Frequently Asked Questions

What does our Network Nebraska-Education Participation Fee pay for?

Network Nebraska-Education Participation Fee payments cover all the non-E-rate eligible costs of running the statewide network, from routers and traffic shaping to software maintenance, technical support, E-rate support, and facility upgrades. A complete listing of the annual Participation Fee budget items is available from the Network Nebraska-Education document archive upon request.

Our Interregional Transport Fee is pretty low. How does that pay for all of the statewide backbone?

Network Nebraska-Education uses a shared backbone approach where every entity pays for a portion of the backbone. The leased and dark fiber backbone circuits are constantly monitored and annually updated to make sure that there is enough capacity to handle the daily average of actual data transport to every one of our network participants. The K-12 monthly rates for the Network Nebraska-Education backbone are lower than higher education because K-12's bandwidth utilization is eligible for federal E-rate support.

We heard that Network Nebraska-Education's commodity Internet rate is one of the lowest in the country. Is that true, and if so, how is that possible?

It is true that Network Nebraska-Education consistently has one of the lowest Internet rates in the country. One reason for our success is that all of our K-12 and higher education entities have agreed to aggregate their demand and work together for the purpose of attracting a better volumetric rate. The State of Nebraska Purchasing Bureau and the University of Nebraska Purchasing Division each bid in very large quantities on behalf of the Network Nebraska-Education participants and then broker the services for every entity needing to purchase Internet. By keeping the Internet "raw" and not bundling it with extra services or indirect personnel costs, the unit rate remains among the lowest in the United States.

How many full-time employees work for Network Nebraska-Education?

Since Network Nebraska-Education is a collaborative project of the State of Nebraska and the University of Nebraska on behalf of the education entities of Nebraska, the answer is zero (0). Unlike other statewide networks with dozens of full-time employees, Network Nebraska-Education uses a shared services approach to personnel support. At the University of Nebraska Computing Services Network, up to two dozen people may assist with the operation and management of this network as needed, quarterly, and then invoice the Office of the CIO for hours worked. At the Department of Administrative Services and Office of the CIO, another two dozen people perform various administrative functions and are then paid for with a 7% indirect cost surcharge recovered through the Participation Fee. By using this shared services approach, personnel support costs are kept to a minimum, the equivalent of about 4.25 FTE.

Why are so few public libraries and nonpublic schools members of Network Nebraska-Education?

Even though Network Nebraska-Education's monthly costs represent a net cost savings to what public school districts and colleges had been paying for similar high bandwidth connections, these same network costs can represent a net cost increase for entities such as smaller nonpublic schools and smaller public libraries that have been using DSL or cable modem Internet.

What's the difference between Network Nebraska-Education and getting Internet directly from an Internet Service Provider (ISP)?

Network Nebraska-Education employs a dynamic, intelligent routing protocol that enables data to reach its destination via the fastest, most efficient routing possible (e.g., Intranet backbone, Internet2 SEGP, Internet2 Commercial Peering Service, commodity Internet). With an ISP, there is only one pathway, and that is the commodity Internet, which is susceptible to congestion and, depending on the ISPs involved, may include multiple out-of-state "hops" to reach another in-state destination, which is not very efficient.

I read where Network Nebraska-Education offers both a commodity Internet service and Internet2 Commercial Peering Service. What's the difference?

Commodity Internet is the statewide, state-contracted service on behalf of all of the entities participating in Network Nebraska-Education. Internet2 Commercial Peering Service is a special routing pathway available to Network Nebraska-Education participants from the Great Plains Network Gigapop in Kansas City, which directly "peers" or connects with hundreds of commercial companies (e.g., Microsoft, Apple, Google, Netflix, etc.) associated with Internet2. At present, the Commercial Peering Service is included with each Internet order.

Is Network Nebraska-Education likely to develop and offer other services, such as learning management and content management for network Participants?

The Office of the CIO and the University of Nebraska are likely to apply resources to meet the requirements of Neb.. Rev. Stat. § 86-5,100: "Such network shall provide access to a reliable and affordable infrastructure capable of carrying a spectrum of services and applications, including distance education, across the state." In other words, the OCIO and UNCSN will be responsible for the infrastructure (network). Other entities, such as the ESU Coordinating Council (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 79-1246), are tasked with (a) Preparation of strategic plans to assure the cost-efficient and equitable delivery of services across the state; (b) Administration of statewide initiatives and provision of statewide services. These Participant-driven services, if technological, could certainly ride on Network Nebraska.

Are the University of Nebraska and State Government networks also part of "Network Nebraska"?

In 2006, the Nebraska Legislature codified Network Nebraska in Neb.. Rev. Stat. § 86-5,100: "The Chief Information Officer, in partnership with the University of Nebraska, shall develop and maintain a statewide, multipurpose, high-capacity, scalable telecommunications network to be called Network Nebraska. The network shall consist of contractual arrangements with providers to meet the demand of state agencies, local governments, and educational entities as defined in section 79-1201.01." (Section 79-1201.01(3): "Educational entity means a school district, a private, denominational, or parochial school, an educational service unit, a community college, a state college, the University of Nebraska, or a nonprofit private postsecondary educational institution").

Since the State of Nebraska and the University of Nebraska statewide networks pre-dated this legislation and already helped meet the demands of state agencies, local governments, and the University's four campuses and extension offices, these networks are considered part of Network Nebraska. "Network Nebraska-Education" was coined to describe the new statewide network that would meet the demands of the education entities defined in Neb.. Rev. Stat. § 79-1201.01, often referred to as "K-20 Education".

What's the difference between the NITC Education Council and the Network Nebraska Advisory Group?

The Education Council is the advisory group chartered by the Nebraska Information Technology Commission to advise the Commission on educational technology issues, including the State Technology Plan's strategic initiatives of Digital Education and "Network Nebraska". The Network Nebraska Advisory Group was chartered by the NITC Education Council to advise the State CIO on issues related to the operations and administration of Network Nebraska-Education.