Networks & Servers
AU Net: Internet and Intracampus Connectivity
The Auburn University campus is connected to the Internet via Permanent Virtual Circuits over a single 1 Gbps transport circuit provided by Charter Business. Charter provides AU with bandwidth of 400 Mbps, while additional bandwidth is available from the National Lambda Rail (TransitRail) through our connectivity to the Southern Crossroads (SoX) gigaPOP in Atlanta. For disaster recovery purposes, Deltacom provides AU with a backup circuit and 400 Mbps of Internet service that is used only as needed. Fiber-optic lines tie all of the buildings on campus into a network known as AU Net. AU Net employs the TCP/IP networking protocol to provide centralized computing services to faculty, staff, and students.
The Office of Information Technology provides and maintains a wide spectrum of resources for the University community, including the Campus Cable TV Service, Satellite Uplink Facility, Telephone and Voice Messaging Services, the Electronic Teaching Console, the Instructional Multimedia Group, Compressed Video Services, AU Dial off-campus network connectivity for departments, AU_WiFi wireless network access for campus residents and many academic and administrative building, OIT Computer Support, the OIT Network servers (providing e-mail, Web, ftp, Usenet, listserv, telnet, and directory information), IT Novell servers (providing AU Office workgroup networking), OIT NET servers, computing labs in ten locations, and the HelpDesk.
Alabama Supercomputer
The Alabama Supercomputer Authority, a state funded corporation, administers both the Alabama Supercomputer Center and the Alabama Research and Education Network. The daily operation of the center and user support has been contracted to Nichols Research Corporation. The center provides computational resources to the public universities in Alabama free of charge. There are also programs for giving elementary and high school students exposure to advanced computing resources at ASC.
The computer hardware available at the center includes a Cray SV1 and a Cray C94A with a Storage Tek 4400 mass storage system as well as Silicon Graphics, Sun and IBM workstations. There are also a fairly large number of software packages installed on the system.
OIT Linux Servers
The Office of Information Technology maintains a number of Linux/UNIX servers in order to provide a full range of computing resources for students, faculty and staff. A server named mallard.auburn.edu is the primary centrally provided machine for instructional and research computing for the University community. This system functions as a general compute server hosting application software and compilers, it provides personal disk space (home directories and personal web space), it provides access to departmental web space, and it can be used to provide secure access to departmental UNIX based computers. OIT Linux Network is accessible for login via AU Net Software (secure shell) and disk access is provided via FTP and through direct drive mappings to OIT lab machines (drive H) and departmental desktop machines. Other Sun servers function as web servers, anonymous FTP servers, Realmedia servers, mail forwarders and print servers for OIT computing labs.
AU Office Servers
The Office of Information Technology provides local area networking services for departments through the AU Office program. This program provides software applications, file and print services to departmental users via a variety of Novell Netware and Microsoft Windows servers.
OIT Novell Servers
IT provides the AU Office shared network program for departments. Software applications, file and print services are made available to departmental users via Novell servers. This program frees departments from having to run their own servers and maintain their own computing staff.
Other Internet Services
The Office of Information Technology operates a variety of servers to provide Internet services such as the Auburn University Web page (http://www.auburn.edu), web searching, SPAM and virus protection for e-mail, e-mail forwarding and addressbook information, e-mail listservers, anonymous FTP sites, printing services, as well as a Web-based student registration, course scheduling, and personal information application called AU Access.
College and Departmental Networks
There are a number of local area networks, large departmental networks, token ring networks, and college or departmental Ethernets, all connected via the AU Net backbone and employing a variety of protocols including Novell, TCP/IP, IPX, and Appletalk and providing services such as electronic mail, printing and workgroup calendaring and scheduling packages.
Courseware Servers
OIT maintains the Blackboard and Blackboard Toolkit servers to provide students with access to course materials. Blackboard includes a Web-based syllabus publishing application and communication and assessment tools.
Internet2
Internet2, a high speed broadband network, is a consortium of over 200 member Universities and their supporting industrial and government partners. The main purpose of Internet2 is to develop and deploy advanced network applications and technologies which facilitate education, research and non-commercial applications, using multicasting, digital libraries, virtual laboratories, etc. All these require high-speed transmission of large amounts of data, highly enhancing collaboration and information-sharing among members, which is not possible by regular internet.
Internet2 (I2) uses the same physical infrastructure as the original Internet, making it seamless in that it doesn't require explicit installation, subscription or authentication. Whenever anyone at an I2 member organization connects with another member institution, whether via e-mail, web browsing, videoconferencing, or data transmission, Internet2 is at work to facilitate and speed the process.
For more information, see Internet2 at AU.
Last Updated: Jan. 13, 2012