SUMMER E-NEWSLETTER 2019
Two New Members Join iFiber Board of Directors


JOHN HAAG joined the iFiber Board of Directors in April 2019. Haag is the  Director of IT for LaSalle County. He earned a Bachelor's Degree in Technology Management from DeVry University. John would like people to know the iFiber network is more than just an ISP for businesses and

John Haag

ERIC HAAN joined the iFiber Board in June 2019, representing Blackhawk Hills Regional Council. He is Director of Technology for the Eastland CUSD #308, a position he has held for 13 years.In this position Eric implemented one of the very first 1:1 environments in the state and oversees one of the
 
Eric Haan 
organizations in the community; it offers so much more in services beyond just Internet.He also acknowledged that iFiber has an amazing support staff who are always responsive to its clients wants and needs. On a personal note, John added that he and his family are on a mission
to visit every Major League Baseball stadium in the country.
 most technology rich districts in the area. Eric saw the extraordinary opportunities the iFiber project would bring to the area and became a champion for the Network. He attended many local  meetings for libraries, municipalities and school districts to explain what having access to iFiber meant for the area and how each entity could benefit from leveraging the technology. Eric's has a BS in Information Technologies and an MA in Teaching in Learning with Technologies.
Spotlight on iFiber Service Providers
iFiber works with a variety of trusted Service Provider partners to promote high-speed network transport services to businesses and industries in the private sector. This quarterly e-newsletter will regularly feature those partners.  
 
Surf Air Wireless 
It's time to wipe out slow Internet according to Surf Air Wireless, a new iFiber Service Provider Partner. Surf Air Wireless is a Broadband Internet provider whose services include fixed wireless and fiber Internet to Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. The company also offers digital phone service. Surf Air Wireless has been operating and providing Internet service in Northwest Indiana since 2010. Over the years it has grown, expanded its offerings, and now offers service in Northeast Illinois, Southwest Michigan/ It covers over 2,200-square-miles in total. Surf Air Wireless serves a large portion of the iFiber Network. Read the FULL STORY.
Your Business Moves at the Speed of Light
with iFiber Partner Data Centers! 
 
iFiber continually expands its partnerships with Data Centers throughout the region to provide help customers save money on operating costs while giving access to an advanced infrastructure, greater bandwidth capacity and reduced latency.  
 
Data Centers offer access to managed services that keep pace with increasing business needs, while increasing uptime and reliability. Co-location facilities offer different types of space, from cages and cabinets to suites, which can meet any customer's requirements. iFiber recently announced an important partnership with DataPoint Co-Location Center in Rockford! Watch future iFiber announcements about other Data Center Locations.  
 
DataPoint Co-Location Center offers Industry Leading Services: Business Security & Recovery Solutions; Data Protection - Media Vaulting; Co-Location of Customer IT Equipment; ALL Inclusive: DRaaS Appliance & Cloud Backup Services; Secure IT Asset Disposal Services and much more!
 
For speed, capacity and resiliency rely on the iFiber Network:    iFiber is part of 900 miles of fiber optics running underground throughout northern Illinois. iFiber's ultra-high speed and ultra-low latency network connectivity is capable of delivering business traffic at the speed of light and provides a superior choice at DataPoint-Rockford. As part of iFiber's partnership with DataPoint Co-Location Center, Community Anchor SPECIAL PRICING is being offered, good through October 2019!
Did You Know??
     NIU's Regional Technology Services Offer s
     Information Technology Strategic Plan Overviews  

Northern Illinois University Regional Technology Services is offering a new service for iFiber customers and the public sector. With years of public sector Information Technology experience and the vast resources of a premier research university, NIU focuses on customized recommendations and successful outcomes. Below is a high-level overview of the IT Strategic Plan process:
Information Gathering - NIU will work in coordination with the organization to gather information needed for the strategy product both through discussion and through electronic systems. A key focus is working with the organization to determine what success looks like. Those metrics are critical to evaluate the strategy and make adjustments as needed.
Assessment - Using the information gathered with the skills and experience of NIU, the work begins to build the path to better technology. In addition to years of experience improving public sector technology maturity, NIU can use advanced research within its knowledge community to provide creative solutions.
Outcomes - The product and discussion from this work will provide a path for the organization to take with the key success metrics. NIU will present the results to the organizational leadership for review and discussion. NIU will also, at the organization's request, present the document to the elected leadership. For more details, e-mail us at sales@niu.edu.
E-Rate Resources
     Funding to Schools & Libraries through E-Rate 

E-Rate is a program of USAC that gives funding to schools and libraries through an open bidding process. USAC, or the Universal Services Administrative Company, is an entity designated by the Federal Communications Commission responsible for administering a roughly $10 billion fund that can be used to pay for Internet connections within impoverished regions, whether rural or urban. Eligible schools and libraries may receive discounts ranging from 20-90 percent on telecommunication services, depending on economic need and location. In Illinois, the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) has entered into state master contracts with vendors to support ICN customers for their E-rate category 2 purchases. The original RFP was made available via an E-rate form 470 thus allowing schools and libraries that are ICN customers to order from the state master contracts directly without having to issue an E-rate form 470. The state has already conducted a competitive bidding process and selected vendors. Additional information is available on the iFiber website.
Monitoring Center Adds Automated After-Hours Menu
  
Northern Illinois Monitoring Center (NIMC) is designed to provide wide-area support for iFiber Community Anchor Institution network administrators registered with NIMC to access services.
On July 8, NIMC moved to a more automated after-hours menu and a new after-hours Service Desk company. The NIMC number remains 1-877-753-8100, but you will hear a new message and be asked to choose Option 3 to reach a live agent. This new service will give NIMC greater flexibility in updating emergency notification messages, as well as stronger metrics and measures to evaluate the effectiveness of this service.If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at sales@ifiber.org.   
Network Administrators : Register your organization's authorized administrators at 877-753-8100.    Sign up for e-mail alerts for advance notice about maintenance on the iFiber network or notification of a network down at   www.nimc.niu.edu