RESEARCH OUTREACH INSTITUTE CONFERENCE CENTER
ACADEMICS TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES

Technology

An Innovative Mission Requires Innovative Technology

To help bring about the economic change of the Southside Virginia region, the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research is focused on the importance of technology and the role it plays in the 21st Century economy. The IALR facility is a virtual showcase for the latest technologies in audio / visual and digital communications.

The IALR is committed to providing regional leadership to implement, showcase, and educate the community about advanced networking and leading edge information technologies.  To this end, IALR is focused on:

  • Researching and installing of facilitating the installation of leading edge technologies, both within the IALR and its affiliated facilities as well as in partnership with regional entities engaged in implementing advanced networking infrastructures
  • Staying abreast of cutting-edge applications of information technology, and positioning the IALR in a leadership role regionally in the adoption and utilization of these applications
  • Championing the adoption of business, government, healthcare, education, and entertainment applications that will drive broadband demand in the region.  Advocating first mile broadband connectivity for businesses and organizations in the region
  • Educating the Southside region about leading edge technologies, advanced networking, and cutting edge applications of information technology that position the organizations in this region to be players in the innovation, networked economy
  • Promoting Southside Virginia as a place that is progressive, that understands and is adopting durable information technology platforms, and that effectively uses information technology to create competitive advantage

Audio / Visual

Voice/Data Network

Cabling

The CAT 6 cabling system, with its available bandwidth of 200 MHz, offers twice as many lanes of traffic as a Category 5e cabling system with an available bandwidth of 100 MHz. This increase in bandwidth allows an increase in the data rate. The new CAT 6 standard includes specific requirements for interoperability between different vendors’ products as well as full backward compatibility with all existing Category 5 and 5e cabling. Fiber Risers run between the first and second floors.

Wide Area Network

The IALR has several external connections to the Internet. One such connection is a 6 strand long haul single mode fiber strand that runs from the Institute to the MSAP located in Danville, VA. This provides access to the eDan network. There is also a DS-3 Connection from the Institute to Network Virginia. These connections allow for collaboration with the surrounding region in the form of E-Dan and with Virginia Tech in the form of the DS-3 to Network Virginia which is located at Virginia Tech.