Case Studies
MCNC’S NORTH CAROLINA RESEARCH AND EDUCATION NETWORK
Time Warner Cable Business Class Raleigh Division Helps MCNC’S North Carolina Research and Education Network Deliver Reliable Statewide Connectivity
Background
Since 1985, MCNC (Microelectronics Center of North Carolina) and the North Carolina universities have developed and operated the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN), a reliable, robust, fiber-optic network providing high-speed Internet, video, audio and data network services to the University of North Carolina's 16-campus system, Duke University, Wake Forest University, UNC-TV and other private universities, colleges and non-profit institutions in the state. NCREN also provides network access to national research networks (Internet2/Abilene and National LambdaRail), scientific instruments (electronic microscopes and telescopes) and medical imaging systems. NCREN is North Carolina's optical education and research backbone that supports economic development and future technology growth.
Challenges
Every day, NCREN provides services to more than 500,000 people, including students, faculty, administrators and state government employees. Approximately 100 hours of classes, conferences and seminars take place every week through the NCREN video network for distance learning. The NCREN core IP network currently operates at speeds up to 10 Gbps, and aggregates greater than 3 Gbps of traffic to the Internet. NCREN strives to enable all members (no matter where they are located) to benefit from advanced network services and have access to national research networks.
NCREN needs scalable and customizable broadband providers to help support this next-generation networking technology. These partners need to meet NCREN’s high performance standards yet offer cost-effective solutions for “last mile” connectivity to network participants.
“The reliability of our network is strategic to everything NCREN stands for,” said John Killebrew, director of NCREN at MCNC. “We need more than network solution providers. We need partners that share our dedication to enabling and enhancing the capabilities of North Carolina’s academic, research, and government communities to discover, create, share and apply knowledge.”
Prior to NCREN, Killebrew worked for one of the regional telcos, where his team designed, sold, and implemented statewide data, video, and voice networking solutions, including the North Carolina Information Highway. Because of that experience, he embraced extremely high standards for any networking solution provider to live up to. After evaluating a number of providers, Killebrew and his team determined that Time Warner Cable Business Class Raleigh Division offers a compelling combination of performance and price.
Solutions
Time Warner Cable Business Class Raleigh Division offered NCREN an attractive and reliable solution that leverages more than 5000 miles of fiber optic backbone within its 16-county service area. This network is wholly owned and operated up to the “last mile” by Time Warner Cable and is part of a larger national network comprised of more than 31 divisions across the US. Time Warner Cable Business Class offers its own, dedicated support and service teams with the technical expertise required to serve the needs of the education and research community.
To eliminate issues NCREN might face when dealing with multiple divisions throughout North Carolina, Time Warner Cable Business Class identified one account manager responsible for managing all of NCREN’s statewide needs. This was a crucial step that has enabled the relationship to flourish.
Time Warner Cable Business Class offers attractively priced, high performance, and high capacity last mile connectivity, which enables more education and research institutions to become members of NCREN. In addition, Time Warner Cable Business Class made the package even more attractive by enabling a local peer-based network.
Dedicated peer-to-peer connectivity allows traffic to go between NCREN and the universities without going out over the Internet, by traveling over Time Warner Cable Business Class secure private network. This option improved performance while saving time and money.
Time Warner Cable Business Class has not only met our performance standards, but has exceeded our expectations from a customer service standpoint,” explained Killebrew. “Time Warner Cable Business Class continues to work with us to implement new and innovative ways to support the advancement of the research and education community throughout North Carolina.”