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Leading-Edge Telecommunications for Calit2

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CalIT2

CalIT2

 

The opening ceremony for the new UCI Calit2 building has taken place, and UCI researchers are starting to make use of the high-end network and telephone infrastructure installed there — the most advanced technology installed on campus.

The Calit2 building is the first building where NACS has installed high-performance category 6 cabling to every communications outlet to support gigabits/second network speeds to the desktop.

NACS installed the highest performance and most robust network equipment of any UCI building to date. Every network connection in the building will support gigabit speeds. This was accomplished by installing Cisco’s flagship Catalyst 6500 chassis-based switches on each floor. Communications between the floor switches and the main building switch, as well as between the building switch and the UCInet backbone are at 10 gigabits/second, unprecedented at UCI.

In addition to the Internet and phone wiring installed in any new building, NACS has also installed a separate, parallel network infrastructure which allows researchers to set up their own special-purpose network connections. And, as the building becomes more fully occupied, NACS will position wireless base stations so that all points in the building have wireless access.

Calit2 also benefits from redundant communications equipment and power supplies, so that the network and telephone can continue in the face of most equipment failures.

NACS installed the first full-production voice over IP (VOIP) telephone system available to UCI researchers. IP phones connect to UCI net rather than directly to the campus Ericsson phone system. This results in some immediate benefits to users as well as opening the door to ongoing software development to create new features.

NACS is confident that all of this leading-edge network and telephone technology in the Calit2 building will meet or exceed the research requirements now and well into the future. Based on experience gained with Calit2, NACS hopes to extend similar advances to other parts of the campus in the future.

Higher Speed Internet

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The Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC) has been building a new regional network which will assume the name of the earlier California Research and Education Network (CalREN). CalREN will provide gigabit connectivity to all UC campuses, the Cal State system, and some private universities. Ultimately, CENIC will include (at more mainstream data rates) all educational institutions in California. At present, the entire UC system has been connected.

The new CalREN network is the first multi-tiered, statewide optical network of this type in the nation, and it provides advanced services to major research entities in California, including CAL(IT)2 which is based at UCSD and UCI.

For more information about CENIC, go to http://www.cenic.org/ . For more information about CalREN, visit http://www.cenic.org/CalREN/index.html . Finally, for information on CAL(IT)2 research programs, go to http://www.calit2.net/

Computing Services Conference

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The University of California held an annual conference for computing support staff which rotates from campus to campus each year. Hundreds of IT staff gather each year to share problems and solutions.

The 2003 UCCSC conference was held at UCI from August 3-5. The program comprises over 40 technical presentations from staff throughout the UC system. This is a unique opportunity to learn from others, make valuable connections to people in similar roles, and solve problems together.

The keynote speaker was Dr. Larry Smarr, Director of Cal(IT)2. Dr. Smarr spoke on large-scale network initiatives which will have a major impact on the University.

More information can be found at the conference Website: http://www.uccsc.uci.edu