NET+ Information newsletter

[Netplus <>]

Feb. 15, 2012

Dear Colleagues:

This email provides an update on the Internet2 NET+ Box Storage Service offering.

To date, over 100 Internet2 universities have inquired about the service, and 30 are now using Box via a free trial. Internet2 is working diligently to move from an “early adopter” stage to “general availability” of the service. All nine early adopters have deployed the service and have active users among faculty and staff.  In parallel, the campuses have been working with Internet2 and Box to iron out various issues, both with the service and with the contract.  Two activities (service features and technology planning, and end-user contracting) are in the final stages of completion so that we can announce general availability (GA).  [Please note that Box has extended timelines for free trial users until GA.]  Once these two activities are complete and we have overall agreement, we will announce a general availability date and post a short application form, additional FAQs based on the pilot schools’ experience, and the contract that institutions will need to sign.  Look for this in March.

Service features and technology: Beginning this month, Box and representatives from Internet2 early adopter institutions are scheduled to meet in person quarterly to jointly review development activities and tune the system roadmap, prioritize features and bug fixes, and review requests from the community. This quarter’s results will be published as part of our GA announcement.

Contracting:  When we announced this service at the Internet2 Fall Member Meeting, the Internet2 master agreement with Box was newly signed. Extensive negotiations among Box, Internet2, and multiple university counsels have led to an end-user agreement that we all believe will be acceptable to the majority of schools in the Internet2 community and that can be signed between Internet2 and individual schools without further separate negotiations.  Campus counsels from each of the early adopter schools have been active participants from the beginning to support the creation of this single contract, assuring that appropriate terms and conditions are passed through from the Internet2-Box master agreement. While this approach was designed to save our community time, effort, and legal bills, it took longer than originally planned and we are most indebted to the counsels who participated. The pilot schools will now be applying their institutional processes to sign this common contract over the next few weeks.   One of the key premises of the NET+ Services’ program is that we “negotiate once, sign many” and this is our first example that this can work.

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As we prepare for GA, we will be updating the Box FAQ on the Internet2 NET+ web site, http://www.internet2.edu/netplus, to ensure that as many questions as possible are answered and available for everyone. Please also direct any comments or suggestions about the Box service or other Internet2 NET+ Services to .

Just as the Internet2 NET+ Services program has its genesis in the Internet2 community, its continued development and success will depend on the engagement of the community -- in identifying areas of focus and in support of our efforts through your participation in proof-of-concept exercises, early adopter programs and the sometimes complex and lengthy negotiations with vendors. We want to thank the many people who are working with us to make that happen with the Box service, and look forward to following with many more services – directed by our members and in support of all of higher education.

Jerry Grochow

Interim Vice President

Internet2 NET+ Service