CEN has just launched a new website: ctedunet.net

The platform and design of their site has been revitalized to facilitate easy navigation and convenient access to CEN resources. This dynamic new website has a number of features to explore, including:

Benefits of becoming a CEN Member
Complete CEN member lists
CEN Internet Service descriptions
CEN Security Service descriptions
Technical Support page with an easy “submit a ticket” button
Network Monitoring tools
E-Rate information and resources
CEN Members Only Discounts
History of CEN
FAQs
Staff directory

Being connected as a community is CEN’s goal and this website helps bring them closer by sharing information, tools, insights and making collaboration with CEN easier and more efficient for their members.

New Cooperative Purchasing Vehicle Makes VMware and Complementary Solutions Providers Available to Thousands of Authorized Buyers

RESTON, Va. (June 27, 2019) — Carahsoft Technology Corp., The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider®, today announced that it has entered into a Master Service Agreement with The Quilt, Inc, to provide VMware and complementary solutions to the education and nonprofit marketplace through The Quilt and authorized reseller partners. This new agreement makes available best of breed technologies from VMware and related service offerings to U.S. educational and research institutions at pre-negotiated discounts off manufacturer suggested retail pricing.

The agreement is effective through May 2022 and includes two additional option years for a five-year total period of performance. Products and services available from all manufacturers include:

• Software Licenses
• Product Support
• Managed Services
• End User Computing
• Cloud Subscription Services
• Training
• Professional Services
• Hardware

“We are excited to strike this new agreement with The Quilt to bring leading networking service providers to thousands of education and research institutions,” said Martin Gavin, Program Manager for The Quilt at Carahsoft. “As the public sector looks to modernize their IT infrastructure, partnering with The Quilt allows us to provide solutions, services and training to these organizations at lower costs to maximize their investment and enable them to better execute their education missions.”

The Quilt, a non-profit coalition of 38 regional research and education networks across the country, leverages the collective purchasing power of its membership and their authorized member institutions to cost-effectively purchase advanced networking technology and services. Participating member institutions that utilize the new Agreement will benefit not only from access to multiple technology solutions with special discounted pricing and a simplified procurement process but also Carahsoft’s experience as an industry leader.

“Through this new agreement, we are pleased to partner with Carahsoft to provide a valuable consortium contract vehicle through which our Quilt members and their member communities comprised of thousands of educational institutions, state and local government agencies, healthcare institutions, non-profits, and libraries can access deep discounts for VMware and related service offerings, said Jen Leasure, president of The Quilt.

Carahsoft’s partnership with The Quilt started in May 2016 when it secured its original Distribution Partner Master Service Agreement to distribute VMware and AirWatch solutions to authorized Quilt buyers. This new agreement has been competitively bid and expanded to offer products and services from six authorized manufacturers and allows Carahsoft to add additional technology solutions as agreed upon by The Quilt. This broadened offering allows Quilt members and their authorized buyers to procure products and services from Carahsoft that cover multiple verticals, including data center modernization, virtualization, cybersecurity, and cloud services and infrastructure.

Carahsoft’s authorized solutions providers are available immediately via Master Service Agreement Number MSA05012019-F.  To learn more, visit Carahsoft’s dedicated resource page or contact The Quilt team at Carahsoft at (703) 673-3518 or Quilt@Carahsoft.com for procurement information.

Telecommunications veteran to step in for Schopis, who will retire June 30

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Jun 18, 2019) — Longtime OARnet staff member Denis Walsh will serve as interim executive director of the statewide network organization beginning July 1, 2019, taking the reins after the June 30 retirement of current Executive Director Paul Schopis.

Chancellor Randy Gardner of the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) made the announcement of Walsh’s appointment today. The Ohio Academic Resources Network (OARnet) is a member organization of the Ohio Technology Consortium (OH-TECH), the technology and information division of ODHE, and its offices are located on the west campus of The Ohio State University. [Read the full press release on OARnet]