CC-NIE Networking Infrastructure: Developing a Dedicated Research Network Infrastructure at the University of Central Florida

The University Of Central Florida Board Of Trustees, Orlando FL

Investigators

Abstract

The University of Central Florida (UCF) is extending a newly formed dedicated research network to three buildings on the main campus and deploying the Internet2 Innovation Platform on the research network. This project is providing on-campus researchers access to a Science DMZ, software-defined networking (including OpenFlow), and 10 Gb/s ports at their desktops. This enables labs with data-intensive research in departments such as Physics and Computer Science to use a dedicated research network, avoiding competition for bandwidth with other traffic on UCF's enterprise network. Additionally, UCF is installing perfSonar nodes to help monitor traffic on the research network, as well as a node to serve as an OpenFlow controller for software defined networking. These improvements to UCF's cyberinfrastructure improve access for faculty, graduate student researchers, and undergraduates to facilities in the Central Florida Research Park, such as the STOKES Advanced Research Computing Center. It also improves access to Florida LambdaRail (FLR), which enhances collaboration with a variety of institutions throughout Florida. This effort establishes the foundation of a dedicated research network, which helps UCF continue to align itself with the National Science Foundation's CI vision for discovery by working to provide the science and engineering communities with access to world-class CI tools and services, including those focused on: high performance computing; data, data analysis and visualization; observatories and virtual organizations; and education and workforce development.