NDSU and Pacific Northwest Gigapop announced April 17 that Northern Wave, a new optical data connection between Seattle and Chicago, has been activated.
Built using National Science Foundation grant funds, Northern Wave will ultimately provide for a shared 10 gigabit per second network for research and education institutions from Seattle to Chicago.
The grant, part of the foundation’s Academic Research Infrastructure program, funds the equipment needed to connect to a wave on the fiber optic Northern Tier Network.
Marc Wallman, principal investigator for the project and interim vice president of information technology at NDSU, said activation of the Northern Wave improves cyberinfrastructure for research and education throughout the region and “marks a major milestone in many years of collaboration among Northern Tier states.”
Ultimately, Northern Wave will connect to the Pacific Wave system in Seattle and to the StarLight system in Chicago where a large number of international networks and universities exchange high-speed data.
Researchers and educators from connecting institutions along the Northern Wave path in Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho and Washington will have access to the high-speed pathway and exchange facility.
“Northern Wave brings a significant new capacity to network through improved communication facilities, as well as easy exchange of data for initiating collaborations with other institutions,” said Kalpana Katti, NDSU University Distinguished Professor of civil engineering. “This is especially important for the establishment of large competitive research centers.”
The new path is fully lit, and, pending final management confirmation, use is anticipated to begin by mid-June. Once completed and operational, Northern Wave will enhance research and education network capabilities by increasing network efficiency, reducing delays, increasing data flow and reducing costs. Northern Wave also will provide a state-of-the-art national and international facility designed to serve researchers in the region by connecting them to research and education networks throughout the United States, the Pacific Rim and the world.
NDSU is recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.