SURA RII Monthly Update for June 2001
This is the June 2001 update on the status of the SURA Regional
Infrastructure Initiative to the SURA IT Committee and the general SURA
community. These updates are distributed using various SURA email lists.
These updates also are archived on the SURA web site (www.sura.org,
http://www.sura.org/info_tech/updates/riiupdate.html). To assist with
email management, all updates will carry the subject line: SURA RII
Update, mo/day/year.
· SURA’s consultant on the RII project, Geo/Matrix, has submitted the
final report for Phase 2 of their engagement. In this report,
Geo/Matrix provides information about the process through which they
have prioritized the 100 plus potential commercial partners for the
RII. This report has been reviewed by the SURA-RII Working group and
although in general the report has been found acceptable, the group has
requested that Geo/Matrix expand their recommendations for further
action to include a written analytical summary of each of the top 15
potential partners, their particular strengths and weaknesses, their
geographical coverage, their potential for partnership (willingness to
engage in creative solutions) and recommendations for continued
partnership discussions. This report will be posted to the SURA RII web
site once it has been formally accepted as complete.
· Based on the outcome of the first two phases of our engagement with
Geo/Matrix, the SURA RII Working Group is now in the process of
negotiating significant revisions to the remaining phases of our
agreement with Geo/Matrix. A meeting between the SURA Geo/Matrix
Oversight Team and Geo/Matrix is scheduled for the second week in July
to discuss these revisions.
· The RII Architecture Working Group (RII AWG) continues to meet on a
bi-weekly basis via telephone conference call. This group is currently
focused on completing a white paper, “An Architectural Overview for a
New SURA Regional Infrastructure”, that will enumerate SURA RII design
principles and suggest a basic network design.
· SURA has revised its password protected RII working web site to
include a new section for the collection of the work of the Architecture
Working Group. All AWG members will be given access to the SURA RII
members’ only site. Access to the working site is also available to
members of the CIO community upon request to Gary Crane, SURA Director
of IT Initiatives (gcrane@sura.org). Information of interest to the
broader SURA community and the general public is available on the main
SURA Web site at:
http://www.sura.org/info_tech/infrastructure/infrastructure.html and
will continue to be summarized via the SURA RII monthly update.
· SURA RII and AWG Working group members met with two companies, Aerie
Networks and Level3 Communications, in late June. Meeting summaries
from these two meetings have been posted to the SURA RII working web
space
[http://www.sura.org/info_tech/infrastructure/working/index.html]. Both
meetings were very encouraging and resulted in clear next steps for
continued engagement with these companies. Global Crossing is likely to
be the next potential partner that we will meet with.
· SURA is continuing to work with the Southern Governors’ Association to
gain support from key state governors for the RII initiative. This
effort has resulted in a one page summary of the RII targeted at the
staff of state governors (see attached). This one page summary has been
developed in cooperation with the staff of the Southern Governors’
Association and will be used to facilitate discussions with key staff
members.
· SURA is in the process of drafting a multi-page brochure that
describes the SURA Regional Infrastructure Initiative. Early drafts of
this brochure will be made available at the July SURA IT Committee
meeting and the RII website for review and comment.
· SURA has been an active participant in the formation of a new national
consortium of regional advanced network aggregations (Gigapops) called
TheQuilt. This new organization will function as a new project under
the UCAID corporate umbrella. The SURA region is very well represented
in this new organization with representatives from the following SURA
region organizations serving as charter members of TheQuilt Project;
SURA, MAX, NCNI, SoX, Net.Work.Virginia and The Texas Gigapop. More
information about the formation and activities of TheQuilt can be found
at www.thequilt.net
Attached document:
Southern Governors’ Association RII One Page Summary
-- gary
Gary Crane
Director, IT Initiatives
SURA (Southeastern Universities Research Association)
www.sura.org
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