Planning the Next Stage of NSF Advanced Networking Research and Development

美国国家科学基金会（NSF）的vBNS项目已接近其5年合同的尾声。正如1997年中期审查中所描述的那样，vBNS被广泛认为对美国先进网络研发能力的发展做出了重要贡献。例如，在服务的头三年，vBNS有：-加速“先进计算基础设施合作伙伴计划”的规划和实施；-使“第二代互联网”大学和合作伙伴能够互联互通；-作为“下一代互联网计划”目标2.1的核心国家网络；-支持远程计算和协作，以取得科学和工程方面的重大进展；以及-推动商业领域高性能网络技术的设计和改进。vBNS专家评审强烈建议NSF在目前的vBNS项目结束后继续支持先进的网络研究和开发。因此，现在是时候检查自vBNS计划设计以来技术和环境的发展，并就NSF如何在未来几年最好地支持其先进网络持续发展的目标提出合理建议。该项目旨在组织和监督一个正式的过程，以捕获和总结美国社区高级网络专家和通才的最佳创造性思维。结果将是一份最终文件和支持性材料，概述NSF在其后续vBNS计划中要解决的主要问题和目标。

Networking and Telecommunications Task Force of Educom (NTTF) and FARNET The NSF vBNS program is nearing the end of its 5-year award. As is described in its 1997 midterm review, the vBNS is widely recognized for essential contributions to the development of U.S. capabilities for advanced networking for R&D. In its first three years of service, for example, the vBNS has: - accelerated the planning and implementation of the Partnerships for Advanced Computational Infrastructure, - enabled the interconnection of the Internet2 universities and partners, - served as the core national network for goal 2.1 of the Next Generation Internet project, - supported remote computing and collaborations for significant advances in the sciences and engineering, and - led to the design and improvement of high-performance network technology in the commercial sector. The vBNS expert review concluded with a very strong recommendation that NSF continue its support for advanced networking for research and development after the scheduled conclusion of the present vBNS award. It is now time, therefore, to examine developments in technology and the environment since the vBNS program was designed and to reach sound recommendations on how NSF might best support its goals for the continued development of advanced networking in the coming years. This project intends to organize and oversee a formal process that captures and summarizes the best creative thinking of both experts and generalists in the U.S. community for advanced networking. The result will be a final document and supporting material outlining the major issues and objectives to be addressed by NSF in its follow-on program to the vBNS.