Catching Up on the Cloud: Spring 2024

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

Internet2 NET+ and Other Cloud Program Updates

Meeting You Where You Are on Your Cloud Journey: 4 Pathways for Success

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Lao Tzu probably wasn’t thinking of cloud services and technology when he offered this life lesson, but it seems appropriate for describing the research and education community’s efforts to make the cloud work better for their institutions and stakeholders.

At the beginning of this year, we highlighted ways the NET+ Program and other Internet2 cloud programs could support you in implementing or expanding your cloud strategy in 2024. Whether you’re at the very beginning or in the middle of your institution’s cloud journey, we’re here for you every step of the way. 

We recognize that our dedicated community volunteers make it possible for us to provide the level of support that we do. This month is National Volunteer Week (April 21–27), and we are grateful for the many individual and collective volunteer efforts that enable us to continue bringing a better cloud to R&E.    

Throughout last year, we shared blog posts highlighting Cloud Superheroes, individuals who have made significant contributions to moving our work forward and facilitating community. We are continuing this series in 2024, so be on the lookout for additional interviews. (You can be a superhero too! Check out current opportunities to participate in NET+ working groups, service evaluations, and service advisory boards.)

In that spirit and as the first quarter of the year comes to a close, we’re pleased to highlight four pathways of key initiatives and programs that illustrate our commitment to meeting you where you are on your cloud journey and how we’re springing into action to make sure you have the resources you need to take the next steps on your journey to success in the cloud.

Later this month, we’re once again serving as the conveners of The Higher Education Cloud Forum, the premiere gathering for higher education IT professionals. While Cloud Forum currently has a waitlist of attendance, there are still ways to get involved! You can join us virtually for the researcher presentations and panel discussion on the morning of Wednesday, May 1, which will be streamed live for virtual audiences. We encourage everyone to join us for this portion of the program. See the Cloud Forum schedule for full details. Register to attend Cloud Forum 2024 Virtual.

You can also help the research and education community achieve a greater understanding of our cloud usage. Since its inception 10 years ago, the Cloud Forum has featured a “state of the cloud” survey. We encourage community members to complete the survey and contribute to the effort. The survey results will be shared with the community after this year’s Cloud Forum. The survey will close on Friday, April 26.

It was great to see many of you last month at the 2024 Internet2 Community Exchange in Chicago. The NET+ team worked with members of the R&E cloud community to present an outstanding track of sessions focused on ways to maximize opportunity and minimize risk. If you weren’t able to join us, please check out the slides from the presentations. 

#4 – Learning new skills with training

You can build real-world Cloud Skills for Research with CLASS Advanced. From basics to use cases: CLASS Advanced Alumni gain invaluable cloud expertise.

If you want to learn more about empowering your campus or research group to utilize the cloud, consider enrolling in CLASS Advanced to increase your knowledge of IaC, Kubernetes, Networking, Security, and other cloud tools. The enrollment window for the Spring 2024 cohort of CLASS Advanced closes on April 22, so get started on your application today.

Internet2 Cloud Connect Adds New 100 Gbps Connections in San Jose to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure: The Internet2 Cloud Connect (I2CC) service recently added two 100 Gbps connections to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) via Oracle FastConnect in San Jose, California. San Jose is now the third location where I2CC offers OCI connectivity, in addition to Ashburn, Virginia, and Dallas, Texas. Those connections tie to OCI’s U.S. West (San Jose), U.S. East (Ashburn), and U.S. West (Phoenix) regions, respectively.

Internet2 Cloud Scorecard Questionnaire Now Includes Questions on AI and Data Privacy: We recently announced the release of a new version of the Internet2 Cloud Scorecard Questionnaire. The Cloud Scorecard and Profiles Advisory Group approved the addition of two new questions to address generative AI and data privacy considerations. The questions were drafted in consultation with the NET+ Business, Procurement, and Legal Advisory Committee (BPLAC). Read more.

Check out new Internet2 Cloud Scorecard participants in the past quarter:

• Dashlane
• Ellucian
• F5 Distributed Cloud Services
• myLaminin
• Nasuni
• Panopto
• Proofig AI
• Radware Application Protection Services
• SmartSuite
• Unicon’s Navigate Identity Solution
• Whistic
• Zimperium Mobile Security

If there is a cloud service you would like to see listed, please reach out to us with your suggestion(s).

Cloud Service Updates: More Opps to Meet You Where You Are

• 2024 NET+ Google Workspace for Education Webinar Series: We are offering a webinar series showcasing Internet2 NET+ Google Workspace for Education (opens in a new window). To learn more about the 2024 pricing and options available to existing customers, and to register for the upcoming webinars, visit the 2024 Internet2 NET+ Google Workspace for Education webinar series page (opens in a new window).


• Townhall Series for NET+ ServiceNow Subscribers: We’ve launched a monthly NET+ ServiceNow (opens in a new window) Townhall Series. These monthly webinars are a benefit of the NET+ Program and are open to subscribers only. If you’re a current NET+ ServiceNow subscriber, get the details (opens in a new window) about the monthly webinars. If you would like to participate as a speaker in one of the upcoming townhalls or have suggestions for topics for other townhalls, please reach out to netplus@interent2.edu (opens in a new window), and we can get you involved.

Spotlight on NET+ Service Providers 

We’re pleased to continue inviting NET+ service providers to share articles, blog posts, webinars, or other content relevant to cloud practitioners in the R&E community. Take a look at the resources they shared this quarter:

• Instructure – The 2023 State of Student Success and Engagement in Higher Education report is now available. Instructure worked with Hanover Research to field a survey in 17 countries that asked 6,100 current students, administrators, and faculty from two-year, four-year, public, and private higher education institutions for their perspectives on factors impacting student success and engagement. Read the report (opens in a new window).
  • Registration is open for InstructureCon 2024! (opens in a new window) We’d love for you to join us from July 9-11 at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas. Whether you’re a seasoned Canvas user or new to the Instructure Community, you’ll leave our annual conference with fresh ideas, new connections, and actionable takeaways.
• LabArchives Check out our Trust Center (opens in a new window) portal, a fully transparent self-service portal for institutions to gather the required audit, compliance, and cybersecurity details and engage with our security team.
  • With recent NIHpolicy changes related to data management and sharing as well as foreign influence, our teams produced two blog articles to help you understand the changing landscape, NIH Data Requirements – What Data Must be Shared (opens in a new window) and NIH 2023 DMS Requirements – Where Do I Share My Data (opens in a new window)
• Miro – Learn about hosting Hybrid Meetings in Miro (opens in a new window) during a webinar on April 16.
  • A product update with Miro Assist(AI) (opens in a new window) is available now within NET+ Miro.
• Panopto – Check out this case study from TAFE Queensland (opens in a new window), a college in Australia that migrated from MediaSite to Panopto with ease.

This will be a regular feature in our quarterly newsletter, so be sure to keep an eye out for it! 

Keep Up With the Cloud

As always, we welcome your ideas and appreciate your contributions to our cloud programs! Interested in participating in one or more NET+ service evaluations? Or have feedback for other prospective services for the program? Don’t know where to start? Email cloud@internet2.edu (opens in a new window).

Catching Up on the Cloud brings you all the latest Internet2 cloud updates. Whether you’re supporting the academic enterprise, research domain, or anything in between, these timely announcements and updates will help you with the best solutions for implementing cloud services at your institution.