Merit Network upgrades with 10G Routers, hires 6

Ever wish your Internet connection would just fix itself? It’s more capable of doing just that if you use Merit Network.The Ann Arbor-based non-profit manages high-bandwidth communication lines between the major universities in the Midwest in cities like Ann Arbor, Chicago and Detroit. It recently finished upgrading its system with 10 gigabit routers and with new ones going in Chicago, Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. This helps the system fix its own problems before they snowball out of control and crash. “It’s really important with that much traffic going over these lines to help keep resiliency and efficiency up,” says Elwood Downing, vice president of member relation, marketing and communications for Merit Network.Merit Network has also been upgrading its staff this year. It has hired six people since January, including two more last week. Those hires have been in network operations and research and development. That bumps its staff up to 65 people and up to a dozen interns from the likes of the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University. Merit Network hopes to continue to hire throughout the year.Source: Elwood Downing, vice president of member relation, marketing and communications for Merit NetworkWriter: Jon Zemke