More About MOREnet & Internet2

Projects Technical Information FAQ Background & History Additional Resources

MOREnet & Internet2

Technical Information

MOREnet's Support for Advanced Research Networks

MOREnet is a longstanding supporter of advanced research networking, and is currently an affiliate member of Internet2 (I2). Active in the Internet2 community since its inception, MOREnet supports these activities in a number of ways:

• Providing statewide backbone transport for meritorious advanced networking research applications, including the current connection to the Abilene Network.
• Funding the Great Plains Network (GPN) consortium membership and network infrastructure fees.
• Providing statewide backbone transport and funding in support of the Sponsored Education Group Participant program.

Infrastructure support in place today is an integral part of the overall MOREnet backbone. Based on ATM, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) has been established with committed bandwidth from each participating institution to an Abilene/GPN gateway router. The Abilene/GPN gateway router connects to GPN facilities via a dedicated OC-3 (155 Mbps capable). Currently, participating members have up to 45 Mbps available for advanced networking activities in addition to their Internet1 connection. Because the bandwidth is allocated from OC-3 facilities, additional bandwidth can be allocated.

In spring 2001 a formal routing policy was adopted. Succinctly, the policy mirrors that of the Internet2 Abilene network. This policy permits MOREnet's I2 participants to exchange traffic amongst themselves over their research connection. At their discretion, MOREnet will configure their edge router to either support or prohibit this policy, the default being to permit all (interstate and intrastate) traffic to use the research connection. Read MOREnet's Internet2 routing policy.

The University of Missouri-Columbia has also been an active I2 participant, being a UCAID member since the beginning. At this time all four University of Missouri System campuses (University of Missouri-Columbia, University of Missouri-Kansas City, University of Missouri-Rolla and University of Missouri-St. Louis) are UCAID members and have active connections to the Abilene network via the MOREnet infrastructure. The University of Missouri System is an affiliate member of the I2 community and actively supports campus activities. UM System currently funds the UCAID membership of each campus, the Abilene connection fee and augments the MOREnet 45 Mbps infrastructure by funding an OC-3 circuit between Columbia and Kansas City.

At the October 2000 Internet2 Member Meeting, the Sponsored Education Group Participant (SEGP) program was introduced. in April 2001 MOREnet became one of the first five state networks to participate. All MOREnet customers have access to Internet2 services via a 45 Mbps gateway to Abilene operated out of the Kansas City hub.

Purposefully, the funding and support for advanced networking is a three-tier model. MOREnet provides the statewide transport and funding for all Missouri-based advanced networking research and UM System provides funding for University-wide Internet2 participation. This structure frees individual campuses to focus on local research issues — building infrastructure, supporting researchers, etc. This model allows each organization to do what each does best. The research community receives a valuable service from the synergy of this model.

The MOREnet Advanced Research Virtual Private Network (VPN)