The main goal of the IST Project MUPBED is to integrate and validate, in the context of user-driven large-scale testbeds, ASON/GMPLS (Automatically Switched Optical Network/Generalised Multi Protocol Label Switching) technology and network solutions as enablers for future upgrades to European research infrastructures.

This goal will be pursued by creating a large experimental environment to assess the proposed network solutions, and that will be offered as an open test platform to other European research projects and users. The testbed will represent a multi-layer network based on IP/MPLS and ASON/GMPLS technologies, equipped with a unified control plane and designed to support the highly demanding applications of the European research community.

Some of the key project objectives are as follows:

• to identify service and network requirements of high-end applications for European research environments
• to define the ASON/GMPLS features matching the above requirements and enabling the penetration of broadband services in Europe
• to find and experimentally validate solutions for interoperability between different network domains
• to assess the ability of ASON/GMPLS solutions to support demanding research applications, such as Grid computing, through lab and field trials with a large user community (including NRENs)
• to develop guidelines for the introduction of ASON/GMPLS technologies and ultra-broadband services in future European research infrastructures

Taking advantage of the strong asset of existing testbeds, the MUPBED Project brings together leading European players from NRENs, operators, industry, research institutes and universities to ensure that all the aspects of advanced networking and emerging applications are covered. Different local testbeds will be interconnected to create a European-wide field trial, allowing the assessment of different applications and the impact of ASON/GMPLS technologies on future research network solutions.