CENIC Completes Major CalREN-DC Network Router Refresh Project

CENIC is pleased to report that we're reached a major milestone in our efforts to maintain leading-edge networks for teaching and research. When CENIC's first network began operation in 1998, we had only one Layer 3, routed network, based on SONET technology rings in the northern and southern parts of the state. Those rings were connected with a slow-speed link through the Central Valley.

In 2002, that network was replaced and expanded into multiple network tiers, creating the DC (Digital California) Network and the HPR (High-Performance Research) Network, offering speeds of 2.5 and 10 Gigabits respectively throughout the entire CENIC-owned fiber-based backbone. Supplementing the two production networks was the capability of adding additional Layer 1 services for special purposes.

In 2006, the DC Technical Advisory Council brought forward to the CENIC Board a plan to refresh the DC network. The upgrade plan included a capacity upgrade, from the existing 2.5 Gigabit backbone speed to 10 Gigabits. CENIC is pleased to say that a major milestone in a multiple-phased DC refresh was completed at the end of April, with new backbone routers put into production throughout the network, with the exception of one facility where we are still working to obtain needed power.

Over the next several months, circuits connecting County Offices of Education, colleges, and universities will be migrated to the new routers, additional features brought into production, and the old routers removed from service. Subsequent to this, new optical equipment will be installed to provide for technology currency.

Following the completion of the DC refresh, the HPR network will be refreshed as well. Future articles will report on the progress of that upgrade.