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April 24, 2007, 03:25 PM ET
Internet2, National LambdaRail Move Forward With Merger Plans
The proposed merger of Internet2 and National LambdaRail, two consortia that run high-speed research networks, continues apace. At an Internet2 meeting held today in Crystal City, Va., leaders of the two groups spoke about the formation of a joint “merger planning team” that will draft a blueprint for consolidation.
The committee is expected to complete the blueprint by early May. At that point, the boards of both Internet2 and LambdaRail will evaluate the plan and either vote to approve it or send the planning team back to the drawing board.
Since they first discussed plans to consolidate in the summer of 2005, Internet2 and LambdaRail have had something of an on-again, off-again relationship: Last year the two groups broke off merger talks, but a month ago they signed a memorandum of agreement
In an interview today with The Chronicle, the leaders of both groups — Jeffrey S. Lehman, the chair of Internet2, and Tracy Futhey, the chair of LambdaRail — shed some light on the consortia’s change of heart. Researchers with LambdaRail had worried that a merger with Internet2, whose Abilene research network is widely used in academe, would restrict their ability to experiment with new networking technology, Ms. Futhey said.
But now, she said, the groups are considering a merger that might preserve two separate networks — one to allow for experimentation and another to support the work done every day by college researchers. —Josh Fischman and Brock Read
Categories: Research, Leadership
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