GN2 logo

GN2 'Distributed' Workshop

The EU-funded GN2 project impacts many of the areas of interest in research and education networking. Its most visible result is GÉANT2, the next generation of the pan-European research backbone network interconnecting the national research and education networks of 34 countries. Compared to the earlier GÉANT backbone, GÉANT2 is based on a different paradigm and provides a much richer set of services.
In addition to the GÉANT2 backbone network service, the GN2 project encompasses a number of Joint Research Activities and Networking Activities. As part of the Networking Activity on “Conferences and Events”, a GN2 event is attached to the annual TERENA conferences.
It has been decided that, this year, the event has one session on GÉANT2 in a panel discussion form and the other GN2 presentations have been included in the appropriate topic-oriented parallel sessions throughout the conference programme.
The enormous potential of GÉANT2 continues to shape the future development of research and education across Europe. Designed and built on behalf of a consortium of National Research and Education Networks (NRENs), with funding support from the European Commission as part of its 6th Framework Programme, the GÉANT2 network provides a vital research infrastructure as well as the necessary resources for information technology and telecommunications development. Key elements of the GÉANT2 network include:

  • Increased Capacity
    Many routes operate at 10Gbps - speeds which equate to transferring 1,000 digital photos in 1.6 seconds. The total network capacity is over 500 Gbps, i.e., 2.5 times the performance of the first GÉANT network.

  • Point-to-Point Services
    GÉANT2 is designed to switch both data packets and data streams. The ability to switch data streams is innovative and opens up new service possibilities.
  • Advanced Usability and Support
    A major focus for GÉANT2 is to provide support beyond just installing network connections and to make it more accessible and user-focused. The network has been designed with the user in mind, responding to changes in usage patterns by large scale applications.

Workshop Presentations in the Conference Programme: