ACADEMIA

Genomics data transfer, global video service, live performing arts, and real-time traffic flow demonstrations showcase value of ultrafast networking

Leaders from the China Education and Research Network (CERNET), Indiana University, Internet2 and the Chinese government met Thursday, June 21, at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China to demonstrate unique applications now possible over a new10G Internet link between the education and research networks of the United States and China.

The event showcased four user demonstrations including a real-time large data transfer of genomics data; a live dance master class over HD video; a live, global tele-surgery; and a real-time, end-to-end performance monitoring display. Indiana University, University of Michigan, University of Chicago, Duke University, New York University, University of California-Davis, and University of California-Los Angeles, the National Institutes of Health and The Paul Taylor Dance Company hosted the demonstrations.

For more than 10 years, partners in China and the United States have worked together on a range of efforts to support research and education networking for scientific collaboration. CERNET implemented the network and cyberinfrastructure within China, with financial support from the Chinese government. The new 10Gb link between Los Angeles and Beijing that made this event possible became operational in November 2011.

“The most important objective of the China-US 10G connection is to support China-US collaborations in Internet technology, education, and science over the next generation Internet,” said Professor and Director of CERNET Center Jianping Wu. “For example, at this event, BGI, America’s National Center for Biotechnology Information, and the UC Davis Genome Center successfully demonstrated the real-time transfer, “big genome data” between China and the US in 30 seconds rather than the current 24 hours, by using IPv6 technology. This demonstration shows us the brilliant future of big science collaboration between China and the U.S.”

“With the launch and successful demonstration of the new 10GB link, the research and education communities in both China and the United States are now well-positioned to meet the demands of the global research community,” said H. David Lambert, president and chief executive officer, Internet2. “Internet2 strongly believes that increased global collaboration is a key to our long-term success, and we reaffirm our continued support of collaborative scientific research between the United States and China.”

“Since 2000, CERNET has had a very close relationship with Internet2 and the US research and education community. This 10G connection between China and the US will certainly provide great support to an even closer relationship between the Chinese and US educational and research communities,” said Zhaozi Lei, the deputy director of the Science and Technology Division at the Chinese Ministry of Education.

There are plans to further leverage the 10gb link to promote future collaborations and confront future challenges. “This celebration is well-earned. This link is operational because of the long, hard efforts on the part of network engineers and administrators in the US and in China,” said James Williams, director of international networking at the Indiana University. “Now to give this network value, we have to facilitate and encourage current US-China research and education collaborations and we must carefully plan for future broader and more intense collaborations. The challenge I throw out to scientists and educators: How would 10x, 100x or 1000x the network connectivity between China and the US change collaborative research? The answer to this question will drive the future of US-China research and education networking.”