What Makes OneNet’s Network the Fastest and Most Efficient?

We often say OneNet’s network is the most advanced in the state. That statement is more than just promotional messaging. OneNet’s world-class network is both fast and efficient thanks to several advanced technologies.

How fast is a Gig?

OneNet’s network is a gigabit network. A gigabit is equal to 1,000 megabits, but what does that mean? Imagine filling a swimming pool with a garden hose. This would likely take days to accomplish. Now imagine filling the same swimming pool with a firefighter’s hose. Much faster! A hose equivalent to a gigabit would fill the swimming pool 1,000 times faster than a hose equivalent to a megabit. OneNet’s network is fast, because it is built on 10G and 100G technologies.

OneNet operates the Oklahoma Community Anchor Network (OCAN), a 10G network that reaches 35 counties around the state. OCAN connects 76 community anchor institutions, such as higher education campuses, libraries, hospitals, public safety agencies and state agencies. The OCAN network was designed as a ring around the state, allowing OneNet to reach our state’s rural communities. OneNet’s customer traffic traverses this network, expediting data flow across the state and to OneNet’s upstream internet connections to the outside world. In addition to enhancing speed, OCAN makes data transfer more efficient, because it provides redundant network paths throughout the state, ensuring reliability and availability of the network.

Researchers in Oklahoma are performing world-class experiments, and while our 10G network provides the speeds needed to quickly transfer most customers’ data, Oklahoma’s research institutions need a network with even more capacity to move the massive data they transfer around the globe for scientific experiments.

To provide our state’s research institutions with the network pipes needed to power their innovation, OneNet operates a 100G research ring that connects the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma State University in Stillwater and Tulsa and OneNet in Oklahoma City. On this high-speed ring, researchers can transfer data for high-energy physics, weather forecasting, bioinformatics and other types of data intensive scientific research. This type of big data transfer is not possible on conventional internet networks.

These two networks move data faster around the state, but network speed to the outside world is also vital to providing fast, efficient service. OneNet achieves this through a connection to Internet2, the first nationwide 100G network. Internet2’s mission is to serve the connectivity needs of our nation’s research and educational institutions. Most of OneNet’s customer data travels to the outside world via Internet2’s high-speed network. OneNet was the first member network to connect to Internet2’s 100G network in 2012, and OneNet is the sole provider for Internet2 connectivity in Oklahoma.

Delivering your Netflix movie faster

Research data is important, but for many Oklahomans we serve, avoiding slow internet speeds for everyday tasks is just as vital. Our network enhances speed and efficiency through content delivery networks (CDN). Many content providers, like Google, use CDNs to position their content as close as possible to their users. When a user accesses one of these sites, the content providers direct the traffic to the closet CDN. OneNet’s datacenter houses CDN nodes for Netflix, Facebook, Akamai and Google. When OneNet customers access one of these sites, the information request must only travel to Oklahoma City and back, rather than across the country. This technology results in faster and improved services for content users and provides additional security from malicious attacks, such as DDoS, for content providers. This means your request for a Netflix movie doesn’t have to traverse the entire country. Less buffering time on Netflix for your student means more time spent on studying, right?

Driving in your own private lane

Imagine driving in your own private lane on the highway. You’ll reach your destination a lot faster when you don’t have to compete with other drivers. That’s what it’s like to be a customer on OneNet’s network.

OneNet only serves research, education, health care and public service organizations. This means your data is traveling on a lane with only these customers. Your data is not competing with traffic from kids playing video games at home or the big-box store, fast food restaurant, or industrial complex down the road. This private lane for OneNet customers transports your data faster than a conventional internet network.

Advanced technologies

These technologies work together to make OneNet’s network the most advanced in the state. They make it possible for us to deliver fast, efficient connectivity for those we serve. OneNet’s engineers are continually looking for ways to improve service delivery for our customers. We recently expanded our global connections through a connection to the Pacific Wave International Exchange. Read our online media release to learn how this connection to the Asia-Pacific area will enhance opportunities for our state’s researchers: https://onenet.net/onenets-connection-to-pacific-wave/ . Techn ical advances such as this will keep OneNet positioned to continue to meet the mission-critical needs of Oklahoma’s researchers, educators, health care professionals and public service providers.