News for and about the Internet2 community

[Brian Warkoczeski <>]

For Immediate Release

All Merit Member Eligible Organizations in Michigan are Now Connected to 
the Internet2 Network


ANN ARBOR, MI - September 3, 2009 - As of September 1, 2009, schools, 
libraries, higher education institutions, museums, and government 
agencies across Michigan that connect to Merit's network are now 
connected to the nation's high-performance network, Internet2. As part 
of a collaborative effort by Merit Network and Internet2, all 
organizations that are eligible for Sponsored Education Group 
Participant (SEGP) connectivity in Michigan can now use the Internet2 
Network for high-bandwidth applications, innovative educational 
programs, and connectivity to other Internet2-connected organizations 
across the United States.

Since 1998, Merit Network has been a member of Internet2, joining over 
300 universities, affiliate members and corporate members. The Internet2 
SEGP program was established in 2001 to provide Internet2 Network access 
to higher education organizations, K-12 educational institutions, 
museums, libraries, non-profits, and hospitals connected to state and 
regional education networks. Merit Network—Michigan's research and 
education network—serves as the Internet2 Connector for the state, 
providing Internet2 Network connectivity to Higher Education Internet2 
Members and other organizations that requested access to the national 
network. Through the new SEGP process, all eligible organizations in 
Michigan that are connected to Merit's network now receive Internet2 
Network access.

"Merit is continually searching for ways to provide greater value and 
service to our Members," said Elwood Downing, vice president of member 
relations, communications and professional learning for Merit Network. 
"Providing Internet2 Network connectivity to all of our eligible Members 
will enable Michigan's schools, libraries, museums, and government 
agencies to offer new programs and collaborate with their peers outside 
of Michigan."

Over the last several years, Merit Network has grown its fiber-optic 
network to supply greater connectivity to its Members and provide 
redundancy for Internet2 Network connectivity. Merit now has 10 
gigabit-per-second (Gbps) links to the Internet2 Network, one in 
Cleveland and one in Chicago, and Merit's core backbone network includes 
10 Gbps connections in seven metropolitan areas, including Ann Arbor, 
Detroit, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Lansing. Over 42% of all Merit 
Members connect to the Merit Network backbone via fiber-optic cable.

Internet2 provides a fertile environment for organizations using 
high-bandwidth, low-latency applications. Educators at Western Michigan 
University and Michigan State University have used the Internet2 Network 
to teach students at distant locations using videoconferencing 
technology. Physicists and researchers at Michigan's research 
universities use the Internet2 Network for transmitting large data sets, 
remote instrument manipulation, and developing open-source network tools.

Innovative Internet2 Network uses are not limited to higher education. 
Secondary schools in the Saginaw area have been using the network for 
virtual field trips, scavenger hunts, and real-time learning experiences 
with students at other schools around the globe. Genesee-ISD, 
Gratiot-Isabella RESD, and Clare-Gladwin RESD have participated in "Read 
Around the Planet," and Ann Arbor's Hands-On Museum provides educational 
programs to Internet2-connected schools.

"All of our K-12 Members can now participate in Internet2-based 
educational programs, like Megaconference Jr. and 'Read Across the 
Planet,' and take virtual field trips to museums or locations around the 
United States," according to Jason Russell, member relations director at 
Merit Network. "This also opens the door to more museums in Michigan to 
use the Internet2 Network as a way to showcase their collections and 
educate visitors around the globe."

For Merit Member organizations, Internet2 traffic is considered part of 
Merit Network's On-Net Service, which lowers the cost significantly for 
connectivity to other Internet2 member organizations or to other 
organizations connected to Merit's network. Merit Members that are 
connected to the Internet2 Network can view their Internet2 and total 
network utilization graph in real-time via Merit's Member Portal as well 
as their total On-Net and Off-Net network utilization graphs. A full 
list of connected organizations is available on Merit's web site.

By enabling Internet2 Network access to all eligible SEGP organizations, 
Merit is providing a valuable resource to schools, libraries, higher 
education institutions, museums, and government agencies in Michigan, 
opening the door to new educational opportunities and collaboration 
initiatives with similar organizations across the nation. Merit 
encourages all Merit Member Organizations to view the Internet2 K20 
Initiative's Muse social networking portal and become active 
participants in projects across the globe, as well as sharing projects 
and seeking collaborators within the Internet2 K20 community.


ABOUT MERIT NETWORK

Merit Network Inc., a nonprofit corporation owned and governed by 
Michigan's public universities, owns and operates America's 
longest-running regional research and education network. In 1966, 
Michigan's public universities created Merit as a shared resource to 
help meet their common need for networking assistance. Since its 
formation, Merit Network has remained on the forefront of research and 
education networking expertise and services. Merit provides 
high-performance networking solutions to Michigan's public universities, 
colleges, K-12 organizations, libraries, state government, healthcare, 
and other non-profit organizations.

For more information: www.merit.edu


ABOUT INTERNET2

Internet2 is the foremost U.S. advanced networking consortium. Led by 
the research and education community since 1996, Internet2 promotes the 
missions of its members by providing both leading-edge network 
capabilities and unique partnership opportunities that together 
facilitate the development, deployment and use of revolutionary Internet 
technologies. Internet2 brings the U.S. research and academic community 
together with technology leaders from industry, government and the 
international community to undertake collaborative efforts that have a 
fundamental impact on tomorrow's Internet. Internet2's advanced 
networking consortium is currently comprised of more than 200 U.S. 
universities in cooperation with 70 leading corporations, 45 government 
agencies, laboratories and other institutions of higher learning as well 
as over 50 international partner organizations.

For more information: www.internet2.edu


For press/media contact:

Elwood Downing
Merit Network, Inc.
Phone: (734)527-5702
Email: