Why is it, then, that everyone who talks about Internet2 says it is crucial to development of next-generation technologies that will benefit all users?

In the Beginning

Internet2 germinated as the commercial Internet emerged into the mainstream in 1994 and 1995. Discussions began among researchers in academia as they realized the goal of this commercial Internet was much different than the goals of the academic, scientific and government communities that had birthed the Internet's predecessor, NSF.net. "Experimentation wasn't possible on the commercial Internet," Greg Wood, a spokesperson for Internet2, told NewsFactor.

The Internet2 consortium began as an effort among 34 universities but has grown to include 202 universities and numerous corporate research labs. Internet2-connected universities have committed more than US$80 million per year in new investments on campuses, and corporate members have committed upward of $30 million over the life of the project. Internet2 institutions also receive funding via grants from the National Science Foundation and other federal agencies.

Experimental Internet

The promise of Internet2 is that its leading-edge networking techniques will prove to be valuable and will be built into new commercial products and services, Wood said.

"It's a testbed for next-generation applications that won't operate on the commodity Internet," said Greg Moore, a spokesperson at Indiana University. Ideally, data and information gathered from tests will be used to construct the hardware, software and services for the next mainstream Internet, he added.

Some applications supposedly enabled by Internet2 include uncompressed high-definition television (HDTV)-quality video, digital libraries, virtual laboratories, distance-independent learning, scalable multicasting and tele-immersion.

Fast Ride

There is no question about the value of Internet2, according to Wood. NSF.net proved beyond a doubt that in a world where companies spit out products on a three- to six-month time horizon, it is vital to have an environment that can take a long-term view of technology development, he said. The current Internet was essentially a 20-year R&D program begun in the 1970s. "There's a need to have a place where the long horizon can foster new technologies to be used in high-performance networks," he noted. (continued...)

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