U Montana Speeds Research with Internet2 100 Gbps Connection

The University of Montana has revved up its research network with a new 100 Gbps fiber connection to the Internet2 Network. Clocking in at times faster than the school's previous connection, the ultra-high-speed capability will advance UM's research efforts as well as support education, research and healthcare institutions across the state.

"The Internet2 Network connection provides great support to our researchers who collaborate with colleagues both nationally and internationally and, in particular, for those involved in big data initiatives and their entrepreneurial activities," said Scott Whittenburg, vice president for research at UM, in a press release.

The university's research efforts range from ecosystems, climate change, environmental health and neuroscience to the search for Earth-like planets in nearby solar systems. "This provides us with amazing opportunities to capture and transmit field sensor data from an array of Internet of Everything possibilities," said Matt Riley, UM's chief information officer, in a statement.

According to Riley, network connectivity is particularly  important for education and economic development activities in rural states, where communities are separated by vast distances. The new 100G connection will help expand connectivity to more of Montana's higher education institutions, including four-year, two-year and tribal colleges; the U.S. Forest Service; the K-12 community; healthcare facilities; libraries; and research laboratories across Montana.

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • man viewing holographic display of data and code

    Why Cross-Skilling Is the Smartest Investment a Campus IT Team Can Make

    Higher education IT teams are being asked to keep pace with AI, cloud, and cybersecurity on flat budgets, and hiring a specialist for every new need can no longer keep up. Building adjacent skills across the people already on staff creates more agile, resilient teams that move faster and retain talent without adding headcount. Pluralsight makes the strategy work through skill assessments, tailored learning paths, hands-on labs and sandboxes, and microlearning that fits into the flow of work.

  • Glowing digital padlock breaking into tiny cubic fragments over complex circuit board background

    Report: Basic Security Failures Continue to Fuel Enterprise Breaches

    Despite years of investment in cybersecurity technologies, many enterprise breaches still begin with familiar weaknesses, according to a new report from SonicWall.

  • VSLive! session

    VSLive! San Diego 2026 Puts AI at the Core of the Campus IT Stack

    For higher education IT teams working through AI pilots, ERP integrations, student-facing apps, analytics projects, and mounting security concerns, Visual Studio Live! San Diego 2026 offers a look at the development practices that are shaping the campus technology landscape.

  • A glowing digital brain with neural connections and light trails

    AI Giants Warn It May Be Time to Slow Down

    For years, leaders in the artificial intelligence industry have warned that increasingly capable AI systems could eventually become dangerous, all the while continuing to race to build them. Now, their sentiments have changed.