Datasets / Global Information Grid Evaluation Facility


Global Information Grid Evaluation Facility

Published By Federal Laboratory Consortium

Issued over 9 years ago

US
beta

Summary

Type of release
a one-off release of a set of related datasets

Data Licence
Not Applicable

Content Licence
Creative Commons CCZero

Verification
automatically awarded

Description

FUNCTION: The NRL Global Information Grid Evaluation Facility (GIG-EF) is a federated research and development testbed that provides an unconstrained network infrastructure to demonstrate integration of leading-edge technology for the Navy/Marine/DoD warfighter and the intelligence community. A portion of GIG-EF is a unique, all-optical (OOO) national asset. The GIG-EF remains at the forefront of packet IPv6 technology. It employs a "rapid prototype" rocess to deploy, stress, and quickly transition hardware and software communications developments to operations by testing in a real-world distributed system engineering testbed. The GIG-EF works in conjunction with federated partners to couple optical switched and routed core paths to emulated TSAT satellite links and mobile JTRS edge assets. GIG-EF collaborators validate desired end-to-end performance of applications within a shared black core net-centric infrastructure. DESCRIPTION: The GIG-EF is unique within DoD and the Federal government. No other test venue offers the ability to bring system and network designers, engineers, and end-users together on either formal evaluation and testing schedules or ad hoc experimentation schedules. The GIG-EF process stresses services to the breaking point and beyond "on a network that exposes interfaces early and often and can break!" The GIG-EF provides a CONUS-wide laboratory that leverages existing DoD operational test facilities that otherwise would remain isolated. The GIG-EF motto is: "One good test is worth a thousand engineering options!" INSTRUMENTATION: The GIG-EF supports a variety of systems and instrumentation that can be used to stress and measure net-centric performance. Devices range from actual production network devices (switches, routers, etc.) to computing blade servers on which to develop and test prototype network protocols, delay generators, satellite emulators, edge devices, and encryptors. GIG-EF provides the complete suite of software performance monitoring capabilities that enable IPv4/IPv6 packet capture and analysis from Kbps to 10-4 0 Gbps. The GIG-EF federation of networks includes the all-optical research core that extends from NRL and the DC metro area to Boston; shared access to HPCMO DREN sites; and by arrangement, connection to DISA DISN CONUS/OCONUS services and National Lambda Rail and Internet2.