China IPv6 update

I’ve been trying to follow the development of China’s IPv6 network, dubbed China Next Generation Internet (CNGI).  Background can be found in this earlier post.  Basically, the CNGI is a bold 5 year plan by Chinese leaders (specifically, the National Development and
Reform Commission (NDRC)) to leapfrog Chinese researchers, businesses, and technologies ahead of current Internet standards and infrastructure by 2009.  Recent news from the IPv6 Portal Newsroom:

In early November one of the fastest links in the world was established between Beijing and Tianjin, as part of the CERNET2 (China Education and Research Network), an infrastructure linking China’s top universities and research institutions.  The link delivers 40 Gigabits per second.

For more detailed info, read this Asian Internet.com article, which reports that Juniper Networks routers are being deployed.  According to a Juniper spokesperson,

“40G is currently the fastest generally available networking interface, so
it would be safe to say this is the fastest link in China,” Hayes said.
“While it is of course always possible that there may be other 40G Links
that nobody is talking about, neither we nor CERNET know of any others in
production in China, and we have searched and asked.

“In the world, there are likely a small number of others (but not many) as
fast, but there would not be anything faster.”

Additionally, CERNET is piloting a Wi-Fi initiative with the IPv6 network on 3 Chinese campuses and will be using Motorola’s HotZone Duo.  It will be very interesting to see how wireless access to such a highspeed network will change study, research, and communication practices. As a Motorola press release says:

CERNET's deployment of HotZone Duo will allow teachers, students
and researchers ubiquitous wireless access to online courses, research,
educational tools and a breadth of communication possibilities from
anywhere on campus.