Both the Manhattan Landing (MAN LAN) in New York, and Washington International Exchange (WIX) in Virginia, provide an open network exchange facility for a rich community of international and domestic research and education networks. By providing this critical connection point to the U.S. and abroad, MAN LAN and WIX enable researchers to partner and collaborate with their peers around the world.

Internet2 is also an active participant in the Global Lambda Integrated Facility (GLIF), representing MAN LAN and WIX. The GLIF community shares a common vision of building a new grid computing paradigm in which the central architectural element is optical networks, not computers, to support this decade’s most demanding science applications. The GLIF’s links are being made available for scheduled use by researchers involved with advanced data-intensive applications, middleware, protocol and optical networking development.

Additionally, as more global research networks begin to implement dynamic circuit networks like those being deployed on the Internet2 Network in the U.S., the MAN LAN and WIX teams have deployed control plane technology into the exchange point to allow for the seamless set up of international dynamic circuits.

MAN LAN and WIX provide Layer 2 frame-based Ethernet connections. IP peerings across the Ethernet facility are supported. The switch supports frame-based services at bandwidths of 1, 10 and 100 Gbps. This device provides the Layer 2 environment that allows for peering among the connectors. A variety of port options are supported for these two interface types.

Manhattan Landing (MAN LAN)

MAN LAN is a high-performance exchange point in New York City that supports Layer 2 Ethernet connections to facilitate peering among U.S. and international research and education (R&E) networks. The exchange point, built at 32 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY is a collaborative effort of:

• Internet2 – providing program management and operational oversight
• NYSERNet (The New York State Education and Research Network) – providing Manhattan collocation facilities, and metropolitan fiber resources

The procedure to obtain a connection at MAN LAN is as follows:

1. Email networkdevelopment@internet2.edu to indicate an intention to connect to MAN LAN.
2. Review the fees associated with the connection. There are potential fees from Internet2 and NYSERNet, depending on the type of connection. The fees are minimal and simply help recover the costs associated with the facility.
3. Contact networkdevelopment@internet2.edu to obtain a copy of the MAN LAN Connection Agreement. This agreement is required for connection to the Ethernet Switch at MAN LAN. The agreement is not required for connection to the optical equipment.
4. Sign and submit the connection agreement.
5. Request an engineering review by contacting networkdevelopment@internet2.edu. This review will be between the connector’s and MAN LAN’s engineers to discuss and coordinate the technical implementation of the connection to MAN LAN.
6. Arrange for circuits to be brought into the facility, if necessary. Both Internet2 and NYSERNet can help by providing contact information.
7. The MAN LAN NOC will contact the connector to turn up the connection when all circuits, required agreements and equipment are in place.

A diagram of MAN LAN connectivity is available here

Washington International Exchange (WIX)

Washington International Exchange (WIX) is a high-performance exchange point in McLean, VA that supports Layer 2 Ethernet connections to facilitate peering among U.S. and international R&E networks. The exchange point is a collaborative effort of:

• Internet2 – providing program management and operational oversight
• Mid-Atlantic Crossroads Mid-Atlantic Crossroads (MAX) – providing engineering and logistical support

Today, WIX provides an open network exchange facility for a rich community of international and domestic research and education networks. By providing this critical connection point to the U.S. and abroad, WIX enables researchers to partner and collaborate with their peers around the world. WIX is also an active participant in the Global Lambda Integrated Facility (GLIF). The GLIF community shares a common vision of building a new grid computing paradigm in which the central architectural element is optical networks, not computers, to support the most demanding e-science applications. The GLIF’s links are being made available for scheduled use by scientists involved with advanced data-intensive application, middleware, protocol and optical networking development.

In the future, as more global research networks begin to implement dynamic circuit networks like those being deployed on the Internet2 Network in the U.S., the WIX team has deployed control plane technology into the exchange point to allow for the seamless set up of international dynamic circuits.