nsferring large amounts of data. Equally important, the new UltraNet will allow for remote computational steering, distributed collaborative visualization, and remote instrument control. Remote computational steering allows scientists to control and guide computations being run on supercomputers from their offices. "These requirements place different types of demands on the network and make this task far more challenging than if we were designing a system solely for the purpose of transferring data," Rao says. "Thus, the data transmittal requirement plus the control requirements will demand quantum leaps in the functionality of current network infrastructure as well as networking technologies." A number of disciplines, including high-energy physics, climate modeling, nanotechnology, fusion energy, astrophysics, and genomics will benefit from the UltraNet. ORNL's task is to take advantage of current optical networking technolo- gies to build a prototype network infrastructure that enables development and testing of the scheduling and signaling technologies needed to process requests from users and to optimize the system. The UltraNet will operate at 10 to 40 Gbps, which is about 200,000 to 800,000 times faster than the fastest dial- up connection of 56,000 bps. The network will support the research and development of ultra-high-speed network technologies, high-performance components optimized for very large-scale scientific undertakings. Researchers will develop, test, and optimize networking components and eventually make them part of Science UltraNet. "We're not trying to develop a new Internet," Rao says. "We're developing a high-speed network that uses routers and switches somewhat akin to phone companies to provide dedicated connections to accelerate scientific discov- eries. In this case, however, the people using the network will be scientists who generate or use data or guide calculations remotely." THE INTERNET RULES-IP TECHNOLOGIES The plan is to set up a testbed network from ORNL to Atlanta, Chicago, an