September 2003




ORION traffic growing - exceeds other RANs
With only just over 20 institutions connected to ORION, production R&E traffic between ORION and CA*net 4 has already exceeded the traffic of most other regional advanced networks in Canada. ORION traffic peaked at 170 Mbps this week (Sept. 23, 2003) As more eligible Ontario institutions connect, ORION is expected to represent over 30 per cent of the traffic on CA*net 4, as early March 2004. More institutions are scheduled for connection over the next several weeks. Five Northwest Ontario school boards will also be joining ORION near the end of September. The PoPs at Timmins, North Bay and Sault Ste. Marie should be operational by November, says ORION Project Director Sam Mokbel. View real-time statistics on the ORION CA*net 4 Traffic Map.

Partnership wins Showcase Award
ORION and the Ontario Ministry of Enterprise, Opportunity and Innovation recently shared a coveted Showcase Ontario Award of Excellence, in recognition of the partnership’s success leading to the building and deployment of ORION, one of the world’s largest and most advanced optical research networks. The Merit Award, bestowed at the Showcase Ontario award ceremony Sept. 9, was in the Public-Private Sector Partnership category. “We’re very proud of this award and we’re thrilled to share this recognition with our partners at the Ministry,” said ORANO President and CEO, Phil Baker. The annual awards showcase excellence and innovation in information and information technology projects that enhance the quality of Ontario public service.

RISQ and CANARIE co-host 2003 Advanced Networks Workshop
“Networks for People – Accessibility, Performance and Results” is the theme of CANARIE's Advanced Networks Workshop, October 21 to 24, in Montreal. The conference is co-hosted in collaboration with the Réseau d'informations scientifiques du Québec (RISQ). The annual ANW is the most significant Canadian event in the field of broadband and its applications and brings speakers and presentations from throughout the world. More information, including the conference program, can be obtained at the conference web site.

2003 CANARIE IWAY Award Winners celebrated
Over people from throughout Canada’s advanced networking community was on hand on Monday, Sept 22, as CANARIE presented the annual IWAY Awards to seven groups and individuals, at Toronto’s Arcadian Court. Also marking CANARIE’s 10th anniversary, the awards recognized innovators and leaders who have made outstanding contributions to the advanced of Canada’s information society.

Toronto-based Canadian Hearing Society received the Adaptive Technology Award. Dr. Edward Brown, Executive Director of North Network – Toronto, and Robert Gamble, President of Service New Brunswick – Fredericton, shared the Application of Technology Award. Carleton University’s Prof. Wade Hong and Corrie Kost, of TRIUMF in Vancouver, both received the New Technology Development Award. The Public Leadership Award went to Dr. Michael Geist, Professor at the University of Ottawa. The Director of Technology for TakingITGlobal, of Toronto, was honoured with the IWAY Community Service Award.

The event also featured E-Canada, a live national demonstration of the power of advanced networks. School children from across the country sang the national anthem from seven locations, including Vancouver, Edmonton, Iqaluit, Buckingham, Ottawa, St. John’s and Toronto. The demonstration was a recreation of an event on July 1, 1927 when the original CN radio network broadcast the music of orchestras from multiple locations across Canada.

Jack Gorrie
The University of Toronto mourns the recent passing of Jack Gorrie, the university Provost's Adviser on Information Technology, and more recently, a member of ORANO’s Board of Directors. Gorrie, 55, passed away on Aug. 30 after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. “This is a major loss to ORANO and our university community,” said ORANO’s Board Chair, Dr. Ross Paul, President of the University of Windsor. “His years of experience brought an important perspective to our work at ORANO. He will be missed,” he said. An obituary notice was published in the Globe and Mail. The University of Toronto also issued an announcement.


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