CC*DNI Networking Infrastructure: Science DMZ and SDN

The CC*DNI project expands Boise State University's research network by establishing two Science DMZs connected to the Idaho Regional Optical Network (IRON). The Science DMZs are located on the edge of the University network and at the Idaho Computing Consortium site, hosted at the Idaho National Laboratory Supercomputing Center. Utilizing Software Defined Networks (SDN), OpenFlow Switches and an OpenFlow Controller, Boise State enables IRON to switch data traffic at a high throughput rate between researchers at the University and the High Performance Computing (HPC) equipment at the National Laboratory. This enhanced regional research network provides a fast, extremely secure and dynamic network environment for the larger data sets our researchers are analyzing with parallel computing using University, National Science Foundation and Department of Energy assets.

Utilizing the monitoring software perfSONAR framework throughout the regional optical network allows constant monitoring of throughput, performance and latency issues. Improving the control, speed and ease of transferring large data sets is imperative to advancing Boise State research as the scope and volume of data increases and as the University increasingly relies on distributed and national Cyberinfrastructure assets. The SDN switches and controller allow high transport speed across the regional optical network that is normally slower due to the latency of routed traffic. Reliable high speed data traffic is the infrastructure that researchers expect as they expand large scale data intensive scientific research. This project enhances the high performance computing throughout the Idaho research community, the Rocky Mountain Advanced Computer Consortium and XSEDE.