RII Western Sub-RegionalPlanning Meeting

Gary Crane

Director, SURA IT Initiatives

gcrane@sura.org

www.sura.org

Southeastern Universities Research Association

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, seed money

from SURA, SURA relationships with member institutions, institution Presidents and links to Southern Governors Association, Southern Technology Council and everything and everybody we can think of.

– RII Briefing Paper– Additional information on SURA web site:http://www.sura.org/info_tech/infrastructure/infrastructure.html

SURA Regional Infrastructure Initiative Working Groups

Original group formed at the April 13, 2000 meeting of the SURA IT Committee included:

Jed Diem (Tulane) - Chair Gordon Wishon (GaTech)Ron Hutchins (GaTech) Carl Baker (FSU)Jeff Crowder (VaTech) Doyle Friskney (U of Kentucky)Alan Blatecky (NCNI) Gary Crane (SURA)Larry Flournoy (Texas A&M)

Expanded RII Working Group now includes: Brice Bible - U of Tenn. Jerry Sobieski – MAX Jack Hall - Florida Atlantic Zia Mafaher - Catholic U John Hurley - Clark Atlanta Troy Travis - University of S.C. Tom Lindsay - MS State Joe Grissom - Oklahoma U Don Halverstadt - UAH Mary Fran Yafhak - SURA

SURA Regional Infrastructure Initiative Working Groups

On November 27 two additional RII working groups were formed:

Geo/Matrix Oversight Team:

Jed Diem Alan Blatecky

Jerry Sobieski Ron Hutchins

Gary Crane Mary Fran Yafchak

SURA RII Communications Team Jed Diem Gordon Wishon John Hurley

Gary Crane Mary Fran Yafchak

Regional Infrastructure InitiativeStatus

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

1. General network plan

2. Provider/partner identification and development

3. Engineering feasibility study

4. Economic feasibility study

5. Final report and recommendations

Dec Jan Feb March April May June July August

Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

Phase 4

Phase 5

SURA Regional Infrastructure Initiative Projected Timeline

January 5, 2001

Gen

eral

Net

wor

k P

lan

Vender Identification and Development

Eng

inee

ring

Fea

sibi

lity

Eco

nom

icF

easi

bili

ty

Fin

al R

epor

t

Regional Infrastructure InitiativeStatus

• Phase 1 completed December 30

• Phase 1 Report available on SURA web at:

www.sura.org/info_tech/infrastructure/suracio

Requires userID: sura-rii password: suracio

The Need for Data Collection

• Each phase of the engagement with Geo/Matrix has clearly defined data collection requirements

• To be successful, SURA must engage its members in the collection of data required by Geo/Matrix

• Phase 1 data collection included information about the physical location of SURA member institutions and the existing SURA region gigapops

• Phase 1 resulted in creation of a set of initial maps to facilitate discussions with potential partners

Regional Infrastructure InitiativeStatus

• Notice to proceed with Phase 2 issued December 30

• Completed Phase 2 survey to SURA members and gigapops regarding current network services on February 25

• Indications are that there may be some early opportunities for vendor partnerships

Phase 2 Data Collection

• Phase 2 data collection focused on:– General Institutional and Student Demographics

– Institution Public Network Demarc

– Current Network Services Terminating at Institution

– Local and regional network service providers

– Major Local Telecommunications facilities

Phase 2 Survey Results

• 69 surveys distributed to SURA members, federal research facilities and gigapops in the SURA footprint

• 52 surveys returned by deadline (2/24/01) response rate of over 75%

• 13 sent to locations in western sub-region

• Only 5 returned from western sub-region - 8 still outstanding

Phase 2 Survey Results

Responses

TulaneUniversity of ArkansasUniversity of Louisianna at

LafayetteUniversity of Oklahoma, Norman

Campus

OneNet Gigapop

Still Outstanding

Louisiana State University

Louisiana Tech University

Texas A&M

University of Houston

University of New Orleans

Alliance for Higher Ed Gigapop

LA Net Gigapop

Western Sub-Region