\TBONE"{A HIGH-SPEED (ATM) BACKBONE FOR TEXAS

Richard Ewing 1 2 3 , Jane Armstrong 1, Leland Ellis 2,

I. INTRODUCTION
In September 1994, a report to the Governor and the Legislature on the Texas Telecom-
munications Strategic Plan put forward the following goal:
Texas should promote a telecommunications infrastructure that makes available
broadband, switched services at reasonable cost to every home, school, and public
oce in the state.
Texas has no organized, public system for telecommunications infrastructure. Like the
Internet and NII, Texas is a \network of networks" that allow government agencies, univer-
sities and service entities to retain as much exibility, responsibility and accountability as
possible.
Creating a high-speed backbone for Texas will:
 improve speed, connectivity and interoperability between existing networks in Texas;
 provide the basis from which to implement current legislative plans for long-term 45
Mbs broadband service availability (H.B. 2128) to Texas public and private schools
(K{12), universities, and telemedicine;
 foster expanded service delivery, communications and collaborative eorts, while max-
imizing cost-eciencies and shared resources;
 function as a transition testbed for addressing typical management and nancial im-
pediments to a truly open network, supporting two-way interactive text, audio and
video; and nally,
 serve as a scalable model for linking multiple networks, using multiple technologies,
delivering a variety of applications to diverse groups of end-users in both the public
and private sectors.
Texas has many distributed pockets of technical expertise for addressing information
infrastructure issues; uniting these pockets of expertise via high-speed network connections
will:
 provide a demonstration testbed for advanced collaborative services with a goal for
seamless, interactive user-driven operations, and
 foster the developments of management structures, nancial arrangements and private
sector involvement.
1 Academy for Advanced Telecommunication and Learning Technologies
2 Institute for Biosciences
3 Institute for Scientic Computation
 This presentation is intended to report and represent the eorts of a strong coalition of
educators, health care providers, universities, and industry leaders to address this important
infrastructure need for the state. The coalition submitted a proposal to the Department of
Commerce to fund a demonstration project to illustrate the utility and scalability of this
backbone. The presentation is drawn largely from that proposal.
II. High-Speed Backbone for Texas (TBONE 4) { A Network of Networks
High-speed Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) technology can provide the visual deni-
tion necessary for telemedicine applications, as well as deliver full-motion, interactive videos
and simulations for education, training, seismic data processing or electronic commerce in a
timely fashion. The high-speed backbone for Texas (TBONE) will facilitate expanded deliv-
ery of such services across a vast expanse of urban and rural geography|linking Houston,
San Antonio, Austin, College Station, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Lubbock, Amarillo, and El Paso.
Over the past 25 years, several Texas networks have evolved for the delivery of distance
education, rural health care, video conferencing and workforce development.
 Alliance for Higher Education: Established in 1967 by Cecil Green, co-founder
of Texas Instruments, the Alliance for Higher Education began as a television network known
as TAGER, the nation's longest continually operating distance learning program. By de-
livering education and training directly from academic resources to the workplace, TAGER
became a national model that serves the community by providing education and training
to thousands. At present, the Alliance Information Network is moving to a fully digitized
system linking nearly 50 universities, junior colleges and library sources to 25 major corpo-
rations.
 HealthNet/WestNet: The West Texas Integrated Distance Education and Te-
lemedicine Network Initiative (WestNet) developed by Texas Tech University and Texas
Tech University Health Science Center is a comprehensive integrated telecommunications
network to serve public education, higher education and rural health care in West Texas.
WestNet is designed to provide service coverage and expansion capability to the 108 county
service area of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and its four campuses.
TTUHSC's HealthNet pioneered the delivery of telemedicine and education for rural health
care professionals.
 The Higher Education Network (THENet)/TELESIS: The Texas A&M Uni-
versity System, Texas Tech University, The University of Texas System and the Department
of Information Resources have a joint service provided relationship (TELESIS). TELESIS is
an agreement for sharing existing interconnected statewide computer communications within
4 Although many individuals from across the state have participated in the TBONE coalition, the leaders
who proposed to coordinate the project as a Steering Committee were:
 Dr. Richard Ewing, Texas A&M University, Committee Chair
 Dr. Jane Armstrong, Texas A&M University
 Dr. Mario Gonzales, University of Texas System
 Dr. Bill McCaughan, Texas Tech University Health Science Center
 Dr. Larry Jones, UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
 Dr. Harvey Stone, Alliance for Higher Education
This project was not funded by the Department of Commerce. However, the Coalition is still strong and
willing to continue to work together to achieve the initial goal of the vision.
the state, as appropriate, and to provide comprehensive network services to state and local
government.
 TENET (Texas Education Network): A Texas Education Agency (TEA) pro-
gram managed by The University of Texas, TENET travels over the University of Texas
and Texas A&M University networks, enabling teachers and often their students to access
Internet, TEA bulletin boards, computer conferencing and support services.
 GAATN: The Greater Austin Area Telecommunications Network (GAATN) provides
a cost-eective ber-optic communications network that allows the participating entities to
use current and future voice, data and video technologies. The partnership is composed
of the General Services Commission, the University of Texas System, Austin Community
College, the City of Austin, Travis County, the Austin Independent School District, and the
Lower Colorado River Authority.
 The University of Texas and Texas A&M Video Networks: Both the Uni-
versity of Texas video network and Texas A&M's Trans-Texas Video Network use compressed
video technology over leased lines. These networks extend to university campuses across the
state.
 The Texas Medical Center (TMC) Ring: The TMC has an ATM linking the
University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center, Baylor College of Medicine, and all
major TMC facilities. Recognized internationally as home to many world-class medical ex-
perts and specialists, TMC is comprised of 27 medical research centers, diagnostics facilities,
university teaching hospitals and specialized treatment centers.
 VIDnet: The Department of Information Resources (DIR) is implementing a Statewide
Video Network Infrastructure to support the video conferencing requirements of the state
agencies and universities. The Video Network will be cooperatively installed and operated
by the DIR and the General Services Commission (GSC).
The Texas \TBONE" proposed here will link major information infrastructure eorts
across Texas to foster collaborative service delivery to a broad spectrum of end-user com-
munities and industries, and to demonstrate participatory leadership for the Texas telecom-
munications infrastructure.
III. APPLICATION DOMAINS/FOCUS GROUPS FOR TBONE
3.1 Health: Telemedicine and Rural Health Care
The requirements for access to broadband telecommunication networks allowing high
speed, volume information transfer in the form of voice, video, and data is becoming increas-
ingly critical to the academic health institutions in the state of Texas. Special emphasis
will be given to demonstrating mechanisms for cost-eective delivery of high-quality medical
diagnostics and treatments reaching underserved, rural, high-risk communities.
Focus Area #1: Improving the access to and quality of health care in rural,
border, and inner city areas.
The decline and closure of small local hospitals are major issue in rural Texas resulting
in a reduction in the quality and consistency of the health care available to rural citizens. In
many cases, this situation results in a total absence of health care facilities and health care
professionals in or near these communities.
A dedicated telemedicine channel will link the clinics and specialists of the campuses and
teaching hospitals of the academic health centers participating in the TBONE Telemedicine
Network with each other and with telemedicine sites in rural and border communities and
in inner city communities separated by social and economic barriers from access to this
specialty care. As the Telemedicine Network develops, each academic health center will serve
as a \specialty consult node" for the rural and border health care providers and facilities of
the geographic area that the campus serves. Through the Network, rural practitioners will
be able to access specialists at any of the academic health center campuses or their teaching
hospitals.
Focus Area #2: Continuing Education in the Health Professions.
a. The teleport facility of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center for direct de-
livery of continuing health education programming to rural hospitals via the Rural Health
Satellite Network operated by TTUHSC HealthNet. The satellite network provides live video
programming to rural health care professionals delivered via satellite to receiving dishes at
their locations. Interaction with the presenter is provided via telephone linkage. Accredited
continuing education programming is provided for physicians, nurses, allied health person-
nel, long term car sta, administrative sta, housekeeping sta, and emergency services
personnel. Relevant topics and updates are provided as the need is identied by the rural
sites.
b. Small hospital and clinic sites which are equipped with interactive video equipment
for use with telemedicine can also participate in grand round presented by the participating
academic health centers. Improved access and quality for rural health care will also help
reduce the sense of isolation rural practitioners feel through regular interactions with their
professional peers.
Focus Area #3: Rural Health Programs.
The TBONE backbone network will also facilitate the initiation and expansion of rural
residency programs. Two-way interactive links with small rural hospitals health residents
and physicians to access the TBONE Telemedicine Network for interactive consultations
and participation in grand rounds. Linking the proposed TBONE Telemedicine Network
member institutions would provide a unique opportunity for residents on a rural rotation
to experience telemedicine and prepare for its incorporation and supervision for physician
assistants and nurse practitioners working under their supervision in small rural clinics.
3.2 Higher Education: Distance Learning for Workforce Development
Focus Area #4 Workforce Development
Workforce development spans a spectrum from adult and continuing education to delivery
of college courses; by linking many institutions of higher education into TBONE, the deliv-
ery of courses, credits and professional development initiatives can be expanded in response
to industry demand and increased access. In particular, the Alliance for Higher Education
corporate members are eager to identify and use expanded oerings. The workforce devel-
opment applications portion of the TBONE demonstration project focuses on the following
problems:
A major purpose the TBONE Network is to demonstrate and collect information on the
increasing feasibility, costs, appropriateness and acceptability of on-going distance delivery
for technical workforce development in rural, disadvantaged or remote communities.
Focus Area #5: K{12 Education/Teacher Professional Development.
In a recent report authored for the state's legislature ( Distance Learning Status Report,
February 1994) the following areas of community/worker needs were identied:
OCCUPATIONAL CATEGORY AREA OF NEED
Education Bilingual/Crosscultural
Curriculum & Instruction
Special Education
General Teacher Education
Teacher Education
Specic Academic & Vocational
English as a 2nd/Foreign Language
Engineering All
Biological Sciences/Life Sciences All
Mathematics All
Physical Sciences All
Health Professions & Related Sciences Nursing/Allied Health
The nation's K{12 teachers represent a signicant workforce problem/opportunity whose
needs can be addressed via instruction and training delivered at a distance. K{12 students
in Texas need better exposure to math and science learning experiences and educational
information as well as skill requirements of various vocational opportunities.
Literacy in math and science which drives our increasingly technological workforce is im-
perative for Texas and Texans. A high-speed backbone, such as TBONE will allow develop-
ment and testbed delivery demonstrations of applications requiring higher speed connectivity
to public schools as mandated in H.B.2128)
3.3 Higher Education: Scientic Computing/Networking
Focus Area #6: High Performance Computing, Visualization and Networking.
Higher education and industry both have important high performance computing needs.
A high speed backbone connecting higher education to industry centers would not only
support workforce development, but could also allow sharing of supercomputing and other
information infrastructure resources.
University, government and industry research centers have seriously begun to downscale
their investments in high performance computing, since state-of-the-art computing technol-
ogy is advancing so rapidly that it has become economically irresponsible to continually
purchase leading edge technology for single institutions. Coupled with the decline in basic
R&D funding, shared computing resources are now of interest even for competitive industries
such as oil.
A shared access visualization center is being created by the TAMU Institute for Scientic
Computation in the Texas Medical Center (at the IBT). It will reside on the TBONE back-
bone, and will be connected with the rest of the TMC facilities through an ATM network.
As part of TBONE, high performance computing resources (which currently exist in the
TBONE membership) will be linked through the TBONE backbone to provide access to
supercomputers, parallel computers and high speed mass storage devices for those needing
such services. This approach will provide valuable information in how to avoid redundancy in
the purchase of computational resources, how to maximize use of existing resources, and how
to facilitate cooperative computational research projects among member institutions. The
feasibility of locating a shared high performance computing node on the TBONE network
which can be utilized by both industry, government and university researchers will also be
investigated. Issues related to third party management will also be investigated as part of
TBONE.
Crucial issues which remain to be addressed and data compression and encryption are
critical in providing medical data security, and high speed medical data transmission to rural
sites. Because of the asynchronous packet nature of ATM data transmission, standard serial
compression and encryption techniques to not apply.
The ARIES project has been in existence for the last several years. A consortium of
industrial and government institutions created a coast-to-coast ATM link for the purposes
of demonstrating the feasibility of simultaneous video, audio and data transmission among
selected applications, and between several locations and remote sites. The TBONE demon-
stration project is essentially show that this is feasible on a dierent scale using public
networks. Based on the success of the ARIES project, Amoco (which is coordinating the
present ARIES projects) has agreed to participate in the TBONE project for the purposes
of demonstrating the interconnectivity of the ARIES and TBONE networks.
Focus Area #7: Public & Government Services
The Department of Information Resources (DIR) is implementing a statewide switched
video/ data network infrastructure (VIDnet) to meet the video conferencing and data net-
working requirements of state agencies and universities.
Applications and services currently used by state agencies are often constrained by the
availability of bandwidth and/or the type of service provided. For example, services such as
automated directory or helplines, electronic commerce, electronic mail, electronic disability
access, electronic town meetings, geographic information systems, home schooling, one stop
service centers, and telemedicine require large amounts of bandwidth.
The implementation of this infrastructure will provide a gateway between existing ded-
icated networks and public network services across the state at a greatly reduced cost.
Network users will have access to both private network services through dedicated circuits
or can dial-up shared network services on demand. This added exibility along with the
overlay services that allow users to schedule dedicated or shared resources for multi-way or
dedicated video conferences for telemedicine, distance learning and other applications (e.g.,
access to shared statewide accounting applications and the Internet), will enable the state
to leverage existing and future network resources.
State program areas that are enabled by a high-speed backbone in addition to those
already detailed in previous sections include:
 Citizen Access: to facilitate citizen access to public information and services.
 Economic Development: electronic commerce will enable the state and the citizens of
Texas to build a solid foundation for social and economic prosperity.
 Eciency Government Services: to enhance the state's ability to use its limited re-
sources to provide high-quality, timely, cost-eective services.
 Criminal Justice: to deliver ecient and timely criminal justice services that ensure
the safety of our communities.
Focus Area #8: An Overriding Issue in Texas: Equity Access.
A key to increasing access and equity to the end user communities and industries is the
ability to extend and link the current existing networks to the rural and underserved areas
of Texas. Most of the major networks are currently situated in and serving the metropolitan
areas of Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston/College Station, Lubbock, Austin, and San Antonio.
In West Texas, the REACH (Regional Electronic Academic Communication Highway)
links West Texas K{12 schools with the area colleges and universities. In East Texas, the
Northeast Texas Network (NETnet) is planned to connect 14 institutions of higher education
with each other and other clinical/teaching sites in the region. The East Texas area serves
a predominantly rural population with approximately 25% minority representation. The
Rio Grande Valley represents the fastest growing area of the state. While the state grew
by 19.39% between 1980 and 1990, the four counties that comprise the valley area grew by
30.54%. By 2005 the Valley is expected to have a population of almost a million people on
the United States side of the border. The TBONE grant would assist in planning for future
integration and expansion of these networks thus providing even greater equity and access.
IV. TECHNICAL ASPECTS
The current deregulation of the telephone and cable industry promises to provide a
more advanced telecommunication infrastructure at competitive rates. The recent legislation
passed by the Texas legislature oers greatly discounted custom and tari rates for the
public sector (e.g., educational institutions). As a result, the overall recurring circuits cost is
expected to decrease. In addition, the recent moves by a number of utility companies within
the state will provide alternate bandwidth at a fraction of the traditional carriers cost. These
recent changes will help make the concept of a high speed backbone for the public sector
more aordable.
By providing a common transport service TBONE can both aggregate the existing net-
work trac and test prototype applications. The TBONE membership anticipates piloting
a private ATM network service that will enable both the major participants on the backbone
and its feeder networks access to enterprise wide broadband switched digital services. The
State of Texas is the rst state to join the ATM Forum and is planning to play a signicant
role in the development of both public and private ATM network services.
V. EVALUATION PROCESS
The integration of public and private network services will play a pivotal role in dening
the telecommunications infrastructure of the future. TBONE will provide a platform to test
the network technologies, and evaluate the administrative and management practices that
will be necessary to implement such an infrastructure.
VI. TBONE COLLABORATORS