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Next Generation Infrastructure

CEN represents the ultimate shared service platform for Connecticut's anchor institutions to to connect, aggregate, collaborate, and improve services across the state.  The network provides high-capacity Internet to more than 670 member organizations, supporting thousands community anchor institutions across every community in Connecticut, connecting roughly 50% of the 3.6 million Connecticut citizens. The Next Gen Infrastructure (NGI) project provides a comprehensive infrastructure update to the CEN network to expand capacity, accommodate new members, and to serve as the backbone and attach points for high performance community wireless projects.

The proposed investments will also bolster the capacity and resiliency of the network, ensuring equitable access to high-quality Internet for all connected schools, colleges, universities, libraries, healthcare facilities, municipal offices, and state government agencies.

Project Objectives

        Increase Network Capacity and Improve Reliability

        • 4-10X increase in capacity to each institution, meeting or exceeding benchmarks
        • Double the electrical capacity of the optical line system for transport 
        • Ensure bandwidth subscription ratios are in line with peak performance
        • Increase software stability/reliability, reduce defects and Critical Vulnerabilities and Exploits (CVE)

        Streamline Support and Management

        • Standardize platforms at all layers of the network
        • Leverage singe software code train across all route/switch platforms
        • Leverage Software Defined Network (SDN) tools for automation and telemetry
        • Enable self-directed services to customers for ease of use and deployment

         

        Support Cloud Migration for CAIs

        • Increase ease of configuration to cloud providers from member customer edge to cloud provider edge (Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Oracle, etc.)
        • Provide telemetry data across the network to ensure transparency, quality, and integrity of delivery for services

         

         

        Increase Economies of Scale for Future Growth

        • Invest in equipment for 7–10 year horizon (industry standard is 5-7) 
        • Build modular, scalable, flexible, functional architecture for continued growth
        • Utilize sustainable solutions, i.e., reduced power consumption and space for green footprint
        • Ensure equipment and price stability for the term of the platform

        WHY CEN?

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        QUALITY

        CEN’s scalable, resilient network design offers an unmatched combination of performance attributes for speed, latency, reliability, and security.

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        VALUE

        CEN’s cost recovery model provides competitive pricing, custom tailored services, and larger feature sets as compared to other for-profit ISPs.

        SERVICE

        CEN's Connecticut based team backs its members with a 24/7/365 Network Operations Center (NOC) and access to senior technical staff for the most consistent, local, expert service available.