The University of Nevada has embarked on an ambitious plan to link the computer networks of its 14 campuses.
Under the auspices of the University of Nevada System (UNS) office, the new network will use broadband cable for local connections and T1 or microwave technology between campuses, according to Richard Belaustegui, director of systems telecommunications for UNS. The University has plans to use the network for applications such as video, security, information and research retrieval, interactive graphics and eventually, full voice communication. The plan also calls for the linking of the local automated library systems serving the northern and southern parts of the state. The network will take six years to complete.
The core of the project will be a network of broadband cabling at each of the University sites. Thus far, only two sites have installed these broadband cabling systems. Sytek Inc., Mountain View, California, has installed more than $200,000 worth of its LocalNet 230 broadband local area network at the University of Nevada-Reno (UNR) and University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV). According to Belaustegui, the other campuses have yet to choose vendors for their local area network (LAN) plans.
The project began as the result of a $60,000 UNS Board of Regents study designed to improve statewide communications for faculty, administration and students. Broadband was chosen because it offers the versatility colleges need for a growing number of applications other than data transmission.
To date, UNR has installed a 400-node LocalNet 20 network in 12 of its buildings. By May, 10 more buildings will be equipped. A 16-node LocalNet 20 pilot is currently operating at UNLV, where students are using terminals to communicate with asynchronous hosts.
According to Phil Edholm, Sytek district sales manager, the plan is a unique application. "In universities, you usually see just one system or network tied together," he said.
The college computer networks are already joined with terminal switching equipment and twisted-pair cabling from Gandalf Data Inc., which was installed in the late l960s. Mainframes between campuses communicate using a direct leased line because the Candalf equipment is limited to transmission speeds of 9.6 KB per second. This equipment will be slowly phased out. The replacing Sytek products are capable of speeds up to 19.2 12 per second. With broadband cable. the university will be able to add new services on each campus without installing additional cable locally.
"We had no trouble with Gandalf," Belaustegui said. "But we wanted to jump into some new technology that would give us five to 10 years of capability. We don't see any hard and fast standards in LANs, but we wanted to support a common design."
The Sytek network is only one aspect of the broadband functions, but a good starting point, he said. UNR is using a broadband channel to provide campus security by attaching surveillance cameras and other security apparatus to the cable. The recommendation by UNS will prompt each campus to convert from twisted pair to broadband cable and install LANs as part of the plan. Each site must pay for its own installation, and it will take time to convince each to start the project. "There's no opposition to the broadband plan," Belaustegui said. "But for each campus it's a matter of priority."
UNS still has to choose a transmission scheme to carry signals between campuses. Belaustegui explained that UNS may either select T1 or microwave, but that the prices still must be negotiated. UNS also has not determined who will pay for the link between campuses. Once this is decided, the final phase of the project will be to educate each campus on what applications can bc used with broadband cable.
