Educause Southeast Regional MeetingEducause Southeast Regional Meeting

June 29, 2001June 29, 2001

Gary CraneGary CraneSURA Director of IT InitiativesSURA Director of IT Initiatives

gcrane@sura.orggcrane@sura.org

SURA SURA

Regional Infrastructure Regional Infrastructure Initiative OverviewInitiative Overview

Southeastern UniversitiesResearch Association

About SURAAbout SURA

• Founded in 1980 with a focus on developing Founded in 1980 with a focus on developing Jefferson Lab, a DOE funded high energy physics Jefferson Lab, a DOE funded high energy physics facility facility

• SURA is a 501(c)3 consortium of 53 research SURA is a 501(c)3 consortium of 53 research universities from 16 southeastern US states and universities from 16 southeastern US states and DCDC

• Created one of the first NSF funded regional Created one of the first NSF funded regional network services, SURANetnetwork 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

Jefferson Lab: SURA’s Crown JewelJefferson Lab: SURA’s Crown Jewel

• $100M/yr (600-staff) DOE $100M/yr (600-staff) DOE facility facility

• User community of 1,600User community of 1,600

• Primary mission: nuclear Primary mission: nuclear physicsphysics

JLab - CEBAF CenterJLab - CEBAF Center

SURA Coastal Ocean Observing ProgramSURA Coastal Ocean Observing Program

Challenge -Challenge - Coastal zone suffers from ecological Coastal zone suffers from ecological and environmental concerns endangering health and environmental concerns endangering health and safety of inhabitants and sustainability of and safety of inhabitants and sustainability of marine economies and resourcesmarine economies and resources

Need Need more reliable, accurate, timely predictionsmore reliable, accurate, timely predictions-to guide effective coastal stewardship-to guide effective coastal stewardship-to plan for extreme events, natural / induced-to plan for extreme events, natural / induced-to facilitate safe / efficient maritime operations-to facilitate safe / efficient maritime operations-to support coastal military security / training-to support coastal military security / training

Resolution -Resolution -

Open-access lab of distributed sensors linked to Open-access lab of distributed sensors linked to computer models - an integrated observation and computer models - an integrated observation and prediction systemprediction system

SURA Information Technology ProgramSURA Information Technology Program

Resolution -Resolution - Access / control and possibly Access / control and possibly ownership of fiber will challenge, even disrupt, the ownership of fiber will challenge, even disrupt, the existing pricing structureexisting pricing structure- Leverage collective market muscle of the SURA - Leverage collective market muscle of the SURA region region - Partner with others - Southern Governors’ - Partner with others - Southern Governors’ Association, Corporate Partners, etc.Association, Corporate Partners, etc.

Video Development Initiative (ViDe)Video Development Initiative (ViDe)Challenge -Challenge - Provide cost-effective video-to-the-desktop solutionsProvide cost-effective video-to-the-desktop solutions

User friendly system with guaranteed quality of User friendly system with guaranteed quality of service service

Resolution -Resolution - Internet based - low-cost / high quality / ‘transparent’Internet based - low-cost / high quality / ‘transparent’Develop - ‘standards’ / ‘tools’ - e.g., directory servicesDevelop - ‘standards’ / ‘tools’ - e.g., directory services

Regional Infrastructure Initiative (RII)Regional Infrastructure Initiative (RII)Challenge -Challenge - Demand for robust networking exceeds provisions Demand for robust networking exceeds provisions

Even if services available, cost prohibitive for manyEven if services available, cost prohibitive for many Services not available to all, must span digital divideServices not available to all, must span digital divide

JeffersonLab

Regional Gigapops

SURA Members NON-SURA Members

Video Working Group

Leadership

Help Desk

DirectoryServices

Abilene/vBNS

TelemedicineCoastal Zone

Sciences

SURA IT Model

IP Telephony WGHigh PerformanceFile Transfer WG

Legal501(c)3

UmbrellaMarketingLicensingContractsProj. Mgmt

Region CERTFunction

Monitoring-Reporting

Acct/BillingProvisioningEngineering

Regional Fiber BroadbandOff-campus

Access

Commodity ISP

DisasterRecovery

Dist.Storage

CacheingNNTPViDENetCert/AuthPKI

CollaborativeProjects

OrganizationalSupport

Support Services

Middleware

TransportServices

Aggregation

Research &Education

Community

……

Nano-Technology

Timing Is Right for Major Timing Is Right for Major Change In Network EconomicsChange 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, Convergence of aggressive fiber deployment, DWDM,

IP in the WAN changes existing economic models IP in the WAN changes existing economic models • Shrinking capital markets forcing sound revenue models Shrinking capital markets forcing sound revenue models

and clearly defined markets.and clearly defined markets.• State and local government awareness of the role State and local government awareness of the role

networks play in education and economic development.networks play in education and economic development.• State and local government awareness of the value State and local government awareness of the value

represented by their control of the physical ROW.represented by their control of the physical ROW.• Resurgence of the SURA community’s desire to get Resurgence of the SURA community’s desire to get

involved in a region-wide IT initiative.involved in a region-wide IT initiative.

Emergence of Higher Ed Emergence of Higher Ed Optical NetworkingOptical Networking

• CANARIE Regional Optical Networking CANARIE Regional Optical Networking Projects and CANet4Projects 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

• TheQuilt TheQuilt

• Educause Bandwidth Pricing GroupEducause Bandwidth Pricing Group

• IEEAFIEEAF

SURA Regional SURA Regional Infrastructure InitiativeInfrastructure Initiative

Basic goal is to gain control of the underlying network Basic goal is to gain control of the underlying network transport through:transport through:– Partnerships with new and existing fiber owners and Partnerships with new and existing fiber owners and

equipment vendorsequipment vendors– Creative relationships with carrier hotelsCreative relationships with carrier hotels– Leveraging SURA regional gigapop facilities, SURA seed Leveraging SURA regional gigapop facilities, SURA seed

money, SURA member institutions and Presidents and money, SURA member institutions and Presidents and links to Southern Governors Association, Southern links to Southern Governors Association, Southern Technology Council and everything we can think of.Technology Council and everything we can think of.

– Additional information on SURA web site:Additional information on SURA web site:http://www.sura.orghttp://www.sura.org and follow Information Technology links and follow Information Technology links

Regional Infrastructure InitiativeRegional Infrastructure InitiativeStatusStatus

• Original working group formed at the April 13, 2000 meeting of the Original working group formed at the April 13, 2000 meeting of the SURA IT Committee included 8 CIOs from SURA membershipSURA IT Committee included 8 CIOs from SURA membership

• October 27 SURA executed a consulting contract with October 27 SURA executed a consulting contract with Geo/Matrix LLC for a 5 Phase RII planning effortGeo/Matrix LLC for a 5 Phase RII planning effort

• Expanded RII Working Group now includes 17 CIOs and Senior Expanded RII Working Group now includes 17 CIOs and Senior Network Engineers from 16 SURA member schoolsNetwork Engineers from 16 SURA member schools

• Architecture Working Group participants from 22 SURA member Architecture Working Group participants from 22 SURA member institutions plus a national external review group: institutions plus a national external review group: 

Michael Krugman – BU/NOXMichael Krugman – BU/NOX Rene Hatem – CanarieRene Hatem – CanarieTom Durkin – Geo/MatrixTom Durkin – Geo/Matrix Dave Reese – CSU/CENIC Dave Reese – CSU/CENIC Steve Corbato – UCAIDSteve Corbato – UCAID

Regional Infrastructure InitiativeRegional Infrastructure InitiativeStatusStatus

• 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 Early March completed Phase 2 survey of 69 SURA region

sites - 90% response ratesites - 90% response rate• Late Feb/Early March – conducted 3 regional RII Late Feb/Early March – conducted 3 regional RII

informational meetings with SURA membersinformational meetings with SURA members• Late March distributed potential partners package to Late March distributed potential partners package to

approx. 130 potential commercial partners approx. 130 potential commercial partners • April 26 Commercial Partners meeting at MCNC in April 26 Commercial Partners meeting at MCNC in

Raleigh, NC Raleigh, NC – Attended by over 60 representatives from more than 37 different Attended by over 60 representatives from more than 37 different

companiescompanies

Regional Infrastructure InitiativeRegional Infrastructure InitiativeStatus 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

RII Early Signs of SuccessRII Early Signs of Success

• Very strong SURA community interestVery strong SURA community interest– Good attendance at regional meetingsGood attendance at regional meetings– Good participation in working groupsGood participation in working groups

• Early discussions and meetings with potential Early discussions and meetings with potential commercial partners are very positivecommercial partners are very positive– Strong interest in creative alternativesStrong interest in creative alternatives

• Planning for possible implementation scenarios Planning for possible implementation scenarios (AWG Architecture White Paper)(AWG Architecture White Paper)

• Need to begin defining funding, governance and Need to begin defining funding, governance and management modelsmanagement models

RII Early Signs of SuccessRII Early Signs of Success

• Early interest and possible partnering Early interest and possible partnering opportunities:opportunities:

• joint regional and metro build projectsjoint regional and metro build projects– Strong interest in conversion of optical amp sites into Strong interest in conversion of optical amp sites into

add/drop sites (especially attractive in rural areas)add/drop sites (especially attractive in rural areas)

• product/service developmentproduct/service development• use of campus facilities for national network use of campus facilities for national network

node sitesnode sites• major fiber construction firm willing to provide major fiber construction firm willing to provide

access to “as built” informationaccess to “as built” information

RII Gaining MomentumRII Gaining Momentum

• SURA RII and the Southern Governors AssociationSURA RII and the Southern Governors Association– Proposing a 3 year joint program with SGA fostering Proposing a 3 year joint program with SGA fostering

support for the RIIsupport for the RII

– 4/25 Science Summit of the South4/25 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 SURA emerging as possible trial deployment of

some of the higher ed community’s creative ideassome of the higher ed community’s creative ideas

Next StepsNext 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 importantDue diligence process is important

URLsURLs

• 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: Bandwidth Pricing Group: www.educause.edu/netatedu/groups/pricingwww.educause.edu/netatedu/groups/pricing

• Gary Crane: gcrane@sura.orgGary Crane: gcrane@sura.org