III. Status Quo and Future Evolution (2000~ ) ---  "CERNET High-speed Backbone" Project (1999.9 — 2001.12) and CERNET Regional High Speed Backbone and Key Subjects Information Service System Project (2002.10-2005.12)

Since 1999, development and application of CERNET have been advancing vigorously. In response to the State Council's requests defined in Decision with Respect to Deepening Education Reform and Vigorously Advancing Competence Education, as well as demands of the Education Revitalizing Initiative Oriented to 21st Century approved by the State Council and of the Modern Remote Learning Program launched by Ministry of Education, in consideration of CERNET evolution, the Ministry of Education initiated the "CERNET High-speed Backbone" Project.

Approved by the State Planning Commission in September 1999, the "CERNET High-speed Backbone" Project that would be implemented during the period from September 1999 through December 2000 was contracted to a consortium comprising of Tsinghua and decades of universities. In this project, a high-speed transmission network will be built up by leveraging leading-edge information network technologies and existing communication facilities, on the basis of which, a CERNET high-speed backbone and medium-to-high-speed regional backbones will be established to expand the transmission capacity, and to boost the access capability and management of CERNET, thus accommodating demands of modern distance education, providing reliable and sound network services for remote learning, and laying a solid foundation for setup of China's remote learning system.

CERNET will cooperate with China Broadcast and Television Education System to improve the environment and conditions for higher education, compulsory education and adult education in China to serve to cultivation of culture-indifferent, future-oriented and modernization-oriented talents. This project covers: construction of CERNET high-speed transmission network, CERNET high-speed backbone, medium-to-high-speed regional backbone, CERNET city high-speed access network and CERNET high-speed network service platform. At present, the high-speed backbone in the Modern Remote Learning Project is just under intense construction.

Currently CERNET is undertaking the national project named CERNET Regional High Speed Backbone and Key Subjects Information Service System Project (2002.10-2005.12). It will enhance the network infrastructure and improve the information resources system.

update:2006-1-11