News for and about the Internet2 community

[Todd Sedmak <>]

Mississippi Research Universities, Public to Reap Benefits from New Internet2 
Connector Site

Jackson, Miss. and Ann Arbor, Mich. (July 2, 2012)– When researchers and 
faculty members at Mississippi's research universities and institutions 
switch on their computers this morning, they have a new direct connection to 
the ultrafast Internet2 network via the new Jackson Internet2 connector site.

With more than 8 terabytes per second of potential capacity now flowing 
through Jackson, the Internet2 connection gives Mississippi's researchers the 
ability to share large sets of data with collaborators across the country and 
around the globe. University officials expect the enhanced connection to 
boost research and economic development efforts statewide.

The switchover moves the high-speed connections used to support research at 
Jackson State University, Mississippi State University, University of 
Mississippi, UM Medical Center and University of Southern Mississippi from 
Baton Rouge, La., to Jackson. The start-up and transfer is a joint project 
between the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher 
Learning and Internet2.
The project was made possible through expansion funding from the U.S. 
Department of Commerce's Broadband Technology Opportunities Program. The 
switchover was months in planning with representatives from each institution 
making a case for the move. Last fall, IHL signed an agreement with Internet2.

"Connecting to the Internet2 network represents a tremendous step for 
Mississippi public universities, the state and its citizens," said Hank M. 
Bounds, IHL commissioner. "Our institutions collaborate very closely on 
academics and research, and improving our connectivity through Internet2 will 
strengthen this process. The end result is research and innovation that 
encourage and support economic growth and opportunities to benefit all 
Mississippians."

The Jackson connector site is possible because of the new Mississippi Optical 
Network, referred to as MissiON. Former Gov. Haley Barbour worked with AT&T 
to create the network for the Mississippi Research Consortium, which includes 
UM, MSU, USM and JSU. The network also serves the UM Medical Center, the 
Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services, the U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center in Vicksburg and 
NASA's Stennis Space Center.

"We are delighted that MissiON is now directly connected to the Internet2 
Network and that these expanded capabilities of the new Internet2 network are 
available in Jackson," said Rob Vietzke, Internet2 vice president of network 
services. "The new network node dramatically improves Mississippi's ability 
to collaborate with hundreds of similarly connected advanced research 
organizations across the globe.

"MissiON, which is the 21st regional network to become a connector to the 
Internet2 Network, now makes it possible for Mississippi Research Consortium 
members to use our newly upgraded 100G network – the nation's fastest, 
coast-to-coast network – to implement new technologies that support 
scientific 'big data' and cloud applications to drive innovation involving 
clean energy, cancer cures, astronomy and other important global 
collaborative research."

Research officers shared expectations of how the switchover will improve 
projects at their respective institutions.
"The quantity of information used for scientific discovery is rapidly 
increasing," said Alice Clark, UM vice chancellor for research and sponsored 
programs. "This direct connection ensures that our researchers have the 
channels they need to participate fully in 21st century scientific discovery.

"From astrophysicists who are researching the mysteries of the universe to 
Shakespeare scholars who are using digital imaging to study Renaissance 
texts, Internet2 will have a broad impact across the diverse research 
activities at UM and will give all our students faster, more reliable access 
to a world of information."

Internet2 supports and enhances JSU's research mission in particular allowing 
significantly greater leveraging of its high-performance network.

"With our computational collaborative research projects being carried out 
with U.S. universities, government laboratories and our international 
partners, there is a need for fast transfer of large amounts of data," said 
Felix Okojie, JSU vice president for research. "Internet2 facilitates such 
operations, thus making JSU collaborative research efforts more efficient and 
effective."

David Shaw, vice president for research and economic development at MSU, said 
the direct connectivity to the new Internet2 point of presence in Jackson 
will allow for enhanced collaboration with other research universities and 
federal labs around the nation and the world.

"By enabling the development of new software applications, providing 
real-time control of remote instruments and allowing for massive data 
transfers more quickly and reliably than before, this enhanced capability 
will allow MSU to engage in new research endeavors, advance scientific 
discovery and promote economic development activities for the region and the 
state," Shaw said.

"Since we frequently use the Internet to send large data sets or hi-def 
images, an upgrade to Internet2 will certainly benefit us," said Glen 
Shearer, USM professor and chair of biological sciences and director of the 
Mississippi IDeA Network for Biomedical Research Excellence.

Internet2 is a member-owned advanced technology community founded by the 
nation's leading higher education institutions in 1996. Internet2 provides a 
collaborative environment for U.S. research and education organizations to 
solve common technology challenges, and to develop innovative solutions in 
support of their educational, research and community service missions.

For more information about Internet2, visit http://www.internet2.edu/. For 
more information about MissiON, visit http://mission.mississippi.edu/.

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Todd Sedmak
Internet2
PR and Media Relations Manager
202-331-5373 (w), 804-497-0282 (c) or 


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