Prepare
Lt. Governor Jodi Rell is asked to make recommendations to ensure that CT’s schools and libraries are prepared to meet the computer and information technology needs of the 21st Century.
Established
Public Act 00-187 establishes the Connecticut Education Network under the auspices of a new Connecticut Commission for Education Technology.
Connects
CEN connects first school district (Bristol Public Schools) with a 155Mbps OC-3, replacing its 1.544 Mbps T1 circuit.
Endorses
CET endorses the CEN Architecture Policies; State signs a master agreement allowing a private company to build fiber supporting CEN connections through the state.
Sponsor
August 25: UConn and Yale sponsor CEN members for Internet2 connectivity through SEGP (Sponsored Education Group Program).
Go-live
December: Governor Rell enables ‘go-live’ of the CEN members connecting to NEREN.
K-12 Districts
All K-12 districts connected to CEN, enabling new teaching and learning opportunities statewide for CT’s next generation educated workforce. First in the country!
Funding Boost
Gov. Rell announces funding boost to continue linking schools to CEN within districts and aggregate traffic tops 1Gbps.
Savings
K-12 districts report an average of $20,000/year savings by connecting to CEN; All CT State Universities, System Offices, and Community Colleges connected via fiber.
BTOP Block Grant
Co-awarded federal Broadband Technologies Opportunity Program (BTOP) block grant. $35M (of $90M) to CEN with new ‘open access’ provisions allowing municipal and state government, public safety, healthcare, ‘any’ member groups to join for a fair price.
Backbone Capacity
Backbone capacity increased tenfold through BTOP upgrade and expansion.
Ethernet
Completed K-12 district upgrades enabling gigabit Ethernet connections in every district.
Annual Conference
CEN welcomed a new director. Annual conference started, providing a forum for collaboration, innovation, and community best practice. Approximately 300 in attendance.
Municipalities
CT PA 13-247 grant fund for municipalities and regional councils of governments (RCOG) to connect. Resulting in over 100 municipalities connecting over time.
NSF Grant
Via NSF grant, completed a science DMZ; established 100 Gig research corridor between UConn Storrs and UConn Health in Farmington.
Saves Millions
Completed 100 Gbps connection to Internet2, becomes R&E ‘regional connector;’ DDoS service starts at no additional cost to members, mitigates 245 attacks in the first year, saving millions in productivity for the state.
Libraries
Awarded 1st CT Library Fiber Consortia bid, begin connecting additional libraries with high-speed fiber; State appropriation to wind down to $0 by 2019; become an E-Rate service provider.
Advisory Councils
CEN welcomed a new director, re-established advisory councils, receives $1.5M bond for equipment.
Network Capacity
Upgrades network core capacity to 200 Gbps. Aggregate peak traffic tops 100 Gbps. State appropriation swept for cost-cutting, in-year operational self-sustainment comes 1 year early. Cost avoidance to the state due to the existence of CEN calculated up to $29M annually.
Into the Future
New strategic plan released!