Arkansas Research and Education Optical Network (ARE_ON) What is it? Why do we need it? What will it do?

ARE_ON is not: A competitive Internet service provider A competitive Internet service provider A source of cheap transport for the partner organizations A source of cheap transport for the partner organizations An exclusive “club” for a small group of users An exclusive “club” for a small group of users The answer to all of the world’s problems The answer to all of the world’s problems

ARE_ON is: Economic Development initiative Economic Development initiative Empowering higher education to be a more productive economic engine Empowering higher education to be a more productive economic engine Highly collaborative Highly collaborative Outcomes driven/needs based Outcomes driven/needs based Future oriented cyberinfrastructure with benefit for today Future oriented cyberinfrastructure with benefit for today Change agent Change agent

Economic Development Direct funding opportunities Direct funding opportunities Spin-off opportunities Spin-off opportunities Minimize lost opportunity costs Minimize lost opportunity costs Positioning for the global economy Positioning for the global economy

ARE_ON Core Agendas Research agenda– basic and applied Research agenda– basic and applied Academic agenda – scaling ARE-ON resources across the curriculum Academic agenda – scaling ARE-ON resources across the curriculum Healthcare agenda – telehealth/telemedicine Healthcare agenda – telehealth/telemedicine Emergency Preparedness agenda Emergency Preparedness agenda

The ARE_ON Equations : High Speed Networks +Distributed Parallel Processing + Innovative Minds = ARE_ON ARE_ON x Applications = Economic Development

Optical Network? Based in the use of fiber optic strands rather than copper cables Based in the use of fiber optic strands rather than copper cables Uses lightwaves to carry information instead of electrical waves Uses lightwaves to carry information instead of electrical waves Uses fiber optics to connect supercomputers together so they can be used one at a time, all at the same time, or in any combination Uses fiber optics to connect supercomputers together so they can be used one at a time, all at the same time, or in any combination

Interesting graphics Interesting graphics

ARE_ON Backbone UARK SAU ATU UAFS HSU UCA UAM UAPB ASU UALR UAMS TULSA DALLAS MEMPHIS MONROE

ARE_ON Backbone Conceptual

LOTA Ring

Facilities-Based Regional Optical Networks This map as of June 2, 2005 Current map available here:

Bottom Line ARE_ON is much more than advanced cyberinfrastructure ARE_ON is a significant change agent ARE_ON is a beacon leading to ARKANSAS 2.0

Questions ?

Michael D.(Mike)Abbiatti Michael D.(Mike)Abbiatti ARE_ON Executive Director ARE_ON Executive Director Effective 1 July 2008 Effective 1 July 2008