vBNS: the Internet fast lane for research and education

The very-high-speed Backbone Network Service (vBNS) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) sponsored high-performance network service implemented by MCI. It was first implemented as an IP/ATM network with an OC-3 (155 Mb/s) infrastructure. The vBNS was activated on a test basis late in 1994, and the full network topology was on-line in early 1995. The NSF's high-performance connections program is now expanding the vBNS to reach more research and education (R&E) institutions, and the vBNS backbone is currently being upgraded to OC-12 (622 Mb/s) speeds. The vBNS supports scientific applications between NSF-supported supercomputer centers (SCCs), directly connected research institutions, and research institutions that are served by other networks. The vBNS also provides a test environment for early deployment and evaluation of new internetworking technologies.