The GSFC Scientific and Engineering Network (SEN)
is a local, non-mission dedicated, high-end computer network at GSFC
with high-speed links to the Internet2’s Abilene and other Next
Generation Internet (NGI) networks, serving GSFC projects/users who have
computer network performance requirements greater than those baselined
for GSFC’s general-use, campus-wide Center Network Environment
(CNE). The majority of the CNE’s inter-building backbone links
are 100 megabit per second (Mbps), and either shared or dedicated 10/100
Mbps standard Ethernet connections are used for individual desktop workstations
and servers. A goal of the SEN is to provide both local area network
(LAN) and wide area network (WAN) network-non-blocking connectivity for
its high-end computer users while providing security at its LAN/WAN perimeter
boundary equivalent to that of the CNE.
The majority of the SEN’s inter-building backbone links presently
are 4 gigabit per second (Gbps), created using IEEE 802.3ad link aggregation
standards with four separate 1 Gbps Gigabit Ethernet (GE) connections
between respective pairs of GE switches. For desktop workstations
and servers, as well as for its other inter-building and intra-building
links, the SEN minimally provides 1 Gbps GE LAN connections. Furthermore,
only jumbo frame-capable GE switches are used in the SEN’s infrastructure. The
9000-byte sized Ethernet jumbo frames supported by the SEN generally
provide individual users with approximately six times better throughput
performance as compared to networks only supporting 1500-byte sized Ethernet
standard frames.
For its WAN connectivity, the SEN presently supports a 2 Gbps jumbo
frame-capable link with the Mid-Atlantic Crossroads (MAX) point-of-presence
at the University of Maryland College Park (UMCP). The MAX, through its
role as both the regional gigapop for access to the Abilene network and
the NGI-East Exchange for interfacing with the federally funded NGI networks,
provides the SEN with excellent WAN connectivity.
Additional user-oriented information about
the SEN is available. |
