Status - Revised 7/15/98
The Nevada Research Network (NRN) will be funded by grants and awards from several sources.
A proposal to EPSCoR was submitted in February, 1998, for funds to purchase routing equipment at UNR in Reno, UNR in Stead, UNLV, DRI in Reno, DRI in Las Vegas, and SCS facilities in Reno and Las Vegas. This proposal was successful, and $500K was awarded for infrastructure equipment for the NRN. Engineering is scheduled for summer, 1998, with ordering scheduled for fall and installation and testing during the first quarter of 1999.
The in-state fiber optic line which will connect both SCS offices is currently out to bid. SCS is leading an effort to contract a long distance carrier to install fiber optic cable to close a gap in existing fiber cable between Reno and Las Vegas. In exchange, SCS is asking for OC12 capability (622 Mbps), of which a quarter (OC3 at 155 Mbps) would be dedicated to the NRN.
UNR in Reno, UNLV, and DRI in Las Vegas are currently connected to the closest SCS office with on-campus fiber. UNR at Stead and DRI in Reno will require fiber capacity be leased from local service providers to connect those two sites to the NRN. Costs for installing and maintaining those connections are included in SCS's 99-01 biennium budget request.
Funding for connection of the NRN to the national vBNS research network is being sought from the NSF Internet Connectivity program. A proposal was submitted in January, 1998. That proposal was turned down, but the reviewing committee provided comments and asked that it be resubmitted in July, 1998. That proposal is currently being rewritten.