1. Fiber Acquisition and Implementation Internet2 – Joint Techs July 17, 2006

2. Setting the Stage l The three founding institutions of Merit collaborated on leasing over 750 miles of fiber to connect their institutions in Michigan and Chicago. l DWDM transport system was selected and engineered to support up to thirty 10 GbE wavelengths on day one. l Installation spring/summer 2005. l Operational Aug. 2005

3. Setting the Stage l Six OADM sites l One located at each of the three university campuses l Two additional Michigan PoPs l 710 N. Lake Shore Dr. l System is known as Michigan Lambda Rail (MiLR)

4. Setting the Stage l Merit was provided 10 GbE waves between each OADM site. l To upgrade Michigan-wide core l Remove carrier leased circuits l Reach member campuses in southern lower Michigan

5. Moving to Facilities-based Networking l Purchased fiber rings in the Detroit, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Chicago areas. l Plans were drawn up to create fiber loops throughout southern and mid-Michigan. l Cross border paths to neighboring networks are being pursued.

8. Lighting the way l Passive WDM equipment combined with pluggable optics (CWDM and standard telco wavelengths) for switches/routers provide a good first approach, with growth. l A single wave’s capacity is shared by most sites around a metro ring. l Additional wavelengths can be dedicated to larger institutions, backbone transit traffic, or SLAs (voip?). l Anticipating inserting 10GbE where signal loss permits.

12. Reality bites l Buying existing fiber runs unavoidable. l Often have to live with single (folded) access loop to sites where multiple, diverse laterals are too costly. l Ring loss (and with some limited impact, total diameter) for expressed waves accumulates with each new access lateral. l The signal level values are often available in the optics but not implemented in many of the switches and routers.

13. Success l Eight of the 13 public university campuses connected via fiber. Two additional universities in process. l Three community colleges connected with another three in the process. l Various K-12 networks connected.

14. Thank You