The Hierarchy of Networking Marla Meehl Manager of the Network Engineering and Telecommunications Section (NETS), the Front Range GigaPoP (FRGP), and the Bi-State Optical Network (BiSON)

NETS responsibility

Within or between building (s), e.g. CG, FL

Within a city or metropolitan area, e.g. Boulder, Denver

Boulder Research And Administration Network – managed by the City of Boulder for the partners, CU-Boulder, UCAR, NOAA- Boulder, and the City “Fiber for a Healthy Future”

Provides nearly all UCAR inter- campus network connectivity including redundant paths. Has been in successful operation over 15 years.

Within or between region (s), e.g. Texas, California, New York, Etc.

BiSON is the RON for Colorado and Wyoming managed by NETS

Fiber optic network collaboration in operation for over 10 years. Recently expanded to include the NWSC, State of Wyoming, CSM, JeffcoSD, NREL, CSU-P, CC, and CU-CS.

Front Range GigaPoP managed by NETS on behalf of 32 R&E, government, state, city, county, and not for profits participants

Western Regional Network – connecting Colorado, New Mexico, California, Hawaii, Washington, Idaho and managed by CENIC on behalf of UNM, CENIC, PNWGP, UH, and the FRGP

NETS provides direct access to U.S. national R&E networks on behalf of UCAR and the FRGP, e.g. I2, ESnet

I2 is the primary non-agency specific R&E network in the US with over 200 R&E participants

UCAR and the FRGP are I2 members as are the State of Colorado and Wyoming in order to utilize the I2 network and services

NOAA uses the I2 network infrastructure to build a dedicated NOAA agency-specific R&E network

DOE uses the I2 network infrastructure to build a dedicated DOE agency-specific R&E network

Access to non- US R&E networks is through international peering exchanges, e.g. AMPATH, AtlanticWave, MAN LAN, Pacific Wave StarLight, WIX

Nearly all countries have a national R&E network. Europe has multi-country R&E consortiums

NSF and other countries fund R&E trans-oceanic links

Somehow, amazingly, this complex system, requiring multi-national cooperation and funding, works and your Gmail, Netflix streaming, Amazon orders, Google searches, Skype, Facebook, Cloud computing, big data, and supercomputing all work!