This award enables John Carroll University to improve its connection to NSFNET by re-routing and upgrading its connection to the mid-level network OARnet, the Ohio Academic Resources Network. Improved access to NSFNET provides John Carroll faculty with increased opportunity for collaboration and use of a wide range of research tools such as supercomputing and shared databases. Because of a change in OARnet's network topology, John Carroll is connecting to the SONIC (State of Ohio Network for Integrated Communications) Point-of Presence tower in Cleveland. They also are changing their protocol to TCP/IP, which is used on OARnet, NSFNET and the rest of the INTERNET. To facilitate the expected increased use of the network, the bandwidth of the data line from the school to OARnet is being increased from 9,600 bits per second to 56,000 bits per second.
