Administrative (Billing & Erate)

• Who handles all of the E-rate?

  • Region 10 handles all of the administrative E-rate side of this Category 1 project. As the Fiscal Agent for the consortium, it is Region 10's responsibility to comply with submission deadlines, audit paper trails, and project information requests.

  • Therefore, districts are not responsible for filing any additional paperwork through USAC directly for Fiber 10 participation. Region 10 will administer this for you, and simply ask you to complete the required documents and return them for submission.

  • However, this does not mean that districts do not have other E-rate responsibilities. For example, districts are still responsible for filing for their own Category 2 E-rate discount.

  • Districts are responsible for showing CIPA compliance with by submitting a Form 479 on a yearly basis. 

    • Each consortium member submits the FCC Form 479 (Certification by Administrative Authority to Billed Entity of Compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act Form) to its consortium leader to provide notification of the administrative entity’s status of compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). 

Technical

What is the status of this project?

The original project was completed in June of 2021. While we continue to add new and WAN sites, the original sites have been completed.   

How was the FIBER10 network designed and how does it work?

The FIBER10 network was designed by a team of experts experienced in the design and implementation of large scale global networks. FIBER10 utilizes Dense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM) to transport network traffic across hundreds of miles of new fiber.  There are multiple fiber rings that begin and end at Infomart (1950 Stemmons) in Dallas. The network is resilient on all of the rings with sub 50ms failover in the event of a fiber cut. Resiliency like this is not even offered by big name ISPs.

Each circuit is meticulously tested for connectivity and signal strength tolerances utilizing OTDR and Power Meter testing before any equipment is placed in-line. The FIBER10 network core is located at Infomart where the network and member districts benefit from the following:

• Video surveillance 24/7/365

• Secure biometric access into the data center

• Two distinct 200Gb service provider connections with diverse building entrances and fiber paths

• Generator backup tested weekly.

How much Bandwidth does FIBER10 offer? What if I can’t do 10Gb?

• FIBER10 offers 10Gb of bandwidth per internet access circuit. A district with two FIBER10 internet access circuits will have an aggregated 20Gb of available bandwidth.  Additional bandwidth above 10Gb per circuit is available if desired.

• If your network infrastructure does not support 10Gb fiber, we can hand off a 1Gb copper connection until you are ready to utilize your full 10Gb of available bandwidth. Multiple 1Gb copper connections are available to create a LAG in order to reach 2,3,4, or 5 Gb if desired. We will always schedule a transition discussion with each district before scheduling a cutover, where we discuss all of the details necessary to ensure a smooth service transition.

What handoffs are available to the district in this solution?

• • 1 & 10 Gb fiber and copper handoffs are available.

What is FIBER10’s Service Level Agreement (SLA)?

• • FIBER10 is committed to providing the highest quality network service possible and guarantees to meet the Service Objectives set forth in the FIBER10 SLA. Key objectives are:

    • 99.99% Service Availability

    • < 30 Minute Response Time

    • 2 Hour On-Site Response Time

    • Packet Loss < .50%

    • Latency < 20 ms

    • Packet Jitter < 5 ms per 20 Minutes

What are the requirements and expectations for each district?

Rack Space

• • Depending on your district's distance to ZCOLO DALLAS (INFOMART), Anywhere between 4 to 6 RU's have been suggested by Zayo. 

Environmental / HVAC

• • Power Requirements: 

    • • Qty._1_Service Aggregation Switch: 2 x 110 AC Feeds. =285W

      • Qty. 1_Stackable Interconnect System: 2 x 110 AC Feeds. 1200W

      • Qty. 1_Passive_DWDM_Shelf: 600W 

      • Qty. 1_2 RU Patch Panel

  • As part of the consortium, members need to provide battery backup, power protection, and surge protection for the equipment outlined above that will provide power for up to 2 hours of continuous protection. (See section 5.1 of the Zayo/Region 10 Service Level Agreement). 

How much rack / wall space will be required at each location?  Will we utilize existing district racks, new racks or cabinets provided by Zayo, etc?

• • We need rack elevation diagrams.

  • Up to 4 RU's (including fiber patch panel)

  • Zayo will utilize your existing cabinet space and or wall space (if needed) to mount their equipment. 

What equipment will be installed at my district?

• • • Qty._1_Service Aggregation Switch: 2 x 110 AC Feeds. =285W

    • Qty. 1_Stackable Interconnect System: 2 x 110 AC Feeds. 1200W

    • Qty. 1_Passive_DWDM_Shelf: 600W (if needed)

    • Qty. 1_2 RU Patch Panel

• What will happen if a fiber cable is cut?

  • Zayo monitors the network 24/7/365.  Zayo will use its best efforts to respond on-site (if necessary) to the affected location(s) within two (2) hours of the initial Trouble Case, provided Zayo has all necessary access to the Customer Location(s), including Customer’s Premises. In the event of a cable failure, Zayo will use its best efforts to begin Service restoration within two (2) hours following identification of such failure. Zayo shall use its best efforts to then restore the functionality of the Dark Fiber Service no later than six (6) hours following initiation of restoration activities. During an outage Zayo shall contact Customer on a regular basis, to update the status of restoration. Please see the Support Process page.

• Can my district go live without the entire ring being completed?

  • Yes - as long as there is a completed circuit between your district back to Infomart, your district will be able to utilize the network.  Until the ring is fully completed, there would be a service outage in the case of fiber cuts. 

• Each district will have their own IP address space. Some districts will own their IP addresses and want to utilize them.  How will this design accommodate that?

  • Should not be an issue if they own them (i.e., not swip'd from another carrier, but assigned by ARIN). 

  • Other districts will expect to leverage the service provider’s addresses – R10’s or Zayo’s

  • Zayo's addresses won't be an issue.  In regards to Region 10's public addresses, Zayo will announce the whole block and route smaller subnets as required to each specific entity's router.

  • In addition, Region 10 owns among others a /17 address space that could be used on this network.  This is what we utilized when we had the Wireless Internet Consortium. We assigned each member essentially a class C out of this space. 

• Conceptually, if two districts on the same ring desire to exchange traffic, would they route directly to each other or would traffic need to go to the virtual router first and then back to the receiving district?

  • • Private VLANs between 2 districts can be created that will allow them to peer directly with each other and not go out to the internet edge and back. 

• Am I responsible for the Zayo equipment? 

  • • As part of consortium, it is up to the individual school district to make sure that the equipment is taken care of. Part of the benefit of being in a consortium is also part of the responsibility - that is, being a good 'neighbor' on the ring by taking care of the equipment that has been entrusted with the ISD. 

• What is my  responsibility for Zayo to access their equipment?

  • • Again, in complying with the consortium principle, access to their equipment might be critical to maintain a repair on the fiber ring. While Region 10 has reasonable expectations in regards to access and availability, there might be times where access to that site might be critical for services to other entities located around the area of impact. Finally, Zayo aims to maintain their commitment to the response time and location accessibility will be critical to that. 

• Can I move or modify Zayo's equipment?

  • • From Zayo's service level agreement (SLA): Customer shall not tamper with, remove or conceal any identifying plates, tags or labels identifying Zayo’s ownership interest in Zayo’s Equipment. Customer shall not adjust, align, attempt to repair, relocate or remove Zayo’s Equipment, except as expressly authorized in writing by Zayo.