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i2Hub Network Shuts Down

What is i2 Hub Network?

i2 Hub Network is a file-sharing system used on college campuses.  The i2 Hub network, also known as Internet2, started in April of 2004 and was welcomed to universities and colleges with open arms.  Professors and researchers were excited at the prospect of faster speeds so that they could exchange data files that are usually very large in size and take long periods of time to download. 

While the i2 is benefiting the educational world, it also enables file-sharing capabilities that present some copyright infringement problems on campuses once again because students use the network to download and share music and movies at very high speeds.

Putting a End to the i2 Hub Network

The Recording Industry Association of America, or the RIAA, took legal action against i2 Hub Networks because of copyright infringement.  Students have been sued and fined substantial amounts of money for piracy issues, while the i2 Hub network was being closed down.  Experts say that this may be the end of the i2 Hub Network, but it is certainly not the end of peer-to-peer file swapping.  File swapping software is everywhere today and too widespread to regulate in its entirety.  Although the RIAA, the Supreme Court, Congress and musicians try to stop all file swapping activities, it is virtually impossible to accomplish the task completely. 

The RIAA claimed that they gave the Internet2 Hub Network a chance to utilize the system for research and data exchange; however it soon became clear that it was also being used for downloading music, games and movies.  The RIAA said that using the system for the downloading and sharing music will not be tolerated, and doing so is considered taking advantage of the i2 Hub Network that was created for educational and research purposes. 

The Next Wave

The i2 Hub has closed down, but be on the lookout for new programs and networks to be developed in the future.