Structure of the Internet Today

Three primary components in the new NSFNET architecture:

The four NSF-awarded Network Access Points (NAPs), to which all Network Service Providers (NSPs) attach:

• Sprint NAP , located in Pennsauken NJ, an FDDI LAN that supports both shared and dedicated bandwidth with DEC GIGASwitch-based crossbar switching

• PacBell NAP , located in San Francisco, the hub for NAP connections in five LATAs, and an ATM (OC3/DS3)/FDDI hybrid

• Ameritech Advanced Data Services (AADS) NAP , located in Chicago, an ATM (OC3/DS3)/FDDI hybrid

• MFS-Datanet MAE-East , located in Washington DC, a bridged FDDI/Ethernet hybrid
  

An additional interconnection point, known as MAE-West , is provisioned by MFS Datanet, located in San Jose CA, a bridged FDDI/Ethernet hybrid. A map by CERFNET shows what NSP connections to the NAPS existed as of May, 1995.

The NSF-funded Routing Arbiter project provides routing coordination for the NAPs. RA is a partnership between Merit Network, Inc., USC ISI, IBM, UMich ROC

The vBNS (very high speed Backbone Network Service), based on OC-3 (155Mbit/sec) ATM links connecting PSC, NCSA, San Diego SC, NCAR, Cornell Theory Center, funded by NSF and provided by MCI

For additional information, see http://www.ra.net/.internet.html
and http://www.ra.net/nsf.architecture/.index.html .

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