ADVA Optical Networking today announced that deployment of the ADVA Fiber Service Platform (FSP) 3000RE in PeachNet® has enabled Barrow County Schools to implement a host of innovative services, including becoming the first K-12 school system in Georgia to connect to Internet2, the foremost U.S. advanced networking consortium. Access to PeachNet is enabling Barrow County Schools to transform the education it provides students and to better attract, train and retain teachers.
"If we continue to do only education as usual, we're not providing our students the education they need to be global leaders," said Dr. Ron Saunders, superintendent of Barrow County Schools and the Georgia School Superintendents Association's 2008 Superintendent of the Year. "By connecting to Internet2, we are providing our students with educational opportunities that were simply impossible to offer only a few years ago. With this technology, we are keeping our students excited about learning and we are giving quality teachers more reasons to come to and stay in Barrow County."
The capabilities of the new network will be showcased in the "Splash Day" event at Westside Middle School in Winder, Georgia, from 9 to 11 a.m. January 24. In addition to Dr. Saunders, scheduled presenters include Steve Harmon from Georgia State University - Chair, Division of Learning Technologies; Jud Ready, from Georgia Tech - Senior Research Engineer, Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) - Electro-Optical Systems Labs; and--via a link along the network--Don Reece, Director of Information Technology, Pembina Trails School Division, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Among the innovative projects that Barrow County Schools officials plan to implement thanks to the connection to PeachNet via ADVA Optical Networking's equipment are:
- a "global concert series" offered by the Philadelphia Orchestra via Internet2;
- interactive programs offered by Atlanta's Center for Puppetry Arts;
- environmental science programs where students can interact with researchers on the sea floor at Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary;
- calculus classes from Georgia Tech, utilizing a virtual-whiteboard application that fosters close interaction among students and teachers connected remotely; and
- a Georgia State University project in which education professors can observe student teachers in Barrow County classrooms as part of their teacher training and skills development programs.
PeachNet is a statewide communications network supporting more than 60 University System of Georgia sites, five private higher-education institutions and more than a half-dozen other government agencies, in addition to Barrow County Schools. With the ADVA FSP 3000RE providing backbone transport, PeachNet supports services of speeds up to 10Gbit/s across the full network distance of 2,400 miles.
With the ADVA FSP 3000RE's Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) capability, data, voice, video and storage application traffic are transported along the same fiber-optic strands across the PeachNet infrastructure. In DWDM, different types of network application traffic are assigned different wavelengths of light in the color spectrum. The ADVA FSP 3000RE combines ("multiplexes") the outgoing traffic from a node for transport across PeachNet and separates ("demultiplexes") incoming traffic back to their respective devices. Because the different wavelengths of light are engineered to not interfere with one another, applications of different protocols can be transported simultaneously across optical fiber. Thanks to DWDM, additional bandwidth and services can be deployed without physical expansion of PeachNet.
"PeachNet and Barrow County Schools are at the vanguard of a developing trend where the unprecedented capabilities of the nation's research-and-education networks are being rolled out to users beyond universities," said Brian P. McCann, senior vice president of marketing and strategy with ADVA Optical Networking. "We are pleased to deliver these capabilities to enable Barrow County Schools to change their approach to education. We look forward to continuing to help PeachNet innovate and remain on the cutting edge of both technology and education."
ABOUT ADVA OPTICAL NETWORKING
ADVA Optical Networking (FSE: ADV) is at the forefront of providing Optical+Ethernet solutions that advance next-generation networks for data, storage, voice and video services. Our company's strength comes from passionate and dedicated employees, all sharing a common vision: a fast, customized response to customers' ever-changing needs. Our innovative Fiber Service Platform (FSP) and strong customer focus provide carriers and enterprises the ability to scale their networks and deliver intelligent, competitive new services. ADVA Optical Networking's solutions have been deployed at more than 200 carriers and 10,000 enterprises around the world. For further information about ADVA Optical Networking: www.advaoptical.com.
ABOUT BARROW COUNTY SCHOOLS
The mission of the Barrow County School District is to provide all students quality educational opportunities that enable them to become successful, responsible, and contributing citizens. The Barrow County School System is a SACS/CASI exemplary accredited school district with an average enrollment of 12,000 students. Barrow County is located in northeast Georgia approximately forty-five miles from Atlanta and is listed in the top twenty-five fastest growing counties in the United States. "World Class Education - Home Town Values."