SUNYNet Intranet Services
The intranet is SUNYNet's "core competency". Of course, an intranet is a network that is designed for the internal communications needs of an enterprise, and SUNYNet's intranet is no exception. We define intranet more broadly than do some other institutions. To us, the term encompasses both Internet Protocol (IP) and non-IP protocols, such as IBM SNA. Further, we think of the intranet as a suite of networking services, rather than a single network, that is is designed at an enterprise level (i.e. System Administration) to handle traffic for identified, authorized applications needing special design from end-to-end. In general parlance on SUNY campuses the term SUNYNet is thought of as SUNY's intranet.
SUNYNet's architecture is based on a commercial, rather than a SUNY-owned, backbone. It uses AT&T's services under contract with New York State, uses encryption where necessary to protect content, and uses AT&T's Class of Service feature to give priority to SUNYNet traffic where necessary. Having a large commercial network at its core, SUNYNet can handle whatever volumes of traffic subscribers send it. Subscribers access this service over one or more lines to the nearest AT&T point-of-presence, or POP, at port speeds starting at 128Kbps. They can change speeds within a given access line in a few days' time. We provide a new Cisco router on campus where necessary to configure and manage complex features such as campus-to-campus encryption and QoS prioritization.
Because SUNYNet access lines connect the subscriber directly to AT&T's Internet, and because the campus can elect to prioritize intranet traffic on these lines, subscribers can place both Internet and intranet traffic on a single line.
Further Details
- Subscribers have a variety of ways of using SUNYNet: Types of Use
- We have pre-defined 10 configurations: Description of Cases
- We provide the features of a private network: Prioritization and Encryption Features
- We service non-IP where necessary: Non-IP
- SUNY sites link to one of 16 AT&T POPs: SUNY-AT&T Map
- No charges for services, in most cases: SUNYNet Charges
- Subscribers Internet options: SUNYNet ISP
- SUNYConnect's recommendations and commentaries: Libraries and SUNYNet
