Germany finances optical research network

Brussels, 04 Aug 2004

The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research is providing 10.5 million euro to a new project providing a test bed for intelligent applications in business and science.

The three-year VIOLA project (vertically integrated optical testbed for large applications) is part of the e-science initiative launched in March by the ministry, and managed by the German Research and Education Network (DFN). It will develop a computer grid to link computers of different research centres and to facilitate the generation of new ideas for advanced applications and services.

Partners include Alcatel, the Siemens information and communication networks group, T-Systems International, Deutsche Telecom and various research institutions, industrial companies and universities.

'VIOLA means another important step for the high performance broadband network for science in Germany,' said Wolf-Dieter Dudenhausen, the German Federal State Secretary for Research and Education. 'The German research community in science and industry will join efforts to sustain a worldwide leadership in network and communication technology. Entering into Grid-based e-science is crucial [...], it opens the doors for Grid communication computing as the next generation of the networked innovation systems even across the German border.'

The VIOLA network will connect a super computer with a capacity of over eight TeraFlops of computing power (eight trillion operations per second) to several other computing clusters supporting different applications and requirements.

Through top speed networking, the German Research and Education Network will be able to provide its users, which mainly include universities and research institutions, with new flexible broadband services much more rapidly.

'The VIOLA project is an extraordinary test bed for future hybrid data and optical networks. We are excited to play a key role in creating this foundation for new ideas and research concepts,' stated Niel Ransom, Alcatel Chief Technology Officer.

For more information on VIOLA, please visit:
http:///www.viola-testbed.de

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