The partners

The technical board

Overview

ENS de Cachan and RUBIS

“ENS de Cachan” is the prime contractor of the RUBIS project, a multi-gigabit IP data communications network. RUBIS is the name given to both the project and the network that emerged from it.

The RUBIS project was built in collaboration with 16 Research, Health and Education institutions. RUBIS was developed in the south of Paris and is specifically reserved for research, health, technology and education use. RUBIS connects over 20 cities serving about 25 000 students, 230 laboratories, 4 000 researchers and engineers. The project also covers a number of other activities related to research networking. These include network testing, development of new technologies and support for some research projects with specific networking requirements.

The purpose of the RUBIS project was to improve the existing connections of the above mentioned participants by creating a high speed backbone at 3 gigabit (very soon at 10 gigabit). Each participant's site is connected through an effective 1 gigabit throughput link (very soon more if needed). A RENATER node is homed on the campus of “ENS de Cachan” giving RUBIS a direct high speed connection to the French as well as other networks such as GEANT (see the “Ile-de-France” and European connections to GEANT at http://www.renater.fr/Metrologie/map-IDF/). The RUBIS network became fully operational on April 1 st 2003.

To find out more about RUBIS, click:
http://www.rubis.net/ukindex.shtml

Work is also underway to expand the network by increasing its transmission speed and reliability. We also collaborate at the European level with the Terena task force to develop new networking technologies.

The project is innovative in acquiring and integrating the most advanced transmission systems and routing equipment available to create and maintain a network that remains at the forefront of research networking developments.

In addition, a number of other service developments have been initiated, to provide:

• IP Quality of Service
• IP Multicast
• Virtual Private Networks.

Network performance measurement tools and network security are the focus of these developments.

Funding for the project is shared between the participants, the “Conseil Régional Ile-de-France” and the French ministry of Research.

RUBIS is the latest generation of research network infrastructure and is one of the most advanced and reliable networks in France. It enables to share and distribute research data faster than ever. It delivers exciting benefits to its users.

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ACRONYMS