By
Chris Wilkinson - Senior Director of Network Infrastructure and Operations
New Availability Enhances Capacity, Resiliency, and Value for R&E in the Western U.S.
Purpose-Built Multicloud Access for R&E
I2CC provides Internet2-connected institutions with dedicated, high-performance access to major cloud providers — AWS Direct Connect, Google Partner Interconnect, Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute, and Oracle FastConnect. Connections are established using institutions’ regional R&E networks in combination with the Internet2 national network at no additional cost, offering substantial value to the community.
Efforts are underway to establish the first I2CC connections at the Los Angeles location this summer, starting with AWS Direct Connect. The new Internet2 interconnection site at Newark, launched earlier this year, is also slated to support I2CC connections, extending cloud access for research and AI applications in the Northeast.
In the fall, Internet2 will add I2CC to its Seattle location to further broaden the national footprint and meet rising needs. Ultimately, Internet2 plans to make I2CC, I2PX, and I2RPI ubiquitously available at all seven interconnect sites, adding to the list that already includes Ashburn, Chicago, Dallas, and San Jose. All interconnect sites will eventually support the full range of interconnect speeds, including 10, 100, and 400 Gbps.
Internet2 plans to make I2PX, I2RPI, and I2CC services ubiquitously available at all seven interconnect sites by early 2026. View the interactive Internet2 Network Map.
Delivering More Value for the R&E Community
I2CC delivers cost-effective, scalable, and high-performance access to multicloud environments. Internet2-connected R&E institutions can obtain up to 5 Gbps of private Layer 2 and Layer 3 access at no additional fee from Internet2 (standard cloud provider fees may still apply).
This translates to significant value for Internet2 member institutions, compared to commercial cloud connection providers. A 1 Gbps Layer 2 cloud connection from the most affordable commercial provider costs $6,000 annually. With 634 I2CC-supported connections as of April 2025, Internet2 estimates $3.8 million in annual collective value across its member community by eliminating that additional expense.
R&E institutions can redirect those resources to other strategic initiatives — accelerating research, enhancing education, and fostering innovation.
Additional benefits of the I2CC service include:
- Seamless Integration: Offers self-service provisioning through Internet2 Insight Console.
- High Performance: Supports data-intensive research and demanding workflows.
- Scalability: Designed to grow with institutions’ evolving cloud strategies and initiatives.
- Simplicity: Leverages regional R&E networks and the Internet2 national network, requiring no added contracts or paperwork.
Manage Cloud Connections With Insight Console
Internet2 Insight Console remains the community’s self-service web interface for visualizing, managing, and troubleshooting Internet2 network services. I2CC subscribers can easily create, modify, and delete connections using the Virtual Networks feature, simplifying workflows and speeding up provisioning time.
ICYMI
About the Author(s)
Chris joined Internet2 in 2015 and currently serves on the Network Services leadership team as the senior director of Network Infrastructure and Operations. For the first two decades of his career, he directly supported astrophysics, high energy physics, and genomics research at several University campuses. At Internet2, he has led the Architecture group since 2016 and overseen the design and implementation of multiple generations of core network and cloud infrastructure - most recently completing the 400 gigabits Next Generation Infrastructure (NGI) program. He also works through active collaboration with numerous partners to facilitate data-intensive science on a global scale.