Frequently Asked Questions

OSHEAN, Inc. is Rhode Island's nonprofit Research and Education Network (REN). Founded in 1999, OSHEAN is a member-owned coalition of universities, K-12 schools, libraries, hospitals, government agencies, and other non-profit organizations dedicated to providing innovative Internet-based technology solutions for its member institutions and the communities they serve.

Membership is open to Community Anchor Institutions — colleges and universities, K-12 schools and districts, libraries, healthcare organizations, state and local government agencies, and other non-profit organizations in Rhode Island and the surrounding region. Contact us to discuss membership for your organization.

OSHEAN delivers carrier-class optical transport over its 700+ mile Beacon fiber network, premium Internet service with Cloudflare DDoS protection, Internet2 access, cloud connectivity (AWS Direct Connect, Azure ExpressRoute, Google Cloud Connect, Oracle OCI), a full cybersecurity portfolio (managed Fortinet firewalls, Cisco Umbrella, Cisco Duo MFA, SecureWorks VDR, Securly filtering, Armis cyber exposure management, Apptega GRC), managed DNS with NS1, SD-WAN, and 24/7/365 Network Operations Center support. See all services.

Beacon is OSHEAN's private, 700+ mile, 48-strand fiber-optic network spanning Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. Now in its third generation, it is built on Cisco DWDM and NCS platforms with a Segment Routing/EVPN meshed architecture, 50-millisecond optical failover, and the ability to multiplex 40 wavelengths of 400Gbps each on a single fiber pair. Learn more about the Beacon network.

A REN is a specialized network operator that serves the research, education, healthcare, and public-service communities of a state or region. As Rhode Island's REN, OSHEAN is the Regional Network Connector for Internet2 — the nationwide 400/800Gbps research and education backbone — and a founding member of the Northeast Regional Education Network (NEREN).

OSHEAN is a non-profit governed by a Board of Directors drawn from its member institutions — CIOs and technology leaders from the region's universities, schools, libraries, healthcare systems, and government agencies. Meet the current board on our Team page.

Yes. OSHEAN ensures K-12 school and library members have content filtering solutions that meet the requirements of the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), with options that comply with the standards required for E-Rate subsidy funding. The k12.ri.us domain space is also offered free to OSHEAN K-12 members in Rhode Island.

OSHEAN's Network Operations Center is available 24/7/365. Call (877) 390-4563 or email NOC@OSHEAN.org. Members can also check ticket status and network analytics in the Member Portal.

Reach out through our contact page, call (401) 398-7500, or email info@oshean.org — our Member Services team will follow up to discuss your organization's needs.