Breaking the Internet speed record
The EU's DATATAG project focused on the networking issues surrounding the implementation of a transatlantic Grid test-bed between European and US sites. Apart from dealing with a variety of performance issues, DATATAG scientists concentrated on high-speed networking. The speed at which data can be transferred over the internet is of pivotal importance to service providers and users worldwide. DATATAG, in collaboration with a series of US partners, succeeded in creating gigabit networks exhibiting speeds nearing 10 Gb/sec. The speeds were established over a number of paths linking US and European sites, including Arizona, Chicago, California and Geneva. These record-breaking speeds resulted in a series of international awards granted to the research teams involved in the project. Such scientific breakthroughs could signal the first step towards widespread application of these high-speed networks in real-life applications including conferencing and computer networking.