CC*IIE Networking Infrastructure: SciNet: A ScienceDMZ for Science and Engineering Research at University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez

University Of Puerto Rico Mayaguez, Mayaguez PR

Investigators

Abstract

The SciNet Project at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez (UPRM) seeks to build an advanced networking infrastructure to support science and engineering research. SciNet is a high-speed, frictionless Science DMZ network, designed to interconnect computer clusters, storage systems, gene sequencers, oceanographic sensors, and other scientific instruments available at UPRM. Modern research efforts depend upon readily access to computers and scientific instruments to help scientists analyze data resulting from their experiments. The computer network has emerged as the system bottleneck in this infrastructure due to current bandwidth limitations. The Science DMZ model has emerged as a solution to this problem by providing a secure, high-speed, frictionless, separate network segment that is dedicated exclusively to science traffic. SciNet consists of six points of access (PoAs) strategically located at the buildings housing researchers performing data intensive work in gene sequencing, high-energy physics, computational chemistry, fluid mechanics, oceanography, bioinformatics, networking, and big data analytics. Each PoA consists of a networking switch, high-speed storage equipment, and monitoring tools to ensure proper operation. SciNet is designed to accept additional PoAs and be peered with the Science DMZ of another institution. Thus, it enables collaborators from other institutions to access the infrastructure available at UPRM. Therefore, SciNet is a key enabler to help faculty and students at UPRM, which is a Hispanic-serving institution, become involved in national research initiatives, particularly in fields of high societal impacts such as genetics, energy, environmental sciences, and computer technology.