​Applications and Tools

The power of the GÉANT and NREN networks comes from the applications researchers use across them. By developing innovative uses for the network barriers to research can be broken down and collaboration across Europe is increased. These activities have been designed to investigate how the GÉANT network can support advanced research activities and projects.

There are four projects in the Applications and Tools category, each with a briefing below:

ARES: Advanced Networking for EU genomic research​
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​CEOVDS: Cross-site Evaluation of an OpenFlow-assisted Video-on-Demand Distribution Service
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​eMusic: Using GÉANT dynamic circuits to support remote collaboration in musical education and eCulture

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​NSI-CONTEST: Network Service Interface Conformance Test Suite

 

ARES: Advanced Networking for EU genomic research

(University of Perugia; Polo d'Innovazione di Genomica, Genetica e Biologica SCARL)

Objective:
To create an advanced Content Delivery Network (CDN) supporting medical and research systems that make extensive use of genomic data sets.

Approach:
ARES will implement a pilot project in order to gain a more detailed understanding of network problems relating to a sustainable increase in the use of genome data sets for diagnostic purposes. Suitable management policies for very large sets of big files will be identified, in terms of efficiency, resiliency, scalability, and QoS in a distributed CDN environment. In addition, ARES will make available, for the GÉANT network, suitably designed tools for deploying any CDN services handling large data sets, beyond genomes.

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  ​Watch the ARES video on GÉANTtv​

 

CEOVDS: Cross-site Evaluation of an OpenFlow-assisted Video-on-Demand Distribution Service

(University of Lancaster)

Objective:
To extend existing OpenFlow-assisted Video-on-Demand distribution architecture to run across multiple sites using the GÉANT OpenFlow facility with the aim of reducing the overall network utilisation whilst simultaneously improving the Quality-of-Experience (QoE) perceived by the end-user.

Approach:
Software Defined Networking (SDN) has the potential to enhance the efficiency of VoD content distribution. As part of the OFELIA EU FP7 project the University of Lancaster designed and built a prototype architecture that offers in-network intelligent and transparent VoD caching with the use of OpenFlow. CEOVDS proposes to extend this OpenFlow-assisted VoD distribution architecture to run across multiple sites, using the GÉANT OpenFlow facility. The facility will then be used to thoroughly evaluate the VoD in-network caching service from both a network and user’s point of view.

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eMusic: Using GÉANT dynamic circuits to support remote collaboration in musical education and eCulture

(CESNET; GARR; Janet; Academy of Performing Arts in Prague; Conservatorio di Musica Giuseppe Tartini; Edinburgh Napier University)

Objective:
To use GÉANT bandwidth on demand (BoD) service to support remote education and collaboration in music (eLearning) and remote access to cultural performances (eCulture).

Approach:
eLearning and eCulture are ideal application areas to demonstrate the advantage of the BoD service as the former requires low and stable networking delay and significant bandwidth, while the latter requires even higher bandwidth. In order to demonstrate that BoD can support a novel way of collaboration, the target applications include distant playing together, remote music lectures, remote voice analysis and eCulture events.

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  Watch the eMusic video on GÉANTtv​

 

NSI-CONTEST: Network Service Interface Conformance Test Suite

(PSNC; Nextworks)

Objective:
NSI-CONTEST aims to build an NSIv2.0 Compliance Test Suite (CTS) that will be offered to the developers as a test service platform.

Approach:
NSI is key enabler of on-demand network connectivity services in Research and Education Networks but still a reference implementation of the OGF standard is missing and the community lacks exhaustive compliance testing tools for the validation of the different implementations. NSI-CONTEST will build an NSIv2.0 Compliance Test Suite (CTS) that will be offered to the developers as a test service platform. Testers will be able to run tests in complex control plane topology scenarios directly defined and instantiated by them, and validate NSI Agents under various conditions of (control traffic) load and position in the service chain (i.e. originator/transit/termination domain).

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 Watch the NSI-CONTEST video on GÉANTtv​