New Orleans, Louisiana – During the SuperComputing 2014 (SC14) conference November 16-20, an International team of high energy physicists, computer scientists, and network engineers led by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), the University of Victoria, and the University of Michigan, together with team from SPRACE Sao Paulo, FIU, Vanderbilt and other partners worked together to smash the previous records for data transfers using the software defined networking (SDN). This work was recently published in NDM14 under the title: Towards managed terabit/s scientific data flows.
Terabit Demonstrations
This demonstration involved building up a Terabit network on the show floor consisting of 10 x 100G optical links between Caltech, iCAIR/LAC and Vanderbilt Booths. Ring was coupled with four WAN links and a fifth link to Michigan Booth as shown in the picture below. The optical ring was constructed using Padtec Lightpad optical ROADM, channels were lit using the software from UNICAMP team, while the channel utilization was monitored through a custom software built by UERJ team. The combined results are shown in the picture below.
Software Defined Networks using OpenFlow
Caltech OLiMPS OpenFlow software modules were re-written for the OpenDaylight (ODL) SDN controller. This includes flow path selection algorithms like round-robin, bandwidth utilization etc.
A subset of the systems at SC14 were controlled by the ODL software thus enabling dynamic transfers between hosts. Click here for more details on this demonstration.
CMS PhEDEx Data Transfers
This demonstration involved installation, configuration and actual data transfers by simulating a complete Tier2 Center. Click here for more information.
Dynamic Optical Lambda switching (Bandwidth on Demand)
Bandwidth on demand concept was demonstrated by stitching together various SDN pieces. Software components involve PhEDEx, Monalisa, ODL and Padtec Controller. Click here for more information.
This work is made possible by the strong support of the US Department of Energy Office of Science and the National Science Foundation.