Quilt Regional Optical Networking Workshop, June Michigan LambdaRail (MiLR) Optical Networking Project W. Scott Gerstenberger External Networking Manager University of Michigan

Quilt Regional Optical Networking Workshop, June Michigan LambdaRail (MiLR) Collaborative project of Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, and Wayne State University Formal Collaboration Agreement joint ownership of the fiber and optronics Management Team, the three CIOs financial/operational management by University of Michigan on behalf of all three schools internally funded, equally split communicate, communicate, communicate

Quilt Regional Optical Networking Workshop, June route miles, 6 strands, multiple providers, all existing fiber except laterals, long-haul and metro, 20-year IRUs Link the three campuses to StarLight and NLR in Chicago plus to two other Michigan locations Provide research wavelengths plus wavelengths for our ISP (Merit) for Internet2 and commodity Internet connectivity MiLR Overview

Quilt Regional Optical Networking Workshop, June

5 MiLR Fiber RFI RFI for dark fiber issued in May 2003 intended as a discovery process asked for budgetary pricing received 10 responses met with many potential providers initial business plan developed and approved as a result learned enough to write the MiLR Collaboration Agreement and issue a fiber RFP