What we do

ESnet is a dependable, robust, high throughput and efficient networking infrastructure that supplies global connectivity while appearing seamless and accessible to its users. ESnet connects Department of Energy research sites, providing effective and reliable communications infrastructure and leading-edge network services and expertise in support of the agency's missions. ESnet provides researchers the ability to collaborate and exchange data with their colleagues at other DOE institutions and around the world.

Why ESnet
 
ESnet enables advancement of large scale science

Managing massive data flows is one of the major problems facing scientists today, especially as they collaborate with research groups around the world on computationally intensive problems of physics, energy studies, climate studies, and astronomy. As tools such as simulation and visualization become more fine-tuned and sophisticated, they also require processing and management of greater amounts of data.

The sheer volume of data generated by international scientific collaborations and the increasingly distributed nature of large data flows, as well as the development of real time cloud computing, is creating a staggering volume of network traffic. Since 1990, there has been a 72 percent growth in traffic over the ESnet network. Average traffic has grown by a factor of 10 every 47 months.

This growth trend is only accelerating as international scientific collaborations, such as programs including as the Large Hadron Collider, climate research, and ITER generate and exchange massive amounts of data. 

ESnet provides a scalable and efficient network infrastructure that enables scientists to optimize their resources and conduct ambitious, world-class research.

Leadership and Innovation

ESnet has a strong ethos of leadership in networking innovation. Our team is constantly improving the network and services to create a more versatile and robust network environment to serve the emerging needs of scientific researchers. We work closely with the international technical community to develop open source software and collaborative technical projects. Our programs, as well as our collaborations with other research and education networks around the world demonstrate our commitment to push network research forward so we will be able to anticipate and flawlessly serve the needs of DOE science.

ESnet is pioneering network research and development programs including:

--OSCARS. The On Demand Secure Circuits and Reservation System software developed at ESnet, and now open-sourced to the community, creates multi-domain, virtual circuits guaranteeing end-to-end data transfer performance on the network.

--perfSONAR. A test and measurement framework that provides end-to-end monitoring of multi-domain network performance. ESnet is a key member of the international perfSONAR collaboration.

--ANI. The ARRA Advanced Networking Initiative, launched by $62 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds, ESnet has embarked on an Advanced Networking Initiative to handle the expanding data needs between DOE supercomputing facilities. The goal of this project will be to accelerate the deployment of 100 Gbps technologies to support science research and education, as well as build a robust infrastructure that will transition into a production network.