DATE

MILESTONE

July 1997

Grant Proposal submitted by UAB and UA, jointly, to NSF:   High Performance Connection for Research Universities in Alabama. Principle UAB investigators are:

• David Shealy, Director Academic Programs Information Technology
• Jill Gemmill, Telecommunications Sr. Network Applications Specialist
• Stan McClellan, Asst. Professor, UAB School of Engineering

 February 15, 1998

NSF awards $700,000

 March 1998

an Equipment Advisory committee is formed, led by Stephen Szygenda.

 March 1998

A common interest in web-based instruction and Distance Education is noted by the Internet2 Project Team; an initial meeting of interested faculty and staff is organized, resulting in the formation of the The University-Wide Interest Group on Distance Learning, led by Chris Lorish, School of Medicine and Joann Lan, School of Education

 April 1998

UAB purchases wide area network equipment to provide 45Mb/s (DS3) service connecting UAB to Southern Crossroads, a southeastern regional network connecting research universities in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

 May 1998

UAB's access to the vBNS national research network is approved; traffic begins flowing to the 53 connected institutions and national supercomputer centers.

 May 1998

Campus network equipment order is placed for items recommended by the Equipment Advisory group is ordered

August 1998

Campus Network equipment arrives; details for equipment deployment are developed

September 1998

EPSCoR co-funding in the amount of $200,000 is awarded to subsidize additional costs due to distance required to reach vBNS

October 1998

Contract agreement is signed with ITC^Deltacom, a telecommunications service provider; service to UAB, UAH and UA campuses at OC3 and to Atlanta at OC12 to be provided.

January 1999

Installation of OC3 and OC12 circuits begins.

February 1999

Memorandum of Understanding with Alabama Supercomputer Authority (ASA) is signed. ASA will provide Network Operations Center (NOC) management services for the Gulf Central GigaPoP.

February 1999

OC3 link goes live from Birmingham (UAB) to Tuscaloosa (UA)

April 1999

OC12 link goes live from Birmingham (UAB) to Atlanta (Georgia Tech/SoX). This circuit is part of the agreement between the Gulf Central GigaPOP and ITC^Deltacom.