International Exchange Points
(U.S.-based)

IRNC Projects

The International Reach of the Internet2 Network

International Reach map

International Networking

The Internet2 Network provides for its members and users extensive reach to research and education (R&E) networks located around the world.

The international connectivity of the Internet2 Network makes it possible for U.S. researchers, faculty, students, clinicians, and other users to access scientific instruments, data, collaborators, campuses abroad, and other resources located outside the U.S. In an era where scientific discovery, teaching and learning, medical care, and the business of operating a university is increasingly international in nature, international connectivity is critically important to the Internet2 community.

The Role of International Partnerships

In order to acheive international connectivity for the Internet2 Network, Internet2 partners with three key types of organizations:

  • Non-U.S. R&E network peers
  • U.S.-based international exchange points
  • Projects providing international links to/from the Internet2 Network

    • International R&E Network Peers

    Internet2 has developed strong partnerships with more than 50 R&E networking organizations around the world through Memoranda of Understanding. These partnerships provide the basis for interconnection between Internet2 and over 80 R&E networks around the world.

    International partnerships also provide a mechanism for interconnecting other vital infrastructure such as the U.S. identity management federation, InCommon, with similar R&E federations in other countries and serves as a basis for supporting collaboration between Internet2 and its counterparts in new network technology and services development, applications development, and global user community support.

    Internet2's international partners are absolutely critical to the Internet2 community: they provide access for the community to a vast R&E network infrastructure within other countries around the globe AND provide the majority of links between the U.S. and other countries that the Internet2 Network uses to acheive its international connectivity.

    For further information on international peering, please contact Heather Boyles.

    U.S.-based International Exchange Points

    Exchange points play an important role in providing facilities in key geographic locations where numerous R&E networks colocate. There are several U.S.-based exchange points that provide facilities which ease the interconnection of the Internet2 Network with non-U.S. R&E networks linking to the U.S. Often, these U.S.-based international exchange points are operated by Internet2 community member organizations. A list of international exchange points is here.

    Projects providing international links to/from the Internet2 Network

    The Internet2 Network achieves its international connectivity in three main ways:

      1) by utilizing links that Internet2 Partner Networks bring to the U.S. and interconnect with the Internet2 Network
      2) by utilizing links that the U.S. National Science Foundation, through its IRNC Program, funds, and that are put in place by the ITNC projects to connect the U.S. to other R&E networks around the world
      3) by utilizing links provided through the IEEAF as a donation to the R&E networking community

    U.S. National Science Foundation's International Research Network Connections (IRNC) Program

    The NSF's IRNC Program funds critical infrastructure that links the Internet2 Network with counterpart R&E networks in other countries. Internet2 is an active participant in all of the current IRNC projects, provides operational support for the TransLight/Star Light project's New York City to Amsterdam link, and is a full partner and co-principal investigator in the TransPAC2 project.

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