Through community involvement, Internet2 members are using advanced technologies to enable collaboration among people and interactive access to information and resources in ways not possible on today's Internet. Internet2 brings together thought leaders, researchers, scientists, performing artists, and teachers across disciplines and from across the education community. Museum curators use techniques developed in telemedicine to examine and date ancient pottery. High school students have access to costly instruments, such as scanning electron microscopes, previously only available to handful of elite researchers.
Although advanced networking enables virtual collaboration, the Internet2 community also values the opportunity to gather in person. To this end, Internet2 supports workshops, technical meetings, and member meetings at which individuals learn, collaborate, and share expertise. In 2006, more than 700 individuals from the Internet2 community participated in the Internet2 spring and fall member meetings. Attendees participated in both the formal program and informal interactions around topics such as middleware, network security, artistic collaborations, content and data sharing, collaboration technologies, international networking, K20 networking, and many others. Birds-of-a-Feather sessions, hallway conversations, and the many informal encounters underscore the continued value of gathering in person. These meetings highlight that making individual connections remains a core benefit of participation in the Internet2 community.
Internet2 workshops provide participants with the opportunity to learn about and experiment with advanced networking technologies. During 2006, over 25 of these workshops brought together the unique blend of knowledge and resources and provide experience and expertise to members at a small fraction of what comparable commercial events cost. Ranging in topics from network performance, IPv6, and multicast to performing arts and master class production, Internet2 workshops help engineers and practitioners optimize network performance and maximize the effective use of their advanced applications.