The University of Vermont will connect their campus network to the New England Academic and Research Network (NEARnet), a regional network which is part of the NSFNET. Direct connection to NEARnet will provide researchers with improved access to the Internet and other national networks such as CSNET/Bitnet and USENET. The proposed 1.5 million bit per second, dedicated, communication link will improve reliability, speed, turn-around, and flexibility for data communication functions such as file transfer, remote login, and teleconferencing. NEARnet will provide for equipment, maintenance, and information services. The University of Vermont will be able to integrate supercomputing and collaborative research into graduate and udergraduate curricula. In addition the State Library Services and Middlebury College will be connected to the main campus and provided connectivity to the rest of the Internet through already existing local networks. This project thus provides sharing of resources among the state institutions, greatly facilitates research by students and faculty, and provides a valuable resource to supplement course work.***
