1000 Chinese universities to be linked with next generation internet network

Image: dimreport.com

One thousand universities in China will be interconnected in an experimental network as part of the country's efforts to reach the forefront of global web development. According to industry experts, the experimental network, called China Education and Research Network Two (CERNET2), will come into effect later this year and will provide a huge number of IP addresses for internet connection.

"A large-scale test of the next-generation internet has been a focal point in China's 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015), even though many designs haven't come to realization yet," said Wu Jianping, director of the committee responsible for the CERNET project. CERNET2 uses an addressing system called Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6), which is able to provide 340 undecillion - 340 followed by 36 zeros - IP addresses to support future Internet expansion.

Many of China's top institutions will be connected by the scheme, which has to be approved by the Chinese authorities before it can be implememented.