Data-intensive research traffic — large scientific datasets, distributed computing jobs, big-science collaborations — performs poorly and unpredictably when it competes with routine campus network traffic and passes through general-purpose security appliances built for web browsing, not high-throughput science flows.
This project built a Science DMZ at Tennessee Technological University: a network enclave designed specifically for high-performance scientific data transfer, with a dedicated, friction-free path and a 10Gbps connection to Internet2, the national research and education backbone.
Key outcomes:
- Dedicated high-throughput path for science traffic, separate from general campus network security chokepoints
- 10Gbps connectivity to Internet2, connecting Tennessee Tech to the national research network
- Foundation for later cyberinfrastructure work, including the lab’s TREN statewide research network initiative
Funding: NSF CC* Networking Infrastructure #2018373 — Creation of a Science DMZ and 10Gbps Connection to Internet2 for Tennessee Tech University ($292,322, including REU supplement, 2020–2024)
Team: Susmit Shannigrahi (PI)