Some months ago, a scam artist was attempting to
sell participation in the "New Internet". As it turned
out, the offer to secure yourself an e-commerce spot
in the next generation Internet was a scam.
But the Internet 2 is as real as it gets.
Launched in 1996, the Internet2 offers lightning-fast connections
to two fiber-optic backbone networks that ensure data arrives
at its destination without loss or delay and already connects
at least one university in each of the 50 states in the US.
Abilene, the Internet2(R) backbone network, is in operation
at speeds up to 2.4 gigabits per second, or 45,000 times faster
than a typical modem.
It was developed in partnership with Qwest Communications,
http://www.quest.net.nz/, Cisco Systems, http://www.cisco.com/,
Nortel Networks, http://www.nortelnetworks.com/, and Indiana
University, http://www.indiana.edu/.
It currently provides nationwide high-performance networking
capabilities for over 180 Internet2 universities, which, in addition
to high speed, provides advanced networking services such as
multi-casting, IPv6, enables advanced applications such as
High-Definition TV, tele-medicine and remote access to
scientific instruments.
TV may soon stream into your home via your computer in a
quality and level never before envisioned. And the average
person may well be able to create their own TV shows right
on their own home computer.
Speed was one of the major reasons for the inception of the
"New Internet". Government and educational institutions
were beginning to get bogged down within the old Internet
network system. If the original vision was to be maintained,
a new system would have to be implemented.
At the moment, only government, universities and corporate
sponsors are allowed to participate. It is still in research and
the network itself is still under development.
For more information on Abilene please see:
http://www.internet2.edu/abilene/
One of the reasons individuals are not allowed into the club
are the monetary restrictions. Although many an individual
might be willing and able to plunk down the yearly fee of
$10,000 to $25,000, the cost of accessing the network itself
can run $1,000,000 or more.
What are the current participants getting for their money?
"This milestone in advanced networking opens possibilities for
researchers, students and teachers at universities across the
country to collaborate with each other and to access resources
in ways not possible using the commercial Internet," said Steve
Corbató, Internet2 director of backbone network infrastructure.
"Abilene provides a unique leading-edge network environment
that enables people to experiment with and test new capabilities
that can make their way into the global Internet."
Internet2(R) is developing and deploying advanced network
applications and technologies for research and also for higher
education, accelerating the creation of tomorrow's Internet.
Internet2 recreates the partnership of academia, industry and
government that helped foster today's Internet in its infancy.
For more information about
Internet2, see: http://www.internet2.edu/
Internet2 is expected to go, "Public", in about 3 to 5 years.
That is when the average Internet surfer will have access.
However, no one is certain what that actually means.
If you were excited by the possibilities of the Internet,
the future is far brighter for Internet2. So get out your
best pair of shades and your thinking cap because the
new frontier just got even newer.
About the Author
A.T.Rendon is an entrepreneur and published writer.
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