast (PIM and MBONE)
    b) QOS (per flow bandwidth reservations)
    c) Native IPv6
  14. Separate, stand-alone national OC-12c or greater test network

 
 

What is the difference between the vBNS and the Internet?

 The Internet is a ubiquitous network that has become an information tool for researchers, students, teachers, business and the general public. The vBNS is a non-commercial research platform for the advancement and development of high speed applications, data routing and data switching capabilities.
 
 
 
 

What is Internet2?

 Internet2 is a collaborative effort by over 100 U.S. research universities to create the broadband application, engineering and network management tools that will enable advanced research and education. For more information about Internet2, see http://www.Internet2.edu or call Greg Wood at (800) 786-5918.
 
 
 
 

What is the relationship between vBNS and Internet2?

 Through the NSF's high performance connections program, fifty-three Internet2 university members have received grants to support the acquisition of high performance network connections to the vBNS. Internet2 members will use the vBNS to enable the advanced, networked computing applications they are developing. The vBNS serves as initial interconnect for Internet2 members.
 
 
 
 

What is the Next Generation Internet initiative?

 The Next Generation Internet (NGI) intitiative was announced in October, 1996 by President Clinton. The President has pledged $100 million per year for three years to foster partnerships among academia, industry and government to achieve the following goals:
 
 

  • connect research universities and national laboratories with high performance networks -- about 100 organizations at speeds of 100 times today's Internet and around 20 organizations at speeds of 1,000 times today's Internet;

    •  

     
     
     

  • promote experimentation with the next generation of networking technologies; and
  • demonstrate new applications that meet important national goals and missions.

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    Is the vBNS part of NGI?

     For the first year, fiscal year 1998, the NSF budget request for NGI-related activities is $10 million. NGI funding has not yet been approved, so the role of the vBNS is unknown at this time.
     
     

    Reprinted with the permission of MCIWORLDCOM . Copyright 1999 MCIWORLDCOM. All rights reserved. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number NCR 9321047. Any opinions, findings, and
    conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.