Columbus, Ohio (July 1, 2004) – The nation’s most extensive high-speed fiber optic network dedicated to higher education and research is nearly complete in Cleveland. Equipment for the Third Frontier Network (TFN) has been installed at Cleveland State University and Case Western Reserve University campuses, and the remaining Cleveland area campuses will soon follow. The network is being built by the Ohio Supercomputer Center’s networking division.
TFN, supported in part by funding from the Ohio Board of Regents, will link the state’s colleges and universities, community colleges, branch campuses, K-12 Regional Service Agencies, and eventually district locations to each other and to the Internet. With government, academic and industry partners, TFN will position Ohio as a world leader in networking technology and the knowledge economy. Scientific and industrial research conducted over the network will stimulate economic opportunities and help create high-paying jobs for Ohioans.
Dominique Porter, Manager of Enterprise Networks for Cleveland State, said her institution is excited about being connected to the new network.
“The TFN will provide Ohio with a truly amazing network that will enhance research, education, and economic development within the state,” said Porter. “The opportunities we are afforded by being connected to this dedicated high-speed fiber optic network will help promote research and collaboration within Cleveland and throughout the state.”
OARnet has a 20-year agreement with American Fiber Systems (AFS), for optical fiber services in Cleveland. AFS is a leading nationwide provider of metropolitan optical fiber networks. The optical fiber agreement provides broadband connectivity throughout Greater Cleveland to universities and research centers that will enhance TFN.
Colleges and universities that will connect to the Third Frontier Network Cleveland Fiberloop include: Baldwin Wallace College, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland Institute of Music, Cuyahoga Community College, David Myers College, John Carroll University, Lakeland Community College, Lake Erie College, Lorain County Community College, NASA Glenn Research Center, Notre Dame College, Siegal College of Judaic Studies.
“Our goal is to optimize Ohio’s higher education and research institutions’ ability to access high performance computing and Internet applications by building a world-class optical fiber network that will connect 91 colleges and universities throughout the state,” said TFN Project Manager Denis Walsh.
OARnet is a regional Internet service providing connectivity to 91 college and university networks throughout the state, as well as government agencies, corporate research centers, and non-profit institutions. OARnet continually investigates and implements the latest in advanced technologies to serve and support the information architecture of its clients. OARnet peers with more than 100 ISPs both nationally and internationally, and maintains data centers throughout the country. OARnet is a division of the Ohio Supercomputer Center, a technology initiative of the Ohio Board of Regents.
