What Net is next - Internet2?

We use the Internet as we subjectively know it every day. To Internet2 minds, we are using Internet1. And what does this mean?

Internet2 is pioneered by 200 plus universities working in conjunction with industry professionals and government to develop and implement network applications and technologies for research and higher education. Internet2 participants aim at "accelerating the creation of tomorrow's internet" [http://www.internet2.edu/].

They are creating a "new" Internet or otherwise put - they are "evolving" Internet-use from ambiguous mass-use to a centered and measured system of use that efficiently, effectively, and credibly serves the needs of Internet users.

Internet2 initiatives include:

Arts and Humanities - "remote interactive media events" through Internet2 networks.

Digital Video - "development consortia to gather and disseminate information about leading edge digital video activities and technologies."

Distributed Storage - "The Internet2 Distributed Storage Initiative project is a replicated hosting platform for Internet content and services. Content is distributed at the network edge, improving latency and reducing bandwidth consumption. Content is gathered into channels that are then published to a URL."

End-to-End Performance - sponsored Joint Tech Workshops FiberCo - "Internet2 has established the National Research and Education Fiber Company (FiberCo) to support regional fiber optical networking initiatives dedicated to research and higher education."

Health Sciences -"The Internet2 Health Sciences Initiative supports and facilitates the use of advanced networking applications in clinical practice, medical and related biological research, education, and health awareness."

HOPI - "...the HOPI project leverages advances in optical networking technologies to examine and explore revolutionary network architectures."

K20 - "The National Internet2 K20 Initiative brings together Internet2 member institutions and innovators from primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, libraries, and museums to extend new technologies, applications, middleware, and content to all educational sectors, as quickly and connectedly as possible."

The Internet2 Commons - Offers remote collaboration services.

Watching Internet2 unfold and evolve is something we should pay attention to.