# Presentation: 501053

## NASA Research and Engineering Network (NREN) ONT Roadmap

- September 2005

- Project Manager
- Ken Freeman
- Engineering Group Lead
- Kevin Jones
- _[nren-ops@nren.nasa.gov](mailto:nren-ops@nren.nasa.gov)_
- _[www.nren.nasa.gov](http://www.nren.nasa.gov/)_

- NREN
- Version 3
- 9/08/05

## NASA Research and Engineering Network (NREN) Overview

**NASA Research and Engineering Network (NREN) Overview**

- NREN Goal
- Provide a wide area, high-speed network for large data distribution and real-time interactive applications
- Provide access to NASA engineering and research communities

**GSFC**

**ARC**

**StarLight**

**LRC**

**GRC**

**MSFC**

**JPL**

- 10 Gigabit Ethernet

- NREN Target:  September 2006

- Primary Focus:  Providing end-to-end distributed data delivery to/from Columbia computing facilities

- NREN is currently transitioning from ATM to lambda services
- ARC link to JPL is up
- NLR contract was signed 8/31/05

**JSC**

**NREN**
**WAN**

- OC-3 POS

## Overview - Sample Application

- Global atmospheric modeling
- Real-time prediction of Atlantic tropical cyclones and  other weather anomalies
- GSFC model runs on Columbia; terabyte data files are stored at GSFC
- Application requires real-time access to Columbia

## Optical Services

- NLR will enable NASA to use lambda services:
- Private lambda ring between NLR nodes
- Local loops to NASA end sites are either
- Dark fiber
- Managed services - 10 GigE lambdas
- NREN upgrades currently underway
- 2005:  Shared 1 Gbps connection between ARC-JPL
- 2005:  10 Gbps connection between ARC-GSFC
- 2006-2008:  More connections over the 2-3 years
- Enhancements under consideration
- 2006:  InfiniBand over WAN
- 2006:  Flexible lambda selection
- 2007:  Full 10 Gbps intrusion detection
- 2007-2010: Dynamic light-path allocation

## Optical Technologies

- NREN has chosen Cisco’s 6500 as a core connection platform for L2/L3 connectivity with LAN PHY hand-offs
- NLR depends on Cisco for its optical network switching platforms: ONS 15808 and 15454
- NASA will be connected to various RONs, which use different vendors and different technologies
- NASA will selectively use WDM electronics to interface to RONs and directly light dark fiber segments

***2005***

***2007***

***2010***

***Features:***

***Bandwidth:***

*Dedicated *
***s*

*Agile ***
* **switching*

*1 G*

*10 G*

*40 G*

***Timeline***

## Interoperability Issues

- Interoperability between vendor optical equipment
- Interoperability between testbeds and RONS
- Availability of wavelengths for dedicated light-paths
- Ability to change wavelengths
- Interfaces and distance limitations
- End-2-End performance troubleshooting issues: LAN, desktop, applications

## Key Challenges

- End-to-end performance
- LAN upgrades
- Desktop configurations and optimizations
- New applications
- Security
- NIST security requirements
- Intrusion detection at 10 Gbps
- Firewalls
- Operational support
- Contracts
- Increase in number and complexity
- Longer term contracts - ex 20-year IRUs
- Funding
- Vendors
- Long lead time for equipment orders
- Shortages of components
- Monitoring
- Network performance
- Application performance