The object of this project is to provide reliable, high speed access to the information resources and global communications potential available from the Internet. Access to National Library of Medicine databases, medical images, electronic publications, Special Interest Group (SIG) discussions and more will be transmitted through the Pennsylvania College of Optometry?s (PCO) Wide Area Network (WAN) to virtually all faculty and students. New possibilities of communication and collaboration with colleagues around the world will be enabled. By means of this project, PCO?s developing intranet facility which will allow E-mail messaging among students and faculty, distribute class notes, electronic syllabi, schedules and announcements throughout the extended campus, will be made accessible to current college personnel, alumni, students serving externships in offices around the country and to our international affiliates in the Middle East, Europe and Central and South America. The specific goals of the project include: leasing a 1.54 MB/s T-1 connection to an Internet service provider and the purchase and installation of a dual LAN/WAN router for Internet connection and an asynchronous, dial-in access router with 12 rack-mounted modems. The grant will pay for initial installation and configuration of communications lines and equipment plus one year?s lease. It will also pay for the design and registration of a """"""""Class C"""""""" network for the college, consultation to aid in firewall protection and the initial training of responsible staff in Internet work protocols and management software.
