Alcatel-Lucent and DANTE, Delivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe Ltd, an international data network operator, have successfully completed the roll out of a new converged optical-data network linking national research and education networks across Europe. The deployment was carried out in the framework of the GÉANT2 project launched in 2004 to connect approximately 3,500 scientific sites in 34 European countries to facilitate collaborative research. GÉANT2 is the largest European communications network ever built for research and education offering high-speed services, as well as new Ethernet-based and grid computing applications to the scientific community. DANTE deployed Alcatel-Lucent’s advanced intelligent optical networking solution to allow long-distance communications among research centers with maximum reliability and protection. These capabilities are key when carrying sensitive research data for projects such as e-health, e-learning, climate modeling, and worldwide earthquake forecasting. The solution is an optimized combination of dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) and optical cross-connects with integrated management. GÉANT2 is the successor of GÉANT, the first leading multi-gigabit pan-European research and education network. Engineered for core speeds of up to 400 Gb/s, GÉANT2’s transmission rates enable researchers to gather large volumes of data – such as online access to valuable biological databases – in seconds or to analyze data from multiple interconnected radio telescopes to provide high resolution images of the universe in real time. “Advanced technology and extreme network flexibility are key to support new applications dedicated to furthering scientific research,” said Dr. Hans Döbbeling, General Manager at DANTE. “Alcatel-Lucent assisted us with valuable technical and consulting support in the evolution of our network. The Alcatel-Lucent optical platform allows GÉANT2 to offer circuits and even entire optical private networks in addition to the conventional packet switching service.” “Research networking allows scientists to maximize inter-exchanges in collaborative projects and contribute to the best of their abilities whatever their location is,” stated Romano Valussi, President of Alcatel-Lucent’s Optics activities. "The close cooperation with DANTE to implement the highest service innovation in GÉANT2 is now available to benefit the research community and serves as a use case for deploying intelligent optical solutions in mission-critical commercial applications.” Providing direct optical connectivity to the existing IP network, the new research network is based on the Alcatel-Lucent 1626 Light Manager (LM) DWDM platform for long to ultra long-haul applications and the 1678 Connect (MCC) that converges optical and data switching capabilities on a single platform. Furthermore, the solution can support Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching (GMPLS), a technology that offers high network protection by enabling fast, automated re-routing if needed. The Alcatel-Lucent 1350 management suite controls both the 1678 MCC and the 1626 LM equipment. Operation of the 1350 management suite is carried out by the GÉANT2 Network Operation Center (NOC) in Paris, France, with support from the Alcatel-Lucent NOC in Stuttgart, Germany. The GÉANT2 project is developing monitoring and management procedures to enhance inter-domain operations between the European backbone and its partners, the National Research and Education networks.