GOVnet

<BODY ALINK="#99CC66" BGCOLOR="#CCCCCC" LINK="#993300" TEXT="#000000" VLINK="#993300"> <TABLE BORDER=0> <TR VALIGN="top"> <TD BGCOLOR="#000000" WIDTH=176> <A HREF="./index.htm"><IMG ALT="home" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=120 SRC="./toc/images/globe.gif" WIDTH=160></A> <A HREF="./govnet.htp"><IMG ALT="GOVnet" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=24 SRC="./toc/images/-govnet_off.gif" WIDTH=160></A> <A HREF="./k12net.htp"><IMG ALT="K12net" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=24 SRC="./toc/images/k12net_off.gif" WIDTH=160></A> <A HREF="./infrastructure.htp"><IMG ALT="Infrastructure" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=24 SRC="./toc/images/infrastructure_off.gif" WIDTH=160></A> <A HREF="./contacts.htp"><IMG ALT="Contacts" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=24 SRC="./toc/images/contacts_off.gif" WIDTH=160></A> <A HREF="./resources.htp"><IMG ALT="Resources" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=24 SRC="./toc/images/resources_off.gif" WIDTH=160></A> </TD> <TD> <H1>GOVnet</H1> <I>A Network Serving Government in Vermont</I> <HR> <P>GOVnet is the name given to the network infrastructure which serves government offices in Montpelier and Waterbury as well as district offices in twelve cities and towns statewide. The physical backbone consists of fiber optic cable connecting state buildings on the Montpelier and Waterbury campuses as well as high-bandwidth digital circuits connecting district offices statewide. The wide-area backbone is divided into <ACRONYM TITLE="open shortest path first">OSPF</ACRONYM> regions with at least one alternative route for each link. From the backbone nodes, 56 <ACRONYM>Kbps</ACRONYM> backfeeds serve other government offices, schools, and libraries statewide.</P> <P>In addition there are dial-in sites located in every local calling area of the state facilitating network access with a local phone call from any school or library in the state that elects to have dial-in access. <ACRONYM TITLE="serial line IP">SLIP</ACRONYM> and <ACRONYM TITLE="point-to-point protocol">PPP</ACRONYM> access, as well as <ACRONYM>VT100</ACRONYM> access, are supported on a dial-in basis. <P>The network uses the "open" non-proprietary <ACRONYM TITLE="transaction control protocol">TCP</ACRONYM>/<ACRONYM TITLE="internet protocol">IP</ACRONYM> communications protocol which permits connectivity throughout the state, the nation and the world.</P> <P>Network services include Internet access, government-wide e-mail, and <ACRONYM TITLE="world-wide web">WWW</ACRONYM> access to government information and services. See the <A HREF="http://www.state.vt.us/">State of Vermont home page</A>.</P> <A NAME="purpose"><H2>Purpose</H2></A> <P>GOVnet was implemented to meet the twofold network challenge of improved access with reduced costs. The network provides for complete inter-agency and inter-departmental information access through a single system serving all agencies on a cooperative basis. This eliminates the need for each agency or department to provide redundant networks involving duplicate costs.</P> <A NAME="origin"><H2>Origin</H2></A> <P>The <DFN>Vermont Information Strategy Plan</DFN> (<ACRONYM>VISP</ACRONYM>) identified the requirement for information sharing and networking in two of the critical success factors associated with its objectives. The <DFN>Information Systems Advisory Council</DFN> (<ACRONYM>ISAC</ACRONYM>), which was created by <ACRONYM>VISP</ACRONYM> (now called <ACRONYM TITLE="Information Resource Management Advisory Council">IRMAC</ACRONYM>), was commissioned by the Telecommunication Ten-Year Plan to form a network subcommittee to "develop a plan to integrate network services where such sharing is valuable for information sharing among government agencies (and) where it is designed and implemented with the participation and unanimous approval of <ACRONYM>ISAC</ACRONYM>."</P> <P>For a detailed analysis of GOVnet, including a chronology, see the Legislative Joint Fiscal Office's <A HREF="http://www.leg.state.vt.us/reports/govnet/govnet.htm">GOVnet System Evaluation and Network Study</A>.</P> <A NAME="admin"><H2>Administration</H2></A> <P><DFN>Information Resource Management Advisory Council</DFN> (<ACRONYM>IRMAC</ACRONYM>) provides the policy, managerial, and financial oversight of GOVnet. These policies and procedures are administered through the office of the Chief Information Officer.</P> </TD> </TR> </TABLE> </BODY>