Advanced Internet Satellite Extension Project

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AdvancedInternet Satellite Extension Project

• Kevin Gamble
• American Distance Education Consortium

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Advanced Internet Satellite Extension Project

• 3 year, NSF
• 4 million
• Partnership
• ADEC, I2 universities, smaller and minority
  serving institutions, rural and remote learners
• Tachyon.net
• CAIDA, NLANR

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Institutions

• North Carolina State/AT Universities
• University of Maryland
• University of Illinois
• University of Nebraska
• University of California
• Washington State University

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Emerging Partnerships

• AN-MSI
• EPSCoR
• HBCUs
• Tribes and Tribal Colleges

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Project Goals

• Explore and Evaluate
• satellite technology to deliver Internet to
  underserved audiences and
• deployment and integration of distance education
  applications.

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Research objectives include

• What constitutes pretty good Internet?
• Requirements for satellite-based IP network
• QoS issues per last mile
• Network performance measures
• Teaching and learning applications
• Business model - sustainability

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Tachyon.net
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(No Transcript)
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Equipment Configuration

• TAPS
• KU Band, VSAT, lt 1 meter dish, Ethernet
• 256Kbps return channel
• Tachyon Gateway
• San Diego NAP / DS3 connection to I1/Abiline
• Applications Server
• Data logs
• Test software
• Content/services

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ADEC/Tachyon Pre-test

• June 5 August 4, 2000
• Six core institutions
• Scheduled service testing
• 400Kbps
• 800Kbps
• 2Mbps

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Test Results

• General testing by users
• Web
• E-mail
• FTP
• Streaming Media
• H.323 / T.120 (other synchronous)
• Custom applications

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Test Conclusions

• Worked as advertised
• Tachyon was a good partner
• 400kbps level service is a viable product for
  remote areas
• Impressed with 800kbps and 2mbps

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Right for you?

• Nothing else available (remote/isolated)
• Temporary locations - mobile
• Cost of terrestrial
• Edge servers coming in behind the congestion,
  aggregating content
• Firewalls/complexity
• Bureaucracy/politics

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In a Nutshell

• Building a satellite-based IP network
• Network performance measures
• Studying the networks effectiveness in a variety
  of educational settings
• Studying community dynamics
• Exploring issues of sustainability

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Educational Effectiveness

• Site selection/criteria
• Community participatory research
• Educational research questions

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Role of Ed. Effectiveness Committee

• Assess learning effectiveness
• Identify research questions
• Advise on program applications
• Blue ribbon expert panel

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Location of TAPs/selection criteria

• Balance among target groups
• Existing organizational and human capacity
• 3 domainstechnology, education, community

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Location of TAPs

• 30 sites selected in yr. 1
• Other sites may be funded by EPSCOR, NSF
• Final decision on selection of sites by Project
  PIs
• Ed. Effectiveness committee will also advise
• Proposing additional sites?