Support of Campus Cyberinfrastructure at Non-Research Intensive and EPSCoR Institutions

Internet2, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

This two-year project enhances campus network infrastructure and external connectivity of colleges and universities having notable research projects, even though the institution may not be primarily research-focused. It offers workshops focused on campus infrastructures and external connectivity to support research and teaching, and "Tiger Team" campus visits to assist with technical implementation. It builds upon Internet2's track record in campus infrastructure enhancement, campus-focused network performance workshops, and tools to foster intra- and inter-campus collaboration; it also supports NSF efforts on behalf of under-represented institutions and those in states identified in the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program, to upgrade infrastructures and enhance research and non-research activities. The workshops cover technical, organizational, and administrative aspects of upgraded campus infrastructure and high-bandwidth (1, 10, 40, 100 Gb/s) external connectivity. The Tiger Team visits will include expert advice on technical implementation, and Network Administrator and CIO-level administrative issues. It will result in a Best Practices manual informed by the project's findings. The project broadens the volume of campuses capable of participating in campus cyberinfrastructure-based projects, such as the Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE) and Campus Cyberinfrastructure-Network Infrastructure and Engineering (CC-NIE) award collaboration, and uses standard communications mechanisms (including Internet2's website) to broadly disseminate project findings. This will have a broad impact from analysis of solutions to barriers and needs in campus cyberinfrastructure, and the benefit non-research-intensive campuses that would not participate otherwise, including remote instruction.