Since 1999, North Carolina's top research universities have had access to Abilene, a high-speed Internet network that allows for more advanced applications and collaboration between researchers. Now, the universities are trying to expand that network to the rest of the state's educational community.
The expansion took a major step forward Dec. 20 when it was announced that the North Carolina Networking Inititative would sponsor the connection for the state's primary, secondary and college-level schools, as well as its libraries and museums.
"Those that already had access will have improved access, and those that didn't have it before can also have the faster access to Abilene," said Yokima Cureton, a spokesperson for MCNC, the umbrella institution for the research and development consortium Internet2.
The consortium, which includes several Triangle universities, is a branch of the Sponsored Education Group Participant Program, which has facilitated the new connections.
"[The new speed] would download the entire encyclopedia in a fraction of a second. This is not commodity Internet, but a connection to the top research networks in the country," Cureton added.
Internet2 provides connections between schools as well. Mike Pickett, associate chief information officer for Duke's Office of Information Technology, said one common application of the network is video conferencing, and that future plans include improving security methods, such as by finding ways to provide selective access to various applications among schools.
"We are in the very early stages of implementation," said Robyn Render, vice president and chief information officer for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Render said conversations about schedules are currently taking place with school administrators.
She said she expects several UNC system campuses, in addition to the 12 that have already joined the network, to have their connections in place within the next year.
But Bob Blackmun, associate vice president of information resources and technology for the North Carolina Community College System, expressed doubt that community colleges would be hooked up to Abilene anytime soon. He explained in an e-mail that community colleges do not have the bandwidth to support the advanced Internet2 applications, and therefore will not be able to benefit from the NCNI-sponsored access until that changes.
"While we'd very much like to be able to improve that situation, it isn't likely to happen in the next few years until the overall state budget crisis is resolved," Blackmun said.
Bandwidth limitations may prolong the wait for other educational institutions as well.
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