Grids and research networks as drivers and enablers of future internet architectures

Advanced network applications and research networks coexist in an uneasy symbiosis: new applications drive the deployment of the faster networks and new services needed for tomorrow, but can also threaten to overload the networks of today. Informed debate on these important topics requires a clear understanding of the technical requirements of new applications, the technical capabilities of current and future networks, and the policy constraints under which applications and research networks function. We seek here to contribute to this understanding by first summarizing the requirements of an emerging class of advanced Grid applications, and then discussing the technical and policy issues that affect how these requirements can be met. We focus in particular on the European situation in the latter discussion, but believe that most of our observations have broader applicability.