The ICN successfully upgraded its critical infrastructure across seven sites in Northern Iowa, enhancing high-speed Internet for rural schools and ensuring resilient connectivity for emergency services.
The project established a redundant network triangle connecting Decorah, Cresco, and Calmar; a second phase links Calmar to New Hampton, Charles City, Osage and Mason City. Each of these aggregation sites now features a dedicated, redundant 10Gb connection.
By utilizing existing "spare" fiber strands to build a failover daisy-chain link, ICNβs engineering team has ensured that services automatically reroute without interruption if a fiber cable is cut. This upgrade replaces 24x1Gb capabilities with 24x10Gb capabilities, providing more dependable Ethernet and IP services for essential community pillars like hospitals, schools, and public safety agencies.
This effort is part of a broader initiative to upgrade 156 aggregation sites to a full 10Gb converged network statewide. To date, ICN has completed 114 locations, with 7 more currently underway. Coupled with a previously completed 100Gb core upgrade, these advancements future-proof Iowa's infrastructure against the demands of emerging technologies.
To see how these upgrades fit into our state-wide reach, view the ICN Network Map here. (3.24 MB)Archived.pdf (3.24 MB) Archived .pdf