BRIN Western Region Infonet

Montana State University (Bozeman), Bozeman MT

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We will develop and implement a plan to provide a high-speed telecommunications network for biomedical researchers in the group of six rural states currently on the other side of the geographical digital divide. This Western BRIN InfoNet will enable scientists and educators in Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming to take advantage of the wealth of remote research resources and expertise available to scientists in other areas of the country. The Western BRIN InfoNet will serve as an instrument supporting educational and research needs and will bring this region with its highly valuable intellectual capital into the mainstream of American science and healthcare delivery, as enjoyed elsewhere in our country. The Western BRIN InfoNet will provide cyber lnfrastructure capable connectivity, eliminate crippling chokepoints, ensure scalable growth, and allow dedicated bandwidth where needed. Our project will create two types of Grids: 1) a research network composed of biomedical researchers whose productivity will be increased through collaboration, training and access to research tools, and 2) a physical communications network created by upgrading the network connectivity of BRIN-Grid sites to both the University of Washington's major health sciences research facilities, and to a de facto 'BRIN-hub' at the Pacific NorthWest Gigapop (PNWGP) in Seattle. Thus, this project will address two key issues: providing access to resources and building networks in the community. The importance of high-speed network infrastructure in supporting a wide range of science and educational objectives has been well identified and numerous national and international examples stand as exemplars. Within the United States, our research and educational communities are well served by Internet2 and its Abilene high-speed backbone. Today's research and educational communities have come to recognize and embrace the use of high-speed networks as key components in their suite of instruments essential to meeting their objectives. The states in the Western BRIN region are not equipped with state-of-the art network infrastructure, and the establishment of the Western BRIN InfoNet will bring the western region on par with its peers.