Ciena is joining the Secure Autonomous Response programmable networks project, SARNET in exploring how software defined networking (SDN) can help alleviate cyber-attacks and program networks to provide enhanced cyber-terror detection and defense. SARNET utilizes a unique, multi-purpose, high-capacity research network and allows researchers to trial advanced network detection and defensive functionalities that automatically reconfigure around anomalies to help create and control agile, resilient and high-performing architectures.
SARNET is a four year collaboration agreement between the University of Amsterdam(UvA), the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), an airline and Ciena to explore methods for autonomous Internet security. The SARNET project allows researchers to automatically create, manipulate, move and remove network services as needed.
The research network will leverage Ciena’s SDN-enabled 8700 Packetwave platform with multiple research laboratories, including UvA, which is connected to Ciena’s Ottawa, Canada R&D facilities via its OPn research network.
Cees de Laat, University of Amsterdam, Principal Investigator, SARNET
SARNET exemplifies the significant transformation that future networks need to make in order to reconfigure and self-provision instantly. This collaboration is exploring just one of the use-cases made possible by SDN. Autonomous Internet security would alleviate a lot of pressure on today’s networks, freeing up resources and opening the industry up to a raft of other innovations.
Rod Wilson, Senior Director of External Research, Ciena
Networks are becoming agile, software-enabled infrastructures, and the ability to adapt to changing traffic patterns and bandwidth demands is more crucial now than ever. Enabling instantaneous responses to cyber-attacks or cyber warfare is a logical next step on this journey, and demonstrates an important advantage of software defined networking. With SARNET we are creating powerful new software intelligence that can help increase the security of our digital society.
