In May of 2012, National LambdaRail (NLR), a high-speed research & education network in the U.S., announced major updates. The updates were on how it operates & supports its services. These changes focused on bettering technical support, managing its powerful network as well as expanding its reach through new collaborations.
What is National LambdaRail?
National LambdaRail (NLR) is a non-profit organization. It runs a 12,000-mile high-speed fiber optic network. It supports advanced research & education. This is done by connecting more than 280 universities & federal research labs. This also includes NASA, NOAA & NIH.
NLR provides tools as well as services that help researchers handle massive amounts of data. It also helps them collaborate across the globe. It plays an important role in great fields like genomic medicine, climate research & also high-performance computing.
Big Changes in 2012
To better support its users, NLR made two big changes in May 2012:
1. Transferring Operations to CENIC
- NLR handed over its Network Operations Center (NOC) responsibilities to CENIC. It is known as the Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California.
- CENIC had worked very close knitted with NLR since 2003. Now, it would officially handle:
- Managing NLR’s switches & routers
- Running or maintaining the engineering support desk
- Helping with future network design as well as upgrades
This move made NLR’s operations robust & more efficient by relying on CENIC’s long term knowledge in managing these research networks.
2. Partnering with UW-Whitewater for TelePresence Support
NLR also declared that the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater would offer technical support for its TelePresence services. TelePresence allows people in various locations to meet & partner with using high-definition video. NLR supported over 250 TelePresence sites in 14 countries. This collaboration helped NLR guarantee that its world-wide communication tools remained reliable & easy to use.
What Leaders Said
Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, NLR’s Chairman & CEO, said:
“With support from CENIC & UW-Whitewater, we now have string backing for our network, engineering as well as TelePresence services.”
Louis Fox, CEO of CENIC, added:
“As a founding member of NLR, CENIC is happy to step in & support this pivotal national resource.”
About CENIC
CENIC is a non-profit organization that operates CalREN. Which is known as California’s Research & Education Network. CalREN connects schools, colleges as well as research centers across the state. With its technical know-how, CENIC is well-suited to manage NLR’s nationwide network.
Why This Matters
These changes helped NLR become more efficient & trusty. By working with trusted partners like CENIC & UW-Whitewater, NLR guaranteed that researchers across the U.S. & beyond could continue to share data, communicate & also solve big scientific challenges.
With growing demands in fields like big data & healthcare research, a strong network like NLR is more important than ever.
Conclusion
The strategic partnerships between NLR, CENIC as well as the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater mark an amazing step in increasing the operational capabilities of NLR. By leveraging the expertise of these institutions, NLR is well-positioned to meet the evolving demands of the research & education community. It also ensures strong support for advanced scientific endeavors.
