A Tale of Two Networks
R. Cottrell, USDOE Office of Science (SC) · 1985
Just as successful businesses tend to expand, successful research almost inevitably results in pressure for further research--the deeper we delve into the universe, the more we find there is to learn. When the Voyagers flew by Saturn, rather than provide an explanation of the rings, they showed us that these fascinating structures are more complex than anyone had ever imagined. Similarly, in our own subatomic world of high energy physics at SLAC, each breakthrough tends to bring with it a multitude of new questions. And just as new questions about extra-terrestrial conditions require more sophisticated space probes to find answers, new questions about subatomic particles necessitate bigger, more complex experiments to gather the data needed to bring us closer to a better understanding of the basic building blocks of the universe. Because of this, the pressure for new research tools at a national lab like SLAC is enormous, and that includes pressure to add or expand computer systems and networks.