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Welcome to the project:

Perimeter Network to Expedite the Transmission of Science (PR-NETS) 

The project seeks to accelerate adoption of advanced networking at the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras (UPR-RP) through targeted investment in networking equipment and establishment of a firewall-less network, or Science DMZ. In most universities network security policies are developed to ensure high quality common Internet services to the general Campus community. These policies, however, may interfere with the best practices for the management of large datasets, constant transmission of remote data, and configurations of distributed systems. In addition to academic and administrative information, university networks usually also handle scientific research data, which today entails access to large datasets. University network policies require firewalls and other security measures that slow the transmission process. The PR-NETS provides the UPR-RP’s capacity to transfer large amounts of data in an efficient manner without compromising cyber security. The Science DMZ consists of seven points of access (PoAs) at strategic locations on Campus and two PoAs located just off Campus to serve the needs of UPR-RP scientists who conduct data intensive research. PR-NETS is designed to allow the addition of more PoAs, and peering with Science DMZ from other institutions.

The project amplifies research in areas critical to national security and increased economic competitiveness, such as nanotechnology, gene sequencing, and HIV prevention intervention.  Furthermore, the PR-NETS enhances undergraduate and graduate science education at the UPR-RP, whose student population is 98% Hispanic, by enabling reliable multicast videoconference access and data intensive research opportunities.