MIND's - Midland Direct Connection Project

Purpose of the Direct Connection Project:

Direct Connection allows for a party to bring the Internet into their facility and connection to a party's Local Area Network (LAN) or a Wide Area Network (WAN). This connection makes the Internet available to every computer on the LAN or WAN. Saving the cost associated with having every computer be equipped with a modem plus a phone line to the outside world. MIND is currently working with the Delta College, Midland County Intermediate School District, Midland Public Schools, Meridian Public Schools, Bullock Creek Schools, and Coleman Community Schools, along with the City of Midland and Grace A. Dow Memorial Library for direct connections from MERIT to each. Each entity has or will be connected to the Internet. Much of the work for these connections was done by each entities' Information services or Technology departments working together in many instances.

As of September 1, 2001 Direct connections have been established as follows:

Shared T-1 Circuit:
(2) T-1 circuits from Merits' Saginaw POP ( Point of Presence) located at Saginaw Valley State University to Midland Public Schools Administration Building A seperate T-1 circuit to Bullock Community Schools for additional bandwidth. Midland Public is the Host site for the main router that services most of the Midland County Schools. All of the districts attached to this router are appreciative of Midland Public Schools for the initial funding for the main (2)T-1 trunks and related equipment. Without this cooperation between all the districts, many of the recent advances would not have been initiated.

Midland Public Schools:
All of the connections for Midland Public Schools have now been replaced with a fiber WAN/LAN completed in April 1999. The WAN is made up of 12 strands of fiber to each building or campus location from the Administration building.

Bullock Creek Schools:
Bullock Creek High School while a single T-1 circuit from Bullock Creek High School which then links Bullock Creek Middle School, Bullock Creek Elementary School, Pine River Elementary School and Folyd Elementary School.

MCESA - Midland County Educational Service Agency:
An 100 Meg ethernet over fiber circuit from MPS Admin to Midland County Education Services Agency (MCESA).

Meridian Public Schools:
A 100 Meg ethernet fiber circuit from MPS Admin to Meridian Public Schools Administration building. The connection is then branched out to other buildings via the Fiber Optic Backbone. This backbone currently handles all voice and data traffic, later plans will also include video/audio for long distance learning. The backbone is made up of 12 Multimode and 12 Single Mode fibers, which link all buildings on the main campus. These buildings include Meridian High School, Meridian Elementary School, the Meridian Administration Building, Meridian Junior High, Meridian Transportation/Food Service Office, and the Meridian Maintainence Building

A 12 Fiber Single Mode Cable connects the off campus buildings to the main campus. The off campus buildings include Sanford Elementary School, Perkins Community Center, and Hillside Elementary School

Coleman Community Schools:
A T-1 circuit from Ameritech Educational Avenue (Merit) to Coleman.