Global Networks for Research

Northwestern University is a recognized leader in global networking and research. In support of Northwestern's world-class research environment, NUIT makes advanced, global research networks available to campus innovators.

Worldwide collaboration with educational, government, and scientific institutions are key to these capabilities. Northwestern's location in the third largest metropolitan area in the United States makes it a hub for high-speed education and research networking.

NUIT enables an advanced computational environment with:

• Network partnerships — Participate in ongoing international, national, and statewide networking initiatives such as StarLight, an interconnection facility for global research networks
• High speed connections — Design, develop, and support an infrastructure that ensures reliable high-performance bandwidth with speeds of up to 10Gbps
• Campus facilities — Leverage existing and improved network facilities and resources to transmit massive scientific data

Infrastructure Support

Northwestern's research-enabling infrastructure is managed by NUIT's Telecommunications & Network Services, working closely with NUIT Computing Services. These groups are presently implementing a multi-year effort for the convergence of voice, data, and video services on University networks. This industry-standard architecture, called Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), ensures that the NU Network anticipates and meets the future needs of research and communications at Northwestern.

Datacenter Services

In support of research at Northwestern, the central NUIT Datacenter delivers high-quality, high-availability computing for critical systems. Managed by NUIT Computing Services, research-specific servers can be located at the recently upgraded Datacenter facility.

Research Network Collaborations

NUIT participates in several research network collaborations, including:

• StarLight — Designed and developed by researchers, for researchers, StarLight, the "optical STAR TAP" (Science, Technology and Research Transit Access Point), interconnects advanced networks worldwide. StarLight is a proving ground for next-generation national and international optical networks optimized for high-performance applications. The global scientist community are among StarLight's first users due to high-bandwidth application requirements and distributed computing and storage needs.
  
  
• Global Ring Network for Advanced Application Development (GLORIAD) — A partnership between the U.S., China, Russia, Canada, the Netherlands, and Korea, GLORIAD supports scientists on a global scale. The partnership offers advanced networking services and technologies for enhanced communications and data exchange, active collaboration, and integrated processes. It enables access to unique scientific facilities and specialized tools and technologies for scientists, engineers, and other researchers.
  
  
• UKLight — An international research facility supporting multiple large-scale science projects. It consists of 10 Gbps connections from London to StarLight in Chicago and NetherLight in Amsterdam, as well as a national infrastructure that integrates UK's major university research institutions among primary points of presence and international peering points.
  
  
• Global Lambda Integrated Facility (GLIF) — An international organization developing and promoting new methods and concepts related to lightpath (lambda) networking. GLIF participants support multiple research and development activities directed at creating new international communication services. The GLIF supports data-intensive scientific research, optical middleware development, and testbed projects.
  
  
• National LambdaRail (NLR) — Supports a variety of networks, including advanced experimental research networks. Half the capacity of the NLR is devoted to advanced research, related to fundamental technology and to new methods for supporting science applications.
  
  
• TeraGrid — This large-scale, distributed, and computationally intensive infrastructure has sites at several U.S. facilities. It was designed to rival the most powerful computers in the world. StarLight provides the international community with access to the TeraGrid.
  
  
• Illinois Wired/Wireless Infrastructure for Research and Education
  (I-WIRE) — A State of Illinois optical network based on dark fiber, I-WIRE is interconnected to dedicated fiber-based advanced networks and is being extended to several sites in downstate Illinois.
  
  
• UltraLight — This research project was established by network engineers and experimental physicists. These researchers are developing new methods for providing advanced network services in support of the next generation of high-energy physics. The facilities and instruments will generate multiple petabytes of particle physics data that will be analyzed by physicists worldwide.
  
  
• Asia-Pacific Advanced Network (APAN) — Conducts research and development for advanced applications and services, and provides an advanced network environment for local research communities and international collaboration.