SINET is a nationwide academic Internet backbone which was launched in April 1992, designed to promote research and education and to provide a high-speed communication environment for more than 700 universities and research institutions.

Super SINET has been providing an ultra-high-speed network environment since January 2002, for academic institutions concentrating on such research areas as high-energy physics, nuclear fusion science, space and astronomical science, genome analysis, nanotechnology research, simulation sciences, and grid computing. Super SINET has contributed to a significant number of outstanding research findings.

The limits of current network capabilities

As SINET and Super SINET have served admirably as the Japanease academic infrastructure, their traffic volume has steadily grown requiring more link bandwidth,and their users' requirements for network service capabilities have become increasingly diverse.

However, current equipment, typically the IP routers, limits the capabilities for providing various network services as well as economizing the network for attaining higher-speed communication environments.

Therefore, new technologies must be introduced in order to break through these limitations.

New movements

Meanwhile, new movements that aim to provide end-to-end circuit connections for high-performance applications based on hybrid network architectures have emerged in several academic fields (ex. HOPI, GEANT2), providing new opportunities to create innovative global research and education environments.

SINET3 Plan

After taking into account the above-mentioned situations, NII decided to construct a next-generation academic infrastructure that integrates SINET and Super SINET, called SINET3.

As preparation for SINET3, fruitful discussions among universities, research institutes, and NII have refined the network concept through careful analyses of the current situation and future directions.