SURFnet
Encyclopedia
SURFnet is both the name for the organisation that develops, implements and maintains the national research and education network
(NREN) of the Netherlands
as well as the network it operates. As one of the first networks linked to the Internet
outside the USA the organisation has taken the lead in the evolution of the Internet
in the Netherlands and Europe. SURFnet's executives have been founders of or occupied board positions in organisations like Ebone
, CENTr, SIDN, AMS-IX, Terena
, DANTE
, RIPE NCC
, ISOC
, IETF, IESG and IAB
.
SURFnet as an organisation was established in 1986 and in 1989 started supplying IP
connectivity services, deploying the TCP/IP suite. SURFnet is a subsidiary of a not-for-profit foundation SURF (Samenwerkende Universitaire Reken Faciliteiten; English: Co-operative University Computing Facilities).
SURFnet as a network is a high-grade computer network specially reserved for higher education
and research in the Netherlands. Staff and students of connected organizations can communicate through SURFnet with other internet users all over the world. SURFnet is globally recognised as one of the most sophisticated networks around.
connections, providing DECNET
protocol. SURFnet2 was established in 1989 and delivered TCP/IP over an X.25 network. The SURFnet3 network delivered native TCP/IP via leased lines and became operational in 1991, mainly consisting of 64 kbit/s and 2 Mbit/s lines. In 1994 SURFnet4 was developed based on ATM
and, later on SDH, links. SURFnet5 was developed from 1999 onwards on a 10 Gbit/s DWDM infrastructure, with access links of 100 Mbit/s and 1 Gbit/s.
Lightpaths are direct connections between two nodes in the network without the need for routers. Lightpaths are characterised by very high capacity (1 to 10 Gbit/s), quality and reliability. See also http://www.netherlight.net
and A-Select, and services in the field of security, online collaboration and high quality streaming media.
An alphabetical list can be found on the SURFnet website, see below.
National Research and Education Network
A National Research and Education Network is a specialised internet service provider dedicated to supporting the needs of the research and education communities within a country....
(NREN) of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
as well as the network it operates. As one of the first networks linked to the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
outside the USA the organisation has taken the lead in the evolution of the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
in the Netherlands and Europe. SURFnet's executives have been founders of or occupied board positions in organisations like Ebone
EBONE
EBONE was a pan-European Internet backbone. It went online in September 1992 and was deactivated in July 2002. Some portions of the EBONE were sold to other companies and continue to operate today.-Formation:...
, CENTr, SIDN, AMS-IX, Terena
TERENA
The Trans-European Research and Education Networking Association is a not-for-profit association of European national research and education networks incorporated in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
, DANTE
DANTE
Delivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various national research and education networks in Europe and surrounding regions...
, RIPE NCC
RIPE NCC
The Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre is the Regional Internet Registry for Europe, the Middle East and parts of Central Asia...
, ISOC
Internet Society
The Internet Society or ISOC is an international, nonprofit organization founded during 1992 to provide direction in Internet related standards, education, and policy...
, IETF, IESG and IAB
Internet Architecture Board
The Internet Architecture Board is the committee charged with oversight of the technical and engineering development of the Internet by the Internet Society ....
.
SURFnet as an organisation was established in 1986 and in 1989 started supplying IP
Internet Protocol
The Internet Protocol is the principal communications protocol used for relaying datagrams across an internetwork using the Internet Protocol Suite...
connectivity services, deploying the TCP/IP suite. SURFnet is a subsidiary of a not-for-profit foundation SURF (Samenwerkende Universitaire Reken Faciliteiten; English: Co-operative University Computing Facilities).
SURFnet as a network is a high-grade computer network specially reserved for higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
and research in the Netherlands. Staff and students of connected organizations can communicate through SURFnet with other internet users all over the world. SURFnet is globally recognised as one of the most sophisticated networks around.
History
SURFnet has deployed a series of network generations in an overbuilt manner. The initial SURFnet network was based on 9.6 kbit/s and 64 kbit/s X.25X.25
X.25 is an ITU-T standard protocol suite for packet switched wide area network communication. An X.25 WAN consists of packet-switching exchange nodes as the networking hardware, and leased lines, Plain old telephone service connections or ISDN connections as physical links...
connections, providing DECNET
DECnet
DECnet is a suite of network protocols created by Digital Equipment Corporation, originally released in 1975 in order to connect two PDP-11 minicomputers. It evolved into one of the first peer-to-peer network architectures, thus transforming DEC into a networking powerhouse in the 1980s...
protocol. SURFnet2 was established in 1989 and delivered TCP/IP over an X.25 network. The SURFnet3 network delivered native TCP/IP via leased lines and became operational in 1991, mainly consisting of 64 kbit/s and 2 Mbit/s lines. In 1994 SURFnet4 was developed based on ATM
Asynchronous Transfer Mode
Asynchronous Transfer Mode is a standard switching technique designed to unify telecommunication and computer networks. It uses asynchronous time-division multiplexing, and it encodes data into small, fixed-sized cells. This differs from approaches such as the Internet Protocol or Ethernet that...
and, later on SDH, links. SURFnet5 was developed from 1999 onwards on a 10 Gbit/s DWDM infrastructure, with access links of 100 Mbit/s and 1 Gbit/s.
Current network
SURFnet6, the sixth generation of the SURFnet network, was taken into operation at the beginning of 2006. This new network not only provides the 750,000 users in higher education and research with high-quality Internet facilities, but also provides them with "lightpaths".Lightpaths are direct connections between two nodes in the network without the need for routers. Lightpaths are characterised by very high capacity (1 to 10 Gbit/s), quality and reliability. See also http://www.netherlight.net
Services
SURFnet provides services on all layers of its network. Services include authentication services, such as eduroamEduroam
eduroam is a secure international roaming service for users in Higher Education. The European eduroam confederation is based on a set of defined organisational and technical requirements that each member of the confederation must agree to and follow.- History...
and A-Select, and services in the field of security, online collaboration and high quality streaming media.
An alphabetical list can be found on the SURFnet website, see below.
Collaboration
SURFnet collaborates with a number of organisations, both nationally and internationally:- DANTEDANTEDelivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various national research and education networks in Europe and surrounding regions...
(pan-European research network) - TERENATERENAThe Trans-European Research and Education Networking Association is a not-for-profit association of European national research and education networks incorporated in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
- KennisnetKennisnetKennisnet is a Dutch public organization dedicated to ICT-innovation for primary and secondary education and vocational training. Kennisnet provides educational content and information to teachers, pupils and parents...
See also
- RenaterRenaterRENATER Deployed at the beginning of the 1990’s, RENATER provides a national and international connectivity...
(French research network) - CANARIECANARIECANARIE is a Canadian government-supported non-profit corporation, founded in 1993, which maintains a set of leased wide area network links for the transfer of very large data files. The core network consists of 19000 km of fibre optic cable capable of speeds as high as 100 Gbps but...
(Canadian research network) - Internet2Internet2Internet2 is an advanced not-for-profit US networking consortium led by members from the research and education communities, industry, and government....
(USA)