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STAR TAP (Science, Technology, and Research Transit Access Point) is an advanced networking infrastructure and test bed funded by the NSF Advanced Networking Infrastructure and Research division. It facilitates interconnection and interoperability of advanced international networking in support of applications, performance measuring, and technology evaluations. The STAR TAP anchors the international vBNS connections program. It is a peering location for international research organizations and networks, including vBNS, Abiline (Internet2); Esnet (U.S. Department of Energy), DREN (U.S. Department of Defense), NREN (NASA), and CERN. A number of international networks are also connected to STAR TAP.

Physically, STAR TAP connects with the Ameritech network access point (NAP) in Chicago, as does the vBNS and other high-speed research networks. It enables traffic to flow to international collaborators from over 100 U.S. leading-edge research universities and supercomputer centers that are now, or will be, attached to the vBNS or other high-performance U.S. research networks.

STAR TAP's connectivity supports international collaboration among researchers around the globe. The network is used to test emerging network applications such as real-time applications, streaming video, simulations, broadband services, remote device control, and large distributed processing applications.

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