News
Spring 2012 Internet2 Member Meeting: Call for Participation
 The Call for Participation for the Spring 2012 Internet2 Member Meeting is now open! This includes calls for Proposals, Working Meetings, and Sponsors.
The theme for this meeting is "The Internet2 Community: Building the Next Innovation Platform Together." The meeting program will focus on how the Internet2 Community is reclaiming the leadership of ground-breaking innovations, brought about through the implementation of a 100G network, revolutionary new network technologies and opportunities for services that leverage this innovation platform.
Examples and explanations of these pioneering efforts are encouraged across the following four Areas of Interest: Advanced Network Services and Leadership; Global Network Reach; Internet2 NET+ Services; and Emerging Collaborations and Applications. Full explanations and examples of related topics, as well as the submission form, are provided in the Call for Proposals web page. Please note, the submission deadline is February 10, 2012. We are also accepting requests for Working Meetings and Meeting Sponsors. Please refer to the website for full details.
Internet2 and University Members Partner on eText Pilot
As textbooks continue shifting to digital, Internet2, McGraw-Hill and Courseload have announced the implementation of an eText Pilot Trial Pack to students and faculty at five universities for the Spring 2012 semester. The five institutions, also Internet2 members, include: University of California, Berkeley; Cornell University; University of Minnesota; University of Virginia; and University of Wisconsin.
The pilot, which is based on Indiana University's eText model, provides a timely and simple way for universities to quickly assess a new model for digital course materials. While an increasing number of eTexts are already available at retail prices, eTexts can cost less when institutions negotiate attractive volume price deals to dramatically reduce costs to students while efficiently paying authors and publishers fairly for each use of their digital work.
This e-textbook initiative is part of Internet2’s NET+ Services Portfolio, which works with Internet2 members to provide new services that as needed, may leverage the Internet2 network, and to reduce campus technology costs by providing aggregated and contractual services, and greater efficiencies. Internet2 NET+ Services aim at integrating each layer of the network model to create a cohesive, scalable, and secure system from the ground up. EDUCAUSE will host an eText webinar with Indiana University's Brad Wheeler on January 23. For details: http://net.educause.edu/live1203
Henning Schulzrinne Appointed FCC Chief Technology Officer
In December, the Federal Communications Commission appointed Henning Schulzrinne as Chief Technology Officer. Dave Lambert, Internet2 CEO and president, offered these remarks on Schulzrinne's appointment:
“I am very pleased that Dr. Schulzrinne has been named to this important position. Dr. Schulzrinne is a recognized leader in the Internet2 community, active participant in our community and in our governance. Dr. Schulzrinne’s contributions to technology development and toward its early implementation and adoption by the research and education community and beyond, proving the viability of previously “impossible” applications, will translate to policy decisions that help Internet2 members and enhance American competitiveness. Our community looks forward to working with Henning in this expanded and exciting role.”
Lambert's sentiments were echoed by many in the Internet2 community; read more.
InCommon Launches New Research & Scholarship Category for Service Providers
InCommon has launched an innovative program that will provide a simpler and more scalable approach to the federation of collaborative services. Now service providers that support research and scholarly activities, such as virtual organizations and campus-based collaborative services, can be tagged with the new Research & Scholarship category. Identity providers can release one standard set of attributes to the entire category, rather than negotiating with each service provider. This will simplify and streamline user access while reducing administrative overhead. The January 19 webinar introducing the new category is archived and available for viewing. Full details on this new category are available on the InCommon wiki.
EVENTS
Winter 2012 Joint Techs
The Winter 2012 Joint Techs meeting offers great opportunities to learn more about how Internet2 supports the demanding requirements of today's research and development community, and empowers the innovation that will grow into tomorrow's transformative technologies. Don’t miss these sessions, and stay connected as the Internet2 community is leading the global effort to be at the forefront of network innovation and extend advanced Layer2 services to your collaborators and remote campuses around the globe:
Software-Defined Networking (SDN): explore evolving architectural plans to create a next-generation platform:
Infrastructure Support for Data Intensive Science: explore emerging capabilities for the community to enhance existing connections to the Internet2 Network to more effectively support and manage data-intensive science network traffic:
Registration, general information, and a full schedule, are available online.
There is still time to register for the 2012 Workshop on Performing Arts Production over Advanced Networks, hosted by New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida, March 4-6. Explore in depth the elements needed to do everything from simple one-on-one interactions to large-scale stage productions and distance learning via advanced networks. The workshop is designed for an audience of educators, technologists, administrators, deans, and CIOs. All interested parties are invited to attend. Registration and additional details are available online.
Governance Updates
AMSAC
The Applications, Middleware, and Services Advisory Council (AMSAC) met in January and received updates on NET+ planning, council transition plans arising from the governance changes, and continued discussing ways to advance unified communications services.
AOAC
The Architecture and Operations Advisory Council (AOAC) met on January 11. The Council welcomed Akbar Kara, new Chair of the Network Technical Advisory Council as a non-voting AOAC participant and liaison to NTAC. George Loftus, Chair of the AOAC, reported that the AOAC Fee Subcommittee met in December and discussed using a clean slate approach to network fees and creating a set of guiding principles as fees are considered. The Fee Subcommittee will meet again soon to continue the discussion. George announced that he has taken the position of Internet2 Interim Senior Executive Director of Member Relations, Marketing and Communications and is transitioning off of the AOAC. The AOAC thanked George for his leadership both on the AOAC and the Internet2 Board and wished him well. Charlie McMahon, AOAC vice chair was nominated to become chair during the meeting. Additional nominations for a new AOAC Chair and Vice Chair will be accepted for the next week, with a vote for the new Chair and vice chair to follow after nominations close.
ERAC
The External Relations Advisory Council (ERAC) held their final call of 2011 on December 19. ERAC members further discussed a document on peering and international exchange points - a first draft which was shared on behalf of the Standing Committee on International Strategy (SCIS). While initially written from a U.S. perspective, it was agreed that the audience for this document is much broader and there is need to include input from additional U.S. exchange point operators and others in subsequent drafts or work. An Internet2 update, including a summary on the recent Internet2 Board of Trustees meeting, was also shared with those participating on the call. The frequency of the ERAC calls schedule for 2012 was also discussed. Being mindful of time commitments, competing priorities, and the purposeful need to meet, it was suggested ERAC calls be scheduled to occur monthly, and extended from one hour to 90 minutes to allow for more in-depth discussions. Beginning in February, ERAC calls will be held on the first Monday of each month. ERAC will meet on Monday, February 6, beginning at 3:00 PM Eastern.
RAC
The Research Advisory Council (RAC) met in January and welcomed Internet2 CEO Dave Lambert for a very productive discussion covering a number of topics of interest to the research community, including drivers emerging from researchers for potential Internet2 programs in the near- to mid-term. Going forward, Internet2's goal is to fundamentally transform the way we use the network as we complete the transition to 100G. Dave is particularly interested in how we can make Internet2's advanced network into a better innovation platform, especially as collaboration becomes more central to the R&E community, and this was the focus of the conversation. |
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