About ESnet

A Platform for Accelerating Science Discovery

The Energy Sciences Network (ESnet) is the U.S. Department of Energy’s sole high-performance network for science, acting as the "data circulatory system" for the DOE research complex. It provides high-speed connectivity and advanced networking services to the DOE's 17 national laboratories, 28 user facilities (including the four supercomputing facilities), and its major scientific instruments. Funded by the DOE's Office of Science (SC) and stewarded by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, ESnet also connects to more than 270 research and commercial networks and cloud providers, permitting DOE-funded scientists to collaborate quickly and productively with global partners.

The map of ESnet6 showing the DOE sites, updated in 2025. Click to enlarge and download larger version; see other map versions.

A Robust Network for Next-Gen Science

Spurred by the growth of large international collaborations in high-energy physics, fusion energy, and genomics, the research community’s needs to manage and transfer large quantities of data continue to increase in scope and complexity. Currently, ESnet transits 2.6 exabytes of data annually, 100,000 more than it did back in 1990, shortly after it began operating. Every four years, ESnet's average network traffic increases by a factor of 10. This growth is propelled by the rising tide of data produced by artificial intelligence, more powerful supercomputers, global collaborations that can involve thousands of researchers, and specialized facilities like the Large Hadron Collider and digital sky surveys.

ESnet6, the most recent generation network, features 400 gigabits per second (Gbps) to 1.6 terabits per second (Tbps) backbone connections, offering close to 85 Tbps of aggregate capacity; it also provides 2.7 Tbps of trans-Atlantic capacity via multiple connections. ESnet's history of co-design with the scientific community have produced multiple innovative network services developed to support the unique data-intensive needs of scientific research. 

ESnet key facts (as of April 2026). Click image to enlarge.