Cloud Computing

Internet2 Adds Cloud Programs to NET+

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 08/11/16

Higher ed technology community Internet2 has added a cloud service provider to its NET+ offerings. Acquia has signed an agreement that gives an institutional discount on all subscription service fees and provides "strengthened contractual protections" for Internet2 members.

Acquia caters to users who specifically want to host their Drupal services in the cloud. Drupal is an open source web content management system,. The offerings covered in the Internet2 agreement encompass:

• Acquia Cloud, the basic hosting platform
• Cloud Site Factory, which provides tools for creating, delivering and managing multiple sites;
• Lift, which allows the organization to personalize the user website journey and perform visitor tracking; and
• Cloud Edge, which consists of two products, one for security and the other for performance. Cloud Edge Protect specifically protects against denial-of-service attacks; Cloud Edge CDN, which distributes content through a content delivery network (CDN) in order to speed up web page delivery.

"An extraordinary digital presence is not just expected of today's best universities, but a critical element of their engagement with students, alumni and the broader community." said Shel Waggener, Internet2 senior vice president of NET+ services, in a prepared statement. "The Acquia platform helps our members effectively build, deliver, manage and optimize their digital experiences."

Among the institutions that have already tried Acquia's services are Stony Brook University in New York, Roger Williams U in Rhode Island, and Stanford in California.

The NET+ page that profiles Acquia services is on the Internet2 website.