A RON in OhioLinda Roos

A Gathering of State Networks

February 9, 2005

Today’s Presentation

• OARnet background

• Third Frontier Network (TFN)– Rationale– Financing– Implementation– What is Next?

OARnet Background

• Founded in 1987 as part of the Ohio Supercomputing Center

• 90+ higher ed member institutions

• Board of Regents funding

• OSTEER advisory council

• Internet2 gigapop

TFN Rationale• Allows dramatic increases in bandwidth

at minimum cost

• Estimate of $20M - $60M savings over 10 years

• Promotes technological innovation

• Enhances collaboration

TFN Financing

• $21M investment• Financing from Ohio State University

– Loan for fiber ($7M)– Short-term financing ($2M)

• Financing from state capital budget ($8.5M) – Equipment– Last mile to 17 institutions

TFN Project

• Phase 1: replace backbone with dark fiber

• Phase 2: connect 17 universities to network with dark fiber or gig circuits

• Phase 3: connect other universities and colleges

Dark Fiber Acquisition

• RFP issued during Summer of 2002

• Selected a bid from Spectrum Networks– American Electric Power (AEP)– Williams Communications (Wiltel)

• 1600+ route miles

• Multiple IRUs for right of way

Implementation

• Multi-agency policy committee• OARnet • SchoolNet• Department of Administrative Services• Ohio Board of Regents• Ohio Supercomputer Center

• Began in 2002

Implementation

• TFN Advisory Committees

• Lighting and Architecture

• Price Modeling Committee

• Last Mile Committee

• Implementation Committee

• Began in late 2002

Lighting and Architecture Committee

• Made recommendations on – Requirements for equipment– Requirements for PoPs– Service levels

Equipment

• Cisco 15454 (DWDM)• Cisco switches and routers• Juniper routers• Cisco equipment purchased through

SBC• SBC did initial fiber characterization,

configured, pretested, and installed equipment

Summer/Fall 2004

• Hired two optical engineers

• Backbone implementation (two OC-48s)

• Connection of old PoPs to new PoPs

• Connected most of first 17 institutions

• National Roll-out event in late November

Maintenance of Network

• Using CTM software

• First fiber cut tested redundancy

• Of squirrels and angry farmers

Last Mile Committee

• RFP issued in Dec 2003 for last-mile connectivity to all higher education and K-12 sites

• SBC responded and signed contract– OC3 and gig circuits

• Time Warner Cable is negotiating contract– OC3, gig and 10 gig circuits

Price Modeling Committee

• Associate specific costs with fees

• Commodity internet costs separated from other costs

• Cost-effective intra-Ohio bandwidth to encourage collaboration

What is next?

• Connect institutions with state-funded last mile connections

• Assist institutions with last mile solutions

• SchoolNet equipment purchase and implementation

• Investigate fiber possibilities• Seek partners for network

Contact Information

Linda Roos

OARnet

lroos@oar.net