BOREAS-Net
BOREAS-Net (Broadband Optical Research, Education, and Science Network) is a Regional Optical Network (RON) developed in collaboration by:
- Iowa State University
- University of Iowa
- University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
BOREAS-Net connects the Iowa State University campus network to national and international research networks so Iowa State University researchers can collaborate with peers worldwide using high bandwidth applications.
Status
BOREAS-Net went into full operation in April 2007, and carries the research and commodity Internet traffic for:
- Iowa Communications Network
- Iowa State University
- University of Iowa
Infrastructure
BOREAS-Net is constructed mostly from unlit fiber optic networks owned by major telecommunications companies. Iowa State University and its partner universities have acquired the long-term exclusive rights to use this infrastructure, which transports data in the form of light across the strands of fiber.
The optical electronics (optronics) that control the light use a technology called Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing that separates the light into wavelengths, or lambdas. The current optronics gear is capable of supporting 40 lambdas at 10 gigabits of capacity per lambda.
Currently, BOREAS-Net:
- connects the founding schools in a ring topology with access to large network hubs in Kansas City and Chicago
- has a footprint that comprises almost 1500 miles of fiber
- is one of the largest RONs in the country
In the future, BOREAS-Net:
- will connect to research networks Internet 2 (I2) and the National Lambda Rail (NLR), along with multiple redundant commodity Internet bandwidth providers
- will have a connection in Chicago to the CIC (Big 10) Omni-PoP
Gigabit Connection
Researchers at Iowa State University and the other founding universities can now acquire dedicated gigabit or larger connections to destinations connected to BOREAS-Net, the national research networks, or other RONs.
For more information, contact Angela Bradley at bradley@iastate.edu.
