The data requirements of many current research projects -- ranging from cancer genomics to radio astronomy to brain imaging -- have far outstripped what most campuses can handle. Progress in these and other important fields is significantly hampered by the inability of researchers to rapidly transfer their extremely large datasets. The problem lies not only in the bandwidth in the underlying links, but also in the overall network architecture which limits the ability of network administrators to deploy new functionality.
The Extensible Cyberinfrastructure for Enhancing Extreme-Data Science (EXCEEDS) project is accelerating scientific discovery at the University of California, Berkeley by improving the university's ability to support extreme-data science. The infrastructure improvements being implemented include: increasing border bandwidth to 100Gb/s, arranging for an end-to-end 100Gb/s data path from Berkeley to the University of California at San Diego, establishing a modern Science Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) architecture, and deploying a 100Gb/s capable Bro Intrusion Detection System (IDS) -- currently a critical piece in Berkeley's security architecture -- on this new high-speed network.
In the short run, the improved infrastructure will speed progress at Berkeley in several scientific areas, most notably cancer genomics but also in radio astronomy and other fields. Longer term, the research on more extensible campus architectures will lead to more flexible network designs that can enhance scientific progress on campuses throughout the nation.
