Just as the pieces of a puzzle fit together to form a complete image, the global research and education network relies on collaboration between networks, organizations, and people around the world. In November 2024, an experiment conducted at the Supercomputing Conference (SC24) in Atlanta, United States, demonstrated how these global research and education connections work together effectively.
The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) and the National Institute of Informatics (NII) from Japan coordinated the experiment. It used the Multi-Connection Massive FTP (MMCFTP) protocol, which was created by NII. It was also used by GÉANT, the pan-European research and education network. The protocol facilitated the simultaneous transfer of data between Japan and the U.S. across ten distinct 100 Gbps lines. The main goal was to demonstrate the feasibility of high-speed data transfers over multiple routes and promote the use of global data transmission in cutting-edge science and technology.
This project was made possible by collaboration between networks and organizations worldwide, including RedCLARA, the EU-funded BELLA II project, the Australian Academic and Research Network (AARNet), AmLight-ExP, ARENA-PAC, CANARIE, Internet2, and Brazil’s Rede Nacional de Ensino e Pesquisa (RNP), among other global networks.
RedCLARA and the European Union (EU), through BELLA II, facilitate high-speed connectivity between Latin America and global networks, promoting international collaboration on scientific and educational projects.
Beyond the technical demonstration, the organizers highlighted the importance of global cooperation in research and education, based on trust and a shared commitment to advancing science.
Results
Although some technical challenges arose during the process, the experiment was successful, nearly reaching the expected outcomes. It also underscored the importance of international agreements to support and ensure the stability of these global networks. Additionally, it highlighted the potential of the protocol used, which could be key for future scientific research requiring large data transfers, such as in fields like radio astronomy or climate change.
A critical factor in the success of the experiment was the role of international and intercontinental agreements for mutual support and the resilience of research and education networks, which ensured the strong stability of global R&D infrastructure. Specifically, the Asia-Pacific Europe Ring (AER) collaboration established a backup mechanism that was crucial for the viability of this demonstration. Due to submarine cable cuts in the Red Sea, which affected the original demonstration path in the Marseille-Singapore link acquired by GN5-IC1 (pink line), the demonstration traffic had to be redirected to the CAE-1 link between London and Singapore (orange line). To free up the required capacity on CAE-1, the KAUST backup (green line) was vital to ensuring the continuity of service beyond the Asia-Europe demonstration.
The MMCFTP protocol, which was created by NII, can allow for fast data transfers and multiple routes between networks that span continents. This makes it perfect for scientists from around the world to work together on projects like radio astronomy or climate modeling.
Currently, only Japan's SINET network uses it, with prior agreements and quality controls in place to protect the traffic.
This experiment highlights the power of global collaboration in research and education networks and paves the way for future advancements, with plans to improve the Japan-U.S. link to 400 Gbps in 2025 for even faster transfers.
Read the full article: GÉANT Connect Article
