1. Educause Southeast Regional Meeting June 29, 2001 Gary Crane SURA Director of IT Initiatives gcrane@sura.org SURA Regional Infrastructure Initiative Overview Southeastern Universities Research Association

2. About SURA Founded in 1980 with a focus on developing Jefferson Lab, a DOE funded high energy physics facilityFounded in 1980 with a focus on developing Jefferson Lab, a DOE funded high energy physics facility SURA is a 501(c)3 consortium of 53 research universities from 16 southeastern US states and DCSURA is a 501(c)3 consortium of 53 research universities from 16 southeastern US states and DC Created one of the first NSF funded regional network services, SURANetCreated one of the first NSF funded regional network services, SURANet Sold SURANet in 1995 to BBNSold SURANet in 1995 to BBN SURA region makes up 35% of US populationSURA region makes up 35% of US population

3. Jefferson Lab: SURA’s Crown Jewel $100M/yr (600-staff) DOE facility$100M/yr (600-staff) DOE facility User community of 1,600User community of 1,600 Primary mission: nuclear physicsPrimary mission: nuclear physics JLab - CEBAF Center

4. SURA Coastal Ocean Observing Program Challenge -Coastal zone suffers from ecological and environmental concerns endangering health and safety of inhabitants and sustainability of marine economies and resources Challenge - Coastal zone suffers from ecological and environmental concerns endangering health and safety of inhabitants and sustainability of marine economies and resources Need more reliable, accurate, timely predictions -to guide effective coastal stewardship -to plan for extreme events, natural / induced -to facilitate safe / efficient maritime operations -to support coastal military security / training Resolution - Open-access lab of distributed sensors linked to computer models - an integrated observation and prediction system

5. SURA Information Technology Program Resolution -Access / control and possibly ownership of fiber will challenge, even disrupt, the existing pricing structure - Leverage collective market muscle of the SURA region - Partner with others - Southern Governors’ Association, Corporate Partners, etc. Video Development Initiative (ViDe) Video Development Initiative (ViDe) Challenge -Provide cost-effective video-to-the-desktop solutions User friendly system with guaranteed quality of service Resolution -Internet based - low-cost / high quality / ‘transparent’ Develop - ‘standards’ / ‘tools’ - e.g., directory services Regional Infrastructure Initiative (RII) Challenge - Demand for robust networking exceeds provisions Even if services available, cost prohibitive for many Even if services available, cost prohibitive for many Services not available to all, must span digital divide Services not available to all, must span digital divide

6. Jefferson Lab Regional Gigapops SURA Members NON-SURA Members Video Working Group Leadership Help Desk Directory Services Abilene/vBNS Telemedicine Coastal Zone Sciences SURA IT Model IP Telephony WG High Performance File Transfer WG Legal 501(c)3 Umbrella MarketingLicensingContractsProj. Mgmt Region CERT Function Monitoring- Reporting Acct/BillingProvisioningEngineering Regional Fiber Broadband Off-campus Access Commodity ISP Disaster Recovery Dist. Storage CacheingNNTPViDENetCert/AuthPKI Collaborative Projects Organizational Support Support Services Middleware Transport Services Aggregation Research & Education Community … … Nano- Technology

7. Timing Is Right for Major Change In Network Economics The demand for access is outstripping ability to payThe demand for access is outstripping ability to pay Convergence of aggressive fiber deployment, DWDM, IP in the WAN changes existing economic modelsConvergence of aggressive fiber deployment, DWDM, IP in the WAN changes existing economic models Shrinking capital markets forcing sound revenue models and clearly defined markets.Shrinking capital markets forcing sound revenue models and clearly defined markets. State and local government awareness of the role networks play in education and economic development.State and local government awareness of the role networks play in education and economic development. State and local government awareness of the value represented by their control of the physical ROW.State and local government awareness of the value represented by their control of the physical ROW. Resurgence of the SURA community’s desire to get involved in a region-wide IT initiative.Resurgence of the SURA community’s desire to get involved in a region-wide IT initiative.

8. Emergence of Higher Ed Optical Networking CANARIE Regional Optical Networking Projects and CANet4CANARIE Regional Optical Networking Projects and CANet4 SURA Regional Infrastructure InitiativeSURA Regional Infrastructure Initiative CENIC Optical Networking InitiativeCENIC Optical Networking Initiative UCAID Network of the FutureUCAID Network of the Future TheQuiltTheQuilt Educause Bandwidth Pricing GroupEducause Bandwidth Pricing Group IEEAFIEEAF

9. SURA Regional Infrastructure Initiative Basic goal is to gain control of the underlying network transport through: –Partnerships with new and existing fiber owners and equipment vendors –Creative relationships with carrier hotels –Leveraging SURA regional gigapop facilities, SURA seed money, SURA member institutions and Presidents and links to Southern Governors Association, Southern Technology Council and everything we can think of. –Additional information on SURA web site: http://www.sura.org and follow Information Technology links

10. Regional Infrastructure Initiative Status Original working group formed at the April 13, 2000 meeting of the SURA IT Committee included 8 CIOs from SURA membershipOriginal working group formed at the April 13, 2000 meeting of the SURA IT Committee included 8 CIOs from SURA membership October 27 SURA executed a consulting contract with Geo/Matrix LLC for a 5 Phase RII planning effortOctober 27 SURA executed a consulting contract with Geo/Matrix LLC for a 5 Phase RII planning effort Expanded RII Working Group now includes 17 CIOs and Senior Network Engineers from 16 SURA member schoolsExpanded RII Working Group now includes 17 CIOs and Senior Network Engineers from 16 SURA member schools Architecture Working Group participants from 22 SURA member institutions plus a national external review group:Architecture Working Group participants from 22 SURA member institutions plus a national external review group: Michael Krugman – BU/NOXRene Hatem – Canarie Tom Durkin – Geo/MatrixDave Reese – CSU/CENIC Steve Corbato – UCAID

11. Regional Infrastructure Initiative Status Phase 1 completed and Phase 2 started December 30Phase 1 completed and Phase 2 started December 30 Expanded working groupsExpanded working groups Early March completed Phase 2 survey of 69 SURA region sites - 90% response rateEarly March completed Phase 2 survey of 69 SURA region sites - 90% response rate Late Feb/Early March – conducted 3 regional RII informational meetings with SURA membersLate Feb/Early March – conducted 3 regional RII informational meetings with SURA members Late March distributed potential partners package to approx. 130 potential commercial partnersLate March distributed potential partners package to approx. 130 potential commercial partners April 26 Commercial Partners meeting at MCNC in Raleigh, NCApril 26 Commercial Partners meeting at MCNC in Raleigh, NC –Attended by over 60 representatives from more than 37 different companies

12. Regional Infrastructure Initiative Status Regional Infrastructure Initiative Status Phase 2 - identification of strongest potential partners is complete Level(3) Communications Touch America, Inc. ClearStream Communications Global Crossing (Frontier) Aerie Networks AT&T Broadband … AT&T Southern Telecommunications Americas Fiber Network (AFN) Communications Old Dominion Telecom, Inc. MCI WorldCom Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia Florida Power & Light Velocita (PF.NET) Teleglobe, Inc. Progress Telecom Dominion Telecom

13. RII Early Signs of Success Very strong SURA community interestVery strong SURA community interest –Good attendance at regional meetings –Good participation in working groups Early discussions and meetings with potential commercial partners are very positiveEarly discussions and meetings with potential commercial partners are very positive –Strong interest in creative alternatives Planning for possible implementation scenarios (AWG Architecture White Paper)Planning for possible implementation scenarios (AWG Architecture White Paper) Need to begin defining funding, governance and management modelsNeed to begin defining funding, governance and management models

14. RII Early Signs of Success Early interest and possible partnering opportunities:Early interest and possible partnering opportunities: joint regional and metro build projectsjoint regional and metro build projects –Strong interest in conversion of optical amp sites into add/drop sites (especially attractive in rural areas) product/service developmentproduct/service development use of campus facilities for national network node sitesuse of campus facilities for national network node sites major fiber construction firm willing to provide access to “as built” informationmajor fiber construction firm willing to provide access to “as built” information

15. RII Gaining Momentum SURA RII and the Southern Governors AssociationSURA RII and the Southern Governors Association –Proposing a 3 year joint program with SGA fostering support for the RII –4/25 Science Summit of the South SURA’s participation in the QuiltSURA’s participation in the Quilt Cooperative spirit with CENICCooperative spirit with CENIC SURA emerging as possible trial deployment of some of the higher ed community’s creative ideasSURA emerging as possible trial deployment of some of the higher ed community’s creative ideas

17. Next Steps In depth meetings with potential partnersIn depth meetings with potential partners Assess state of optical network technologyAssess state of optical network technology Complete architecture white paperComplete architecture white paper Develop governance guiding principlesDevelop governance guiding principles Explore trial projects with selected partnersExplore trial projects with selected partners –Due diligence process is important

18. URLs SURA: www.sura.orgSURA: www.sura.org CANARIE: www.canarie.caCANARIE: www.canarie.ca TheQuilt: www.thequilt.netTheQuilt: www.thequilt.net IEEAF: www.ieeaf.orgIEEAF: www.ieeaf.org Bandwidth Pricing Group: www.educause.edu/netatedu/groups/pricingBandwidth Pricing Group: www.educause.edu/netatedu/groups/pricing Gary Crane: gcrane@sura.orgGary Crane: gcrane@sura.org