Second Fiber Route to Enhance Network Reliability

Texas A&M Information Technology started building an alternate network fiber route, providing an additional path between the main campus and west campus data centers and redundant connections for all major networking hubs. Many services including the Internet, Texas A&M Email (Neo), Howdy and more run along the fiber path. Two separate fiber paths will significantly increase network reliability and reduce Internet service interruptions if fiber damage should occur.

Laying the fiber route is expected to be completed by September 2012. Connecting the network hubs should be completed by the end of December 2012. The campus should not experience service interruptions during the construction.

The December 2011 steam pipe rupture caused severe damage to a section of fiber and temporarily impaired essential IT services. The new fiber path will not go through steam tunnels, decreasing risk and strengthening network infrastructure.

"The December steam incident showed that lack of network redundancy could cause a crippling loss of Internet connectivity," said Pierce Cantrell, Vice President and Associate Provost for Information Technology. "The new fiber path provides a critical safeguard to meet the need for always-on Internet service."

Additional project information, including project costs and the campus fiber map, is available at vpapit.tamu.edu/Projects/Infrastructure_Improvements/Alternate_Fiber_Route.php.

Questions can be sent to tamu-it@tamu.edu.

Texas A&M Information Technology provides IT services and resources that support the academic and research pursuits of The Texas A&M University System.