Internet2, LambdaRail, merger
p2p news / p2pnet: Internet2 and National LambdaRail had planned to merge as a, “single high-speed network for scholarly use,” but the talks have broken down, says the Chronicle for Higher Education.
However, “One side is trying to lure the other back to the negotiating table,” it states.
LambdaRail describes itself as a, “a consortium of leading U.S. research universities and private sector technology companies” with a, “nationwide advanced optical, Ethernet and IP networking infrastructure on more than 10,000 miles of fiber optic cable across the United States”.
Internet2, with entertainment cartel enforcers the MPAA and RIAA as corporate members, operates the Abilene high-speed network which, “uses rented lines to serve hundreds of colleges of various sizes,” says the story, going on, “Officials from both organizations have said that colleges are pressing for the merger because it would provide one-stop shopping for high-speed networking for academe. The officials have also said that a merger could help spawn advanced networking technologies.”
The RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) succeeded in having i2hub, founded in 2004 by University of Massachusetts at Amherst Wayne Chang, wiped out.
i2hub networked some 240 universities, companies and government organizations on Internet2.
Princeton professor Ed Felten once likened i2hub to a, “set of express lanes for the Internet, built so that network traffic between Internet2 member institutions can go faster,” and which showed, brilliantly, “just how effective p2p communications can be”.
Big Four favourites Howard ‘Hollywood’ Berman and Lamar ‘Good ole boy’ Smith launched a Kill i2hub bill on behalf of the labels.
Meanwhile, “Tracy Futhey, the chief information officer at Duke University, chairs the Board of Directors of National LambdaRail,” says the Chronicle for Higher Education. “She was unavailable for comment on Tuesday, said David Menzies, a university spokesman. Douglas E. Van Houweling, the president of Internet2, declined to describe the sticking point in the negotiations.
“However, a resolution adopted Monday by Internet2’s Board of Trustees said that National LambdaRail’s Board of Directors voted on April 6 to terminate the merger negotiations. The resolution referred to ‘outstanding governance issues’ that remain to be settled.”
Van Houweling also said Internet2, “had decided not to renew a contract with the telecommunications company Qwest to lease high-speed lines for use in Abilene”.
Instead, adds the article, “Internet2 has signed a contract with another telecommunications carrier to help develop the merged network. In its resolution, the Internet2 board instructed Mr. Van Houweling to request an extension of a deadline for finalizing that contract.
“In an interview, Mr. Van Houweling declined to identify the company. But he said that the breakdown in negotiations with National LambdaRail did not imperil the future of the high-speed services that are now provided by the Qwest-based Abilene network.”
(Thanks again, Evan)
Also See:
Chronicle for Higher Education – Merger of High-Speed Networks Is on Hold as 2 Consortia Break Off Talks, April 19, 2006
corporate members – RIAA, MPAA, penetrate Internet2, September 10, 2005
wiped out – RIAA kills university p2p i2hub, November 16, 2005
