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Internet2 (i2), as described by its creators on [|www.internet2.edu i]s the foremost U.S. advanced networking consortium. It was a research project created by 34 research universities in October of 1996 for the purpose of providing both leading-edge network capabilities and unique partnership opportunities that together facilitate the development, deployment and use of revolutionary Internet technologies. As of 1995, i2 has more than 200 universities, 70 private companies, 45 government agencies, and 45 international organizations logging onto it every day. ([|www.slate.com)]

This project’s goals quickly became a major focus of President Clinton’s Next Generation Internet initiative (NGI). President Clinton said the following at his State of the Union address in 1997, “We must build the second generation of Internet so that our leading universities and national laboratories can communicate 1,000 times faster than today to develop new medical treatments, new sources of energy, new ways of working together.” http://www.internet2.edu/

Is it a threat? There are a few threats associated to this technology. First, there is a threat to the usefulness of i2 IF we all have access to it (which I don’t see happening). Meaning, if we all suddenly were to log on and clog up the system, it would lose its effectiveness for those agencies and universities who use it for cutting edge research. Alexander Russo wrote about this on webhead [|(www.slate.com)] in his article called, “It’s Better. It’s faster. You can’t use it.” Russo pointed out, “Internet2 was never designed to replace the Internet most of us are using now. It's more like a beach or a restaurant—great when not too many people know about it, frustrating when everybody and his mother starts to show up.”

The second threat of i2 would occur when it is used for the illegal download of music and movies – much like the regular Internet. In the same [|article] Russo mentions at least two cases where college students whose university provided them with i2 did just that through a site called ihub.com. Russo said that with the high speed of i2, a movie like The Matrix could be downloaded in thirty seconds. Russo doesn’t believe that this threat will be the downfall of the music and movie industry because most universities put caps on the amount of data individuals can transfer or how fast they can send and receive date on certain computers. Plus, if i2 would be opened up to the general public most home computers don’t have the hardware to keep up with i2 speeds. Russo ends by saying that in the not too far future cable companies will offer i2-like download speeds to their customers, but most people will never use i2 itself. Internet2 is a super-fast system that works because it has fewer users who are connected through large-capacity fiber-optic cables. Internet2 moves data at 10 gigabits per second and more, compared with the 4 or so megabits we get using a cable modem. And the New i2 runs at 100 gigabits per second! As a result, Internet2 moves data 100 to 1,000 times faster than the old-fashioned Internet. “There are no secret Web addresses or special browsers required to log on, no buttons saying, "Click here for Internet2." [|(Russo)]

Organizations that want to join up must demonstrate a research-related purpose, pay dues, and meet minimum technical requirements so they don't slow down the rest of the Internet2 empire.” [|(www.slate.com)] It’s networking is handled by a company called “[|Abilene”] who provides their services for fees. There are membership and network fees that average $20,000.00 and connection fees that can cost up to $480,000.00 per year. On its website, Abilene states that it is run as a financially independent project of Internet2 and charges fees to recover its costs. It is not funded out of general Internet2 membership fees, nor does it receive any direct government funds. (no wonder our college tuition is going up so high each year!!)

As stated in the beginning, i2 is used by universities, private companies, government agencies and international organizations. The system is in a continuous state of improvement – creating more i2 hubs and greater bandwidth for its users. There is already a [|“new” and improved i2] that many members are joining. Just recently The University of Pennsylvania announced its connection to the New Internet2 Network. “The new network node located in Philadelphia extends the reach of Internet2's 100 Gigabit per second (Gbps) nationwide network to its members in the region. With over ten times the capacity of its current network and with new on-demand bandwidth capabilities, the new Internet2 Network provides the foundation for even greater breakthroughs in research, teaching and learning.” https://mail.internet2.edu/wws/arc/i2-news/2007-02/msg00001.html

There is a K20 initiative currently underway that is working to bring i2 to primary and secondary schools. “The National Internet2 K20 Initiative brings together Internet2 member institutions and innovators from primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, libraries, and museums to extend new technologies, applications, middleware, and content to all educational sectors, as quickly and connectedly as possible.” http://k20.internet2.edu/index.php

I personally do not see how regular schools could sustain a system like i2 without a strong partnership from a university or business i2 member (like MU and Penn Manor). Even then, I don’t see how a school district would have all of the hardware it needed and the training for the teachers to really utilize such a powerful system. There are many reports and articles written on the effectiveness of technology in schools (www.eschoolnews.com) with both good and bad reviews. My personal opinion is that regular schools (like mine) are no where near ready to jump in on i2 (although I will say that our tech. director said it would be coming to us in about 3 years). The only way I see regular k-12 schools connecting to i2 is when all its members move on to the new network and would leave the older, but “better than what we have now” network free for our exclusive use.