News for and about the Internet2 community

["Greg Wood" <>]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

INTERNET2, SURFnet and NORDUNET CONNECT ADVANCED R&E NETWORKS
International connections extend basis for global development and
interoperability
 of new networking technologies

Washington, DC -- April 26, 1999 - NORDUnet, SURFnet and Internet2 today
agreed to connect their research and education backbone networks. Peering
with Abilene in New York City, an Internet2 backbone network, has been made
possible through high-speed links across the Atlantic provided by Teleglobe.
The interconnect extends unprecedented advanced networking between US and
both Nordic and Dutch academic communities. The networks will also connect
at STAR TAP, the international connection point in Chicago funded by the
National Science Foundation.

"This connection between our networks will help connect our communities and
ensure a common future for the global Internet," said Douglas Van Houweling,
President and CEO leading the Internet2 project. "We look forward to
continued collaboration and coordination among researchers and educators at
Internet2 and NORDUnet and SURFnet institutions as they together advance
network technology."

"SURFnet is very proud to be the first European network to establish a
direct high speed interconnect with the Abilene network," said Kees Neggers,
managing director of SURFnet.  "This will make it possible for our research
communities to really start working on next generation applications.

"Connection between Abilene and NORDUnet gives the researchers in the Nordic
countries a solid foundation for advanced networking projects. The Nordunet2
project is currently also taking shape, which promotes the use of this
connectivity and collaboration with US universities and Internet2", says
Peter Villemoes, General manager of NORDUnet A/S

Today's agreement to provide interconnection between Abilene, NORDUnet and
SURFNET builds on the Memoranda of Understanding the University Corporation
for Advanced Internet Development (UCAID), home of the Internet2 and Abilene
projects, has signed with both NORDUnet and Stichting SURF, SURFnet's parent
company. Today's agreement extends the principles of the MoU, which
encourage collaboration between member institutions, promotion of technology
transfer from the joint endeavors to industry, and collaboration in
developing common standards and technical implementations. One of the first
areas of collaboration will be in the recently announced QBone initiative to
develop a testbed to explore Quality of Service (QoS) technologies.

NORDUnet A/S is responsible for the development and operation of a Nordic
research network backbone. NORDUnet serves research and education in the
Nordic area and has a total international bandwidth connected to its node in
Stockholm of approximately 700 Mbs.  NORDUnet deploys modern networking
equipment and is among the most well equipped and maintained research
network backbones in the world.

NORDUnet A/S is a limited company owned by government institutions
responsible for higher education in Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark and
Iceland. A brochure is available for ordering from 


SURFnet is the national computer network for education and research in the
Netherlands. SURFnet connects the networks of universities, colleges,
research centres, academic hospitals and scientific libraries to each other
and to other networks in Europe and the rest of the world. In close
cooperation with key industrial partners and with the Dutch Telematics
Institute, SURFnet is currently finalizing plans for the development and
realisation of a next generation SURFnet-network based on leading edge
technology and with high capacity connections to other leading edge
technology and with high capacity connections to other leading research
networks worldwide. For more information about SURFnet please see:
http://www.surfnet.nl/en/

The Abilene network is a project of the University Corporation for Advanced
Internet Development (UCAID), home of the Internet2 project. In partnership
with Qwest Communications, Cisco Systems, Nortel Networks and Indiana
University, UCAID is deploying Abilene as the most advanced and far-reaching
research and education network in the United States. A primary goal of
Abilene is to support the efforts of the Internet2 project. Operations are
scheduled to begin in January 1999, with over 70 Internet2 institutions
planning to connect by the end of 1999. For more information on Abilene
please see:
http://www.internet2.edu/abilene/

The Internet2 project is being led by over 150 US universities, working with
industry and government, to enable and facilitate the advanced network
applications necessary to meet emerging needs in higher education. Internet2
participants are developing the broadband applications, engineering and
network management tools for research and education. For more information on
Internet2, a project of the University Corporation for Advanced Internet
Development (UCAID), please see:
http://www.internet2.edu

Teleglobe Inc. (NYSE, TSE, ME: TGO) is a recognized leader in global
telecommunications. Teleglobe owns and operates one of the world's largest
Internet backbones, connecting hundreds of ISPs in nearly 100 countries as
well as many content providers and search engines.  The company's
Globeinternet(sm) backbone incorporates a high performance multiple OC-3
ring-based Cisco Powered Network (Nasdaq: CSCO) that spans North America and
Europe, a state-of-the-art global IP routing service and extensive
international satellite and transoceanic cable facilities for worldwide
Internet connectivity.  The network soon will be upgraded to OC-12 status.
For more information on Teleglobe please see:
http://www.teleglobe.com/

Contacts:
Greg Wood
Internet2

202.872.9119

Rami Heinisuo
NORDUnet A/S

+358 400 980 008

Ellen van Hattem
Stichting SURF