SURA IT Initiatives & Strategy: Infrastructure Initiatives: SURA-AT&T GridFiber Collaboration

In December of 2003 SURA and AT&T announced the GridFiber Collaboration Agreement that is providing the national research and education community with access to AT&T's newest optical networking infrastructure, the AT&T NexGen Network. This agreement evolved from a SURA-sponsored study to identify potential corporate partners in the development of a new set of network services, to support education and scientific research in the South. This study was undertaken based on a challenge from the SURA Council of Presidents (comprised of Presidents and Chancellors of SURA member universities) to aggressively seek innovative approaches to strengthen the scientific and technical capabilities of the region. One of the outcomes of this search for innovation was the development of a regional networking infrastructure project known as the SURA Crossroads Initiative, which sought to leverage the collective requirements and buying power of SURA members to dramatically reduce the cost of advanced network connectivity. The AT&T GridFiber collaboration furthers the goal of this initiative by making dark fiber assets available not just to SURA member institutions, but to research and educational institutions nationwide. Through this agreement SURA has access to 6,000 pair miles of AT&T NexGen dark fiber throughout the continental US. Another 2,000 pair miles of AT&T dark fiber are available specifically for network research purposes.

SURA has made the following commitments to organizations for the use of the AT&T dark fiber available under the SURA - AT&T GridFiber Agreement:

• National LambdaRail (NLR) - 1,000 miles
• Lonestar Education And Research Network (LEARN Texas ) - 620 miles
• Louisiana Optical Networking Initiative (LONI) - 340 miles
• LOTA (LA, OK, TX, AR ring) - 510 miles
• Network for Education and Research in Oregon (NERO) - 159 miles
• Pacific Northwest Gigapop ( University of Washington ) - 1000 miles

These commitments total to 3,620 miles of the 6,000 miles available under the SURA - AT&T GridFiber Agreement.

The SURA - AT&T GridFiber Agreement, Amendment 1 to the Agreement and a detailed map of the AT&T NexGen national network, while considered AT&T proprietary information, are all available to those willing to execute an NDA with AT&T. If you would like access to this information please contact Gary Crane ( gcrane@sura.org ).

AT&T – SURA GridFiber Collaboration Press Release (ATTPrRel.pdf)

AT&T - SURA Map