Fire knocks Internet2 offline

The internet is based on a decentralized model. If one server goes down, the system reroutes traffic and nobody notices.

Internet2, on the other hand, is a much smaller system right now. And the high-speed system that could be the future of the internet is much more vulnerable to network outages.

This week a homeless man in Boston knocked out all service between Boston and New York by tossing a cigarette that accidentally lit a bridge on fire.

The fire also interrupted subway service, but subways can't travel at 9.08Gbps anyway.

Tags: fire, internet2, news