What’s the latest incentive for developing applications using the OpenFlow protocol? Money.
The Internet2 research network, network that links American universities, corporations, government and education agencies with links to and more than 100 national research and education networkers in more than 50 countries, has announced its Innovative Application Awards program, which will award cash prizes to the best open source end-user applications that make use of OpenFlow-enabled software defined networking (SDN) capabilities of switches and controllers.
Internet2 uses some of these technologies in its 100 Gbps network.
The program is open to individuals or small groups who demonstrate the ability to develop and deploy “highly useful and reliable open source software.” It provides grants of up to $10,000 for winning proposals. Universities may provide additional matching funds.
The goal is the creation of is production-quality software that can operate on Internet2’s Advanced Layer 2 Service and take advantage of the SDN and 100G capabilities of the Internet2 platform.
“The new Internet2 Network can advance global research collaboration in previously unimaginable ways,” said Rob Vietzke, vice president of Network Services, Internet2. “Leveraging our new 100G, SDN-enabled network, we’re on the hunt for the most innovative applications that help to accelerate and transform discovery in big data sciences.”
Mick Marcellin, Juniper’s vice-president of strategy for the company’s network platform systems division, said judges “will especially be interested in those applications that leverage existing widely deployed software frameworks to improve data movement across SDN-enabled networks, and proposals that have a clear path to scale for widespread use.
“In other words, we’re looking for those breakthrough applications that have the potential to advance the impact of networking on the world.”
Applications must be submitted electronically by June 7, 2013.