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3 <br /> of the State Information Processing Services VISTAnet is one of the gigabit per second <br /> (SIPS)organization, which is responsible for testbeds originally funded in August 1989 by <br /> voice and data communications within the the National Science Foundation (NSF) and <br /> state, began looking ahead to identify future the Defense Advanced Research Projects <br /> performance needs for internal applications. Agency (DARPA). NSF and DARPA <br /> In looking at health care,education,criminal studies had shown that while dramatic <br /> justice, geographic information systems, and improvements were taking place in <br /> other administrative areas there were clear computing technology, similar "order of <br /> indications that future applications would magnitude" increases were not developing in <br /> rely more on the transmission of high quality communications and networking technology. <br /> images to supplement traditional text. Both agencies saw the potential for the lack <br /> Although they currently had one of the most of high performance networking to become <br /> advanced state telecommunications networks a serious bottleneck to our ability to take <br /> in the country, it was obvious that advantage of computing technology <br /> applications would soon emerge that would improvements, potentially inhibiting our <br /> require performance beyond the capabilities international competitiveness. VISTAnet <br /> of their network was one of five testbeds funded nationally to <br /> explore the creation and operation of <br /> During this time frame,several projects were networks in the gigabit per second range. <br /> either in progress or being planned to Partners in the VISTAnet project include the <br /> demonstrate the technical feasibility and Corporation for National Research <br /> application value associated with high Initiatives, MCNC, the University of North <br /> performance networking. First of all, the Carolina at Chapel Mil, 01E, and <br /> North Carolina Research and Education BellSouth <br /> Network (NCREN, formerly known as <br /> CONCERT)network had been operational in VISTAnet uses prototype ATM host and <br /> some form since January 1985. NCREN is remote switches provided by Fujitsu <br /> a digital microwave netw that Network Switching of America, Inc_ and a <br /> video ork and data connectivity betweai nine high speed circuit switch developed by G'lr; <br /> major state universities throughout North to provide an extremely high performance <br /> Carolina. NCREN was built and is network between researchers at the <br /> operated by MCNC in the Research Triangle University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill <br /> Park, which is the central lamb of the and the Cray supercomputer at MCNC. The <br /> network. A variety of functions are backbone network between BellSouth and <br /> provided at/vICNC, including video network GTE operates at the SONET OC-48 (2.4 <br /> operations, interact access, and access to the Gb/s) rate, with end user connections <br /> Cray YM-P supercornputer. Both data and operating at the 0C-12c (622 Mb/s) rate. <br /> video usage of the NCREN has gown <br /> . steadily since it became operational. It has With VISTAnet, radiation oncologists at <br /> clearly demonstrated the value of a statewide Chapel Hill have access to the Cray <br /> network in making specialized resources supercomputer approximately twenty miles <br /> available throughout the state. The network away at MCNC. The specific application is <br /> is currently used for a variety of data and called dynamic radiation therapy planning, <br /> video applications. and allows physicians to do a three <br /> 2 <br /> • <br /> { <br /> 3 <br />