CANARIE unveils program to support advanced internet applications

Canada’s advanced internet organization has launched a new $4-million program to develop broadband applications for its national research and education network. The CANARIE CA*net 4 Advanced Applications Program (AAP) will provide up to $250,000 on a cost-shared basis for projects in several areas, including network research, advanced network and application security, video conferencing, university portals and distributed or grid computing.

“We still have a lot to learn about applications designed for a network such as CA*net 4,” says Susan Baldwin, CANARIE’s senior director of operations. “There’s a lot of research to be done that really goes to the heart of the capability of what you can do with a network of this level of sophistication.”

Applicants will also be encouraged to propose initiatives that make use of CA*net 4’s end-to-end lightpaths – high-bandwidth private connections that link two institutions for large data projects. Additional funding beyond the $4 million will be made available for lightpath projects.

The demand for lightpaths is being driven by projects such as high-energy physics, astronomy, bioinformatics, brain mapping and grid computing, including WestGrid in Western Canada and TRIUMF at Univ of British Columbia.

“We have about six lightpaths operating now and can accommodate about 20 more,” says Bill St. Arnaud, senior director of advanced networks at CANARIE. “We’re expecting demand to grow as more high-bandwidth projects come online. I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re out of bandwidth within a year or two. It only takes a few applications to dwarf even a network of this magnitude.”

The deadline for initial applications is February 2, 2004. Preference will be given to proposals that promote scientific and educational collaboration among users.

The AAP is being funded as part of CANARIE’s $110-million CA*net 4 envelop, announced in the 2001 federal Budget (R$, Dec. 17, 2001).

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