ICN Connects with Regional Network
Iowa Communications Network (ICN) is excited to announce that it’s working with the Broadband Optical Research, Education and Sciences Network, also known as the BOREAS Network. As a trusted Internet service provider, ICN’s involvement with BOREAS will bring added network diversity and redundancy to ICN’s statewide fiber optic network.
Upon completion of this project in 2026, ICN will have connectivity for additional resiliency to Internet Exchange Points (IXP) content providers, such as AWS, Google, Microsoft, Oracle, etc. The BOREAS network will provide a 100-gigabit path to ICN’s ingress (entry) point to the cloud in Chicago. As a result of this working relationship, BOREAS will gain access to ICN’s extensive fiber backbone in the State of Iowa for educational research use.
“We are looking forward to a long collaborative relationship with BOREAS,” said ICN’s Director of Networking and Engineering Patrick Kazeze. “This new relationship will allow us to leverage the extensive BOREAS Network that will provide cost savings to some of our core locations and potential access to other IXPs.”
BOREAS is a collaborative network that was created by four major Midwest research institutions: Iowa State University, the University of Iowa, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The high-speed advanced regional network enables large data transfers and supports collaborative research activities, which help member institutions complete extensive research projects. For more information about BOREAS visit https://boreas.net.
ICN is a state-owned, high-speed fiber optic network that provides critical infrastructure for secure and reliable communications throughout Iowa. The Network serves State and Federal government agencies, public safety entities, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities. The ICN’s transport network is 100% fiber, which is the leading technology for telecommunications networks.