SURA: IT Initiatives:
Infrastructure Development & Deployment

NSF Middleware Initiative (NMI) | SURA Crossroads Initiative | SURA Optical Networking Cookbook | SURA Cybersecurity Working Group | Regional Network Aggregations

Regional Network Aggregations – the crossroads initiative
The SURA Crossroads Initiative is cooperative advanced research and education network initiative sponsored by SURA and its member institutions. The Crossroads Initiative was developed to facilitate access to current and future highly integrated, digital communications services for education, research and economic development within the region and across the United States. SURA has supported the creation of two GigaPops in the SURA region; the Mid-Atlantic Crossroads (MAX) and the Southern Crossroads (SoX). These GigaPops, managed by SURA member institutions, provide cost effective access to local, regional, national and international advanced research and education network services. Other regional advanced R&E networking aggregations in the SURA region include:

• AmericasPATH (AMPATH), a project of Florida International University, sponsored in part by the US National Science Foundation CISE-ANIR division, in collaboration with Global Crossing (GC) and other telecommunications product and service providers.
• Florida LambdaRail, a consortium of higher education institutions who are cooperating to build a state-wide high-bandwidth research and education network for Florida.
• Gulf Central GigaPoP, aggregating Abilene connectivity for University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Alabama at Huntsville and the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa.
• Louisiana State Network (LA Net), providing government, education, and research users with medium-to-high speed computer access across Louisiana and to the Internet.
• Mississippi State University, aggregating Abilene connectivity for Jackson State University, Mississippi State University, and the University of Southern Mississippi
• Network Virginia, aggregating Abilene connectivity for James Madison University, George Mason University, Old Dominion University, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech University, College of William & Mary, NCSA Access Center in Ballston, VA (part of Indiana University)
• NCREN /NCGigaNet, aggregating commodity Internet and Abilene access for North Carolina State University, Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• OneNet, Oklahoma's telecommunications and information network for education and government. operated as a division of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
• Texas GigaPoP, aggregating Abilene connectivity for Baylor College of Medicine, Rice University, Stephen F. Austin University, Texas A&M University, University of Houston (Texas Tech) and NASA Johnson Space Center