China has broken the United States monopoly on the Internet by launching the first backbone network of the next-generation Internet popularly called as CERNET2 (China Education and Research Network). The announcement came from eight different departments of the Chinese Government. According to reports, CERTNET2 is now being called the biggest network running the next generation Internet since it connects 25 universities in about 20 cities. Tests have proven that the network is capable of reaching speeds of about 40 gigabits per second, setting a record for real-world applications, while the average speeds are about 2-10 gigabits for universities.
Wu Jianping, director of the expert committee of CERNET and who played a major role in the project, is reported to have said that the organization which was earlier learning and following others has now caught up with the world's leaders in the next generation Internet. He also said that it is now making first moves while gaining respect and attention of the international community.
CERTNET2 is purely based on the Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) technology, which the organization claims is the first and will soon become a standard for others to follow. One of the main issues IPv6 will address will be the shortage of IP addresses, which the older generation networks are still suffering from. About half of the key equipment, including routers is being provided by Huawei Technologies, the Chinese telecom giant, and Tsinghua Bit-Way. The network is expected to spread to about 100 universities soon.
Their buying up oil reserves, going into space, pushing technology hard. Watch out! |