Program Objectives

The ATDnet program was initiated to enable prototype deployments and evaluations of wide bandwidth, associated hardware and software, protected communications, advanced network services, and bandwidth-demanding applications. A primary, long-range goal is to facilitate reliable, affordable, and secure information services which serve to demonstrate technologies and methods appropriate for the emerging National Information Infrastructure (NII).

Government-industry teaming has been arranged to enable and support leading-edge metropolitan and regional-scale networking activities over an extended period. ATDnet is intended to mutually benefit current and future telecommunications industry service providers, high performance networking hardware and software vendors, and a diverse Government consumer base.

It is further intended to facilitate technology transition in support of DoD efforts such as the Global Grid concept of worldwide Command, Control, Intelligence, and combat support systems sustained by end-to-end information flow.

Specific objectives include:

1. Acquire early experience with advanced communications and network technologies, primarily ATM and SONET, but also including direct fiber access
2. Help industry and Government assess and better understand characteristics of a suitable technology base and the needs of NII-scale public networks
3. Establish an adaptable, extensible environment for evaluating developmental and commercial products and services in realistic, user-stressing deployments
4. Experiment with operation, maintenance, and management of these technologies and services as the testbed is expanded to include multiple vendors, multiple technologies, and links to other networks and commercial service providers
5. Deploy and assess a diversity of information security approaches
6. Enable and evaluate innovative applications, particularly those requiring 100 Megabit/sec to 1 Gigabit/sec to the end user
7. Feed results back into planning, engineering, and development efforts directed toward next-generation product and service offerings
8. Support technology transition to DoD and the broader Federal High Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC) program