Frequently Asked Questions about Sponsored Participation in the Internet2 Network
(Individual Institutions and Sponsored Educational Groups)

What is an Internet2 Network Participant?

Any organization that subscribes to or uses Internet2 Network services through a gigaPoP, through direct connection, or through any other route is considered an Internet2 Network Participant. The Internet2 Network exists to advance Internet2's goal of facilitating and enabling the development of advanced network applications, services, and content that enable routine collaboration on instructional, clinical, and/or research projects, services, and content among participants. The Internet2 Network provides high-performance networking for data traffic among participating gigaPoPs and Regular Members, as well as other organizations whose connectivity benefits higher education in the United States.

Participants in the Internet2 Network fall into two categories: Primary and Sponsored. Within the Sponsored Participation category there are two classes, Sponsored Individual Institutions, and Sponsored Educational Group.

PRIMARY

Regular University members, and Affiliate and Corporate members with Collaboration Site Status. Primary institutions are typically colleges and universities, but may also be other types of research organizations with the capability of committing and deploying the substantial resources necessary to implement Internet2 capabilities.

A complete list of Internet2 members can be found at:
http://www.internet2.edu/membership

SPONSORED

Sponsored Individual Institutions

Individual educational institutions (including not-for-profit and for-profit K-20, technical, and trade schools), museums, art galleries, libraries, hospitals, as well as other non-educational, not-for-profit or for-profit organizations that require routine collaboration on instructional, clinical, and/or research projects, services, and content with Primary participants or with other Sponsored Participants. Such organizations typically are either not eligible or not able to become Internet2 members.

Sponsored Educational Group

Networked aggregates of educational institutions (including non-profit and for-profit K – 20, technical, and trade schools) which may also include museums, art galleries, libraries, or hospitals that require routine collaboration on instructional, clinical, and/or research projects, services, and content with Primary participants or with other Sponsored participants.

How do Internet2 members become Internet2 Network Participants?

Internet2 members can become Internet2 Network Primary Participants by completing a participation agreement, a separate process from becoming a Member. Primary Participants agree to pay a participation fee as imposed by Internet2 and to adhere to the Internet2 Network Acceptible Use Policy.

How does Participation differ from Membership?

"Membership" refers to the formal relationship eligible organizations have with Internet2. Internet2 has three categories of membership: Regular University, Affiliate, and Corporate. "Participation" applies specifically to Internet2 backbone networks, such as the Internet2 Network. Organizations must first be Members to qualify as Primary Participants. Regular University Members can connect their main campus locations to the Internet2 Network as Primary Participants. Affiliate Members and Corporate Members must also have Collaboration Site Status to become Primary Participants in the Internet2 Network. Collaboration Site Status is a specific membership category that applies to locations where advanced networking technology development, advanced network-based applications development, and/or research and education that makes use of advanced networking technologies and applications takes place. Research or education-orientated labs at non-profit and corporate organizations are examples of collaboration sites.

Membership carries certain benefits, such as attendance at member meetings and workshops, and participation in working groups and discussion lists. Regular University Members can vote for members of the Internet2 Board of Trustees and Internet2 Advisory Councils. All Members pay annual dues.

For more information on membership, see http://www.internet2.edu/membership/

QUESTIONS ABOUT SPONSORED INDIVIDUAL INSTITUTION PARTICIPATION

Who can sponsor individual institutions for Internet2 Network connectivity?

Only Internet2 Regular Members that are also Internet2 Network Primary Participants can sponsor individual institutions for connection to the Internet2 Network. Affiliate and Corporate Members, even with Collaboration Site Status, cannot be sponsors.

How can an organization become a Sponsored Individual Institution Participant?

An Internet2 Regular Member that is also an Internet2 Network Primary Participant must sponsor organizations with potential to become Sponsored Participants. The Regular Member submits an application to Internet2 that describes the planned or existing collaboration on advanced applications or networking with the potential Sponsored Participant. The Regular Member also submits a letter agreeing to the conditions of sponsorship. The application is reviewed by Internet2 senior staff. Upon acceptance of the application, the sponsor is notified and the necessary network routing is enabled to allow the Sponsored Participant to use the Internet2 Network. A description of the process and application materials can be found at http://www.internet2.edu/network/participants/

What are the responsibilities of the sponsor?

The Internet2 Regular Member and Internet2 Network Primary Participant assumes responsibilities identical to those it has for its own campus. Sponsors are principally responsible for:

• Ensuring that the potential institution is appropriate for sponsorship, as described in the Internet2 Network AUP. If the Sponsored Participant ceases to be so, the sponsor agrees to inform Internet2 in writing and arrange to have it disconnected from the Internet2 Network.
• Annual submission of a written summary of the contribution to the Internet2 project made by each Sponsored Participant, as a means of demonstrating to other members the appropriateness of the continued sponsorship.
• Ensuring that the Sponsored Participant abides by the Internet2 Network Network Terms of Participation including the Internet2 Network AUP.
• Ensuring that the Sponsored Participant has an appropriate connection to the Internet2 Network through an institution having a Connector Agreement with the Internet2 Network.
• Providing up to date information about the Sponsored Participant's means of connection to the Internet2 Network, including the name of its Connector.

Are there any requirements of the Sponsored Individual Institution Participant?

Potential sponsored individual institution participants are expected to be engaged in activities that require routine collaboration on instructional, clinical, and/or research projects, services, and content with Primary participants or with other Sponsored Participants.

What organizations cannot become Sponsored Individual Institution Participants?

Institutions formerly classified as Carnegie Doctoral/Research-Extensive must become Internet2 members and Internet2 Network Primary Participants in order to connect to the Internet2 Network.

What does it cost to become a Sponsored Participant?

Sponsored Participants may pay fees to the Connector and/or to the Member, as these fees apply to the specific conditions of connection. Sponsored Participants pay no dues or fees directly to Internet2.

If a Sponsored Participant wants to connect to the Internet2 Network, will Internet2 find a sponsor?

Internet2 does not take on the role of finding specific sponsors for potential Sponsored Participants. Internet2 members are listed on the public website, and potential Sponsored Participants are welcome to investigate with a local University the possibility of connecting.

How is a Sponsored Participant different than a Sponsored Educational Group Participant?

Sponsored Participants are individual research and education organizations that are engaged in collaboration with an Internet2 member or other sponsored participants on instructional, research, clinical or content-related projects. The impetus for sponsorship is the existence or planned existence of a collaborative project designed to develop or use advanced applications or further the deployment and use of advanced networking capabilities. Sponsored Educational Group Participants are aggregations of educational organizations brought together in a state-wide or other wide-area network within a state. Examples of these aggregations are state-wide K-12 networks, community college networks, and similar collectives of educational organizations. These networks are engaged in applications development and other projects designed to enhance their use of advanced networking infrastructure and services.

QUESTIONS ABOUT SPONSORED EDUCATIONAL GROUP PARTICIPATION

What is a Sponsored Educational Group Participant (SEGP)?

A SEGP is an aggregate of educational and education-related organizations (museums, libraries, etc.) inter-connected by one or more networks within a state that is approved for participation in the Internet2 Network. To become a SEGP, the group of organizations must be sponsored by an Internet2 university member that is an Internet2 Network primary participant. The SEGP and the university must be located in the same state, and must attach to the Internet2 Network through to the same connector.

What does becoming a SEGP provide?

SEGP status allows its eligible participants to send and receive traffic over the Internet2 Network.

What is the relationship of SEGPs to Internet2?

SEGPs have no direct relationship to, and are not members of, Internet2.

What difference will the connection to the Internet2 Network provide to the average school?

The connection to the backbone network does not alone guarantee any improvement in network performance over existing Internet connections. In addition to the backbone, local and regional networks at both ends of the network connection being used must be high-performance for users to experience improved performance.

Who can sponsor a Sponsored Educational Group Participant?

Internet2 Regular (University) members can sponsor networked aggregations of educational organizations as Sponsored Educational Group Participants in the Internet2 Network. The sponsor must be in the same state as the networked aggregate. Requests for exceptions to the same-state requirement should be referred to the Internet2 Director of Member Activities.

Can more than one Regular (University) Member of Internet2 in the same state sponsor a Sponsored Educational Group Participant?

Yes. These types of collaborations are encouraged.

What is the process for adding a Sponsored Educational Group Participant to the Internet2 Network?

An Internet2 Regular member that is also an Internet2 Network Primary Participant, or a group of Internet2 Regular members and Primary Participants, can submit an application to sponsor a networked aggregate of educational organizations, such as a state K-20 network. The sponsor(s) submits an application to Internet2 that describes the network's applications, projects, and other activities involving Internet2, and documents its commitment towards implementing advanced networking capabilities. The Regular Member also submits a letter agreeing to the conditions of sponsorship. The application is reviewed by Internet2 senior staff. Upon acceptance of the application, the sponsor is notified and the necessary network routing is enabled to allow the Sponsored Participant to use the Internet2 Network. Process and application materials.

How is a Sponsored Educational Group Participant different than a Sponsored Individual Institution Participant?

Sponsored Educational Group Participants are aggregates of organizations brought together in a state-wide or other wide-area network within a state. The network serves as a means of connecting these organizations to each other as well as to external networks where the cost of connection can be shared by all. Examples of these aggregates are state-wide K-12 networks, community college networks, and similar collectives of educational organizations. These networks are engaged in applications development and other projects designed to enhance their use of advanced networking infrastructure and services. Sponsored Participants are individual research and education organizations that are engaged in collaboration with an Internet2 member or other sponsored participants on instructional, research, clinical or content-related projects.

What are the costs associated with Sponsored Educational Group Participation and who pays them?

Internet2 will charge the Connector for the Sponsored Educational Group Participant an annual fee of $30,000 per connector per state, plus a variable fee of $2,000 times the current number of Congressional representatives for that state. Sponsored Educational Group Participants may pay fees to the Connector and/or to the sponsoring Internet2 member, where these fees apply to the specific conditions of connection. No fees are assessed directly to the Sponsored Educational Group Participant itself by Internet2. This fee structure will be assessed on an annual basis. Any questions about how this fee applies in specific situations should be referred to network@internet2.edu.

Can the Connectors apply E-rate to this fee?

This fee is not eligible for any discounting under the K-12 Schools and Libraries program of the Universal Services Fund.

Can an Internet2 Network Connector support more than one Sponsored Educational Group Participant?

Yes. In states with multiple state education networks (e.g., distinct K-12, CC, and 4-year college networks), one or more sponsors can work with the same Internet2 Network Connector to aggregate these networks' traffic.

What are the responsibilities of the sponsor?

Sponsors are principally responsible for:

• Ensuring that the potential Sponsored Educational Group Participant is appropriate for sponsorship, as described in the Internet2 Network AUP. If the Sponsored Educational Group Participant ceases to be so, the sponsor agrees to inform Internet2 in writing and arrange to have it disconnected from the Internet2 Network
• Identifying an Internet2 Network connector that will provide the proposed network's connectivity to the Internet2 Network
• Describing one or more advanced applications for which either the sponsored network or schools therein will utilize the Internet2 Network
• Reporting periodically on the proposed participant's activities that make use of advanced network services and its commitment to deploying advanced networking capabilities
• Identifying any former Carnegie Doctoral/Research-Extensive (D/R-E) institutions within the sponsored network that are not eligible to participate in the Internet2 Network without first becoming an Internet2 member
  

What are the increased technical requirements for Internet2 Network connectors supporting one or more Sponsored Educational Group Participants?

A Connector supporting the Sponsored Educational Group Participant(s) must:

• maintain a 7x24 Network Operations Center (NOC) that is accessible to the Internet2 Network NOC
• provide Internet2 a quarterly report on the relative utilization of the Internet2 Network connection by the Sponsored Education Group Participant(s)
• assure compliance with the Internet2 Network AUP by the Participant(s)
• use a distinct origin Autonomous System Number(s) (ASN(s)) so as to distinguish the SEGP´s routing information from that of other Participants using the same connection
• not use the Internet2 Network to transit any intra-state traffic within its own network (in cases where the Sponsored Education Group Participant is multiply homed to the Internet2 Network)
• take steps to avoid causing the Internet2 Network to establish any additional ATM permanent virtual circuits or BGP peerings to the Connector.
  

Are there any requirements of the Sponsored Educational Group Participant?

Potential Sponsored Educational Group Participants are expected to be engaged in activities that make use of advanced network services and be able to document a commitment to deploying advanced networking capabilities.

What organizations cannot be covered by Sponsored Educational Group Participation?

Institutions formerly classified as Carnegie Doctoral/Research-Extensive that are part of these networked aggregates must become Internet2 members and Internet2 Network Primary Participants in order to connect to the Internet2 Network. Internet2 Regular members that are part of these networked aggregates are expected to remain Internet2 members and Internet2 Network Primary Participants.