What is the Illinois Research Network?

The Illinois Research Network (also known as the Campus Advanced Research Network Environment, or CARNE) is a section of the campus network which is designed to provide unrestricted high-speed access to off-campus locations for specific research purposes. The guiding principle is that the campus research community should be able to optimize their access options according to the needs of their individual project so that they can overcome barriers of bandwidth constraint, low-latency requirements, or the restrictions of an active security perimeter and provision themselves with the most efficient network possible.  

The Illinois Research Network represents a cooperative effort between Technology Services and NCSA to facilitate collaboration among on-campus researchers and the campus' remote research partners.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I need a hardware upgrade before I can access the Illinois Research Network?

The campus will leverage existing infrastructure to provide service wherever possible; however, in some cases, investing in new equipment may be necessary to meet the needs of a particular research project.

How is the Illinois Research Network secured without firewalls or other conventional security measures?

The Illinois Research Network uses a network security strategy called a passive security perimeter. A passive security perimeter does not sit in the path of network traffic so it doesn't slow down or hinder traffic. Instead, the passive security perimeter receives a copy of network traffic for analysis off-line.  If suspicious activity is detected, action can be taken to block compromised hosts. Technology Services Privacy and Information Security is responsible for the passive security monitoring service. A partnership between Technology Services Privacy and Information Security and system administrators ensures the security of systems on the Illinois Research Network. 

Is there a limit to how long my system can be on the Illinois Research Network?

Because of its security implications, systems should only be placed on the Illinois Research Network for the duration of the project it has been requested for, and permission is renewed annually.

How to join the Illinois Research Network

If you've decided that your project would benefit from use of the Illinois Research Network, please send an email to consult@illinois.edu with the subject line containing "Illinois Research Network" or "CARNE"

Where to get more information

Illinios Research Network information for departmental researchers

Illinois Research Network information for IT Pros