Merit BackboneMerit manages the nation's longest-running regional network, which has been in continuous operation since May 1973. The network is now facilities-based and has evolved into a Regional Optical Network (RON). Beyond its core 10 Gbps Ethernet backbone, Merit maintains Metropolitan Fiber rings in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing and Chicago.Merit has a fiber connection with ORION, Ontario's Research and Innovation Optical Network and an agreement to interconnect with OSCNet, Ohio's Research and Education Network. Work is underway to interconnect all the Great Lakes RONs, enabling wavelength connectivity from New York to Chicago and beyond. Beyond providing cost-effective bandwidth, a facilities-based network allows greater engineering control for Michigan institutions. Merit is able to proactively support new services sooner and provide greater flexibility to researchers and others wishing to implement cutting-edge applications. Backbone Maps The maps are available in the Document Library on the Member Portal. |