GigaPoPs vs RONs
Inspection of GigaPoPs
Inspection of RONs
Trends

Inspection of the GigaPoP
A concentration point for R&E
A point solution
One box on some
A distributed system for others
SONET, Routers
Internet2 stitches PoPs together
Offers a centralized solution nationally
One organization owns the backbone

Inspection of the RON
A distributed or regional solution
A network not a point solution
Two or more systems
Photonic boxes + L2 & L3 systems
Quilt a federation of RONs
Can be more than R&E
Regional backbone ownership
A buyers group- right time & place (distressed assets)
NLR can be used to stitch together RONs

Inspection of the RON
continued
Bridge AUP limitations on a single backbone
Public R&E
Private companies
State agencies
More nimble to change technologies
Minimum set of technologies for national stitching
A lesser cost to evergreen
Address the regional digital divide
Education
Business

Trends
GigaPops aggregating into a RON
Existing RONs expanding
Opportunity to stitch RONs into multiple federated nets
National nets exit in parallel