Internet2 FAQs
Internet2 Support for University Faculty & Students
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Internet2?
- How will Internet2 benefit current Internet users?
- What are some of Internet2's longer range goals?
- Will Internet2 replace The University of Scranton's current connection to the commercial Internet?
- Who else is on Internet2?
- Do other countries have connectivity to Internet2?
- How will students, faculty and staff benefit from Internet2?
- What grant opportunities are available for Internet2 related projects?
- What can I do with Internet2?
- How can I collaborate with others through Internet2?
- What is MAGPI?
- Will University users need to do anything special to access Internet2?
- Where do I get help with Internet2 on campus?
Internet2 is a collaborative effort by over 200 U.S. universities to develop advanced Internet technology and applications vital to the research and education missions of higher education. Internet2 is a project of the University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development (UCAID) and is working with industry and the federal government.
How will Internet2 benefit current Internet users?
The investments by universities in Internet2, coupled with the efforts of industry and government, are helping to develop technologies such as IPv6, multicasting, and Quality-of-Service that will enable a new generation of Internet applications, benefiting all sectors of society. In addition, applications that cannot run over the commercial Internet, due to Internet Service Provider oversubscription ratios, and lack of available bandwidth, are possible on Internet2.
Internet2 is about everything we do in higher education. Internet2 encourages and supports applications development in all disciplines from the sciences through arts and humanities.
What are some of Internet2's longer range goals?
A key goal of this effort is to accelerate the technology transfer necessary to move the appropriate technologies into the commercial sector -- thus creating the basis of a next generation network that will continue United States' leadership in this important area. Internet2 will also share its discoveries with others in the educational community -- K-12, libraries and other institutions. Internet2 is developing structures to share its experience and expertise with others in the education community and beyond. This is the approach that characterized the first Internet and it can work again today.
Will Internet2 replace The University of Scranton's current connection to the commercial Internet?
Internet2 will not replace the University's current connection to the Internet. Rather, it will run alongside that connection.
Internet2 resources are available to thousands of colleges and universities, K12 districts, Community Colleges, Libraries, Museums, and Zoos through the creation of a new membership category known as the Sponsored Educational Group Participation, commonly referred to as a SEGP. Over 30 states, including Pennsylvania, have this SEGP designation. You can find the GigaPop or RON closest to you at http://abilene.internet2.edu/community/connectors/list-imis.html Or, see the full university member listing at http://members.internet2.edu/university/universities.cfm. Internet2 participation is open to any university that commits to providing on-campus facilities that will allow advanced applications development on its campus.
Do other countries have connectivity to Internet2?
Internet2 is interconnected to over 45 similar research and education networks across the globe. To see a list of these international partners, visit http://international.internet2.edu/partners/.
How will students, faculty and staff benefit from Internet2?
Internet2 provides an environment where students and faculty from many colleges and universities can interact over a high performance network. University users will notice improvements on the campus backbone, and in network performance between our campus and other institutions. To get an idea of the innovative things you can do with Internet2, visit http://apps.internet2.edu/showcase-archive.html.
What grant opportunities are available for Internet2 related projects?
Through the enormous networking capability of Internet2, scientists and engineers can process immense quantities of data, accelerating advances in research and development. Lectures and performances can reach remote locations breaking racial and cultural barriers and transcending differences in age, gender and physical ability. Local pioneers can share their vision with students throughout the world, conducting classes remotely from caves, concert halls or corporations.
The incorporation of Internet2 usage into a grant application can often make it more appealing to funding agencies, especially when the grant calls for collaboration among many entities.
A variety of federal and state agencies, as well as private foundations, support the types of applications which Internet2 enables.
Some grant resources:
- National Science Foundation, Information Technology Research
- National Library of Medicine's NGI & Telemedicine Projects
- Internet2 Research Grants
- The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
- U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science
- National Endowment for the Humanities
The capabilities of Internet2 are limited only by your own imagination. However, to help you better understand just how limitless Internet2 is, here are a few ideas of what you can do with Internet2 for bulk high-speed data transfers, real-time video conferencing, and remote instrumentation.
How can I collaborate with others through Internet2?
Internet2 provides the communication pathway for educators and researchers to collaborate on new technologies, applications, and development of best practices. See http://apps.internet2.edu/showcase-archive.html for examples of such collaboration. Members and participants work together in application areas ranging from health sciences to fine arts. Videoconferencing (including international connections) over Internet2 is an extremely popular use of the high-performance network. For more information, visit http://www.internet2.edu/info/. MAGPI, the Mid-Atlantic GigaPoP in Philadelphia for Internet2, facilitates collaboration between its Internet2 members as well.
MAGPI is the Mid-Atlantic GigaPoP in Philadelphia for Internet2, one of two Internet 2 GigaPoPs in Pennsylvania. It is a division of the University of Pennsylvania, and provides connectivity to the 10 Gigabit Internet2 backbone, called the Abilene network, in three states (PA, NJ, and DE). MAGPI is making Internet2 accessible in Northeastern PA through an agreement with the University of Scranton. MAGPI employs full-time applications coordinators who facilitate research and education collaborations among MAGPI members. For more information, visit http://www.magpi.net.
Will University users need to do anything special to access Internet2?
In general, users will not need to do anything different or special. Internet2 access will be available to all University network ports, along with commercial Internet access. If a user types a URL into a browser, and that site is connected to Internet2, the user will get to that site via Internet2. If the URL is a site on the commercial Internet, then the user will get to that site via the commercial Internet. The University's network hardware will take care of the routing.
It should be noted, however, that certain Internet2 applications and activities may require dedicated network bandwidth, quality of service or modifications to network configurations for the application or activity to perform satisfactorily. Similarly, certain Internet2 activities require specialized equipment or software. The Information Resources division, particularly the Office of Network Resources, and Desktop and Instructional Resources department, may need to make special arrangements with faculty (or staff) to adequately support planned Internet2 projects.
Where do I get help with Internet2 on campus?
Support for Internet2 on campus is a collaborative effort bvetween the Information Resources division and the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE). Faculty or staff needing support for Internet2 projects and collaboration should start by contacting the Information Resources Technology Support Center at 941-4357.
CTLE will work with faculty on the pedagogical uses of Internet2 in their classes. The Information Resources division, particularly the Office of Network Resources, and Desktop and Instructional Resources department will assist with any special equipment or networking needs. The University's Director of Technology Development and Innovation (Connie Wisdo) will work with CTLE on faculty projects requiring coordination with the Internet2 GigaPoP in Philadelphia (MAGPI), or with the greater Internet2 community. Again, faculty or staff with questions about any use of Internet2 on campus should contact the Information Resources Technology Support Center at 941-4357 or techsupport@scranton.edu.
