NSF Award
0834243
This project will fund the development of components and their integration for Spiral 1 of an end-to-end prototype of a suite of network infrastructure that would enable researchers to carry out novel network science and engineering experiments, i.e., to do science that currently can not be done. Spiral 1 will attempt a first, trial integration and operation of components on multiple national backbones. Spiral 1 will be developed as quickly as possible to identify and reduce programmatic and technical risk and to help the research community achieve a shared vision by providing a working prototype. It will stimulate broad community participation and build a strong academic and industrial base. Twenty-nine projects, working in five teams will compete in the design and implementation of the network infrastructure control framework. System engineers will perform top-down integration planning and project guidance. While a well-integrated, orderly system may not be possible until Spiral 2 or 3, Spiral 1 will take the critical first step towards creating this radically new kind of experimental infrastructure with end-to-end, virtualizable, and sliceable capabilities, which are entirely novel. Once this first spiral exists, it will co-evolve with the community?s emerging research and education agenda. The larger impacts are potentially huge, allowing for transformative research in network science and engineering that has never been done before.
