Networking & Wireless | News

Wittenberg U Revamps Network To Support BYOD and Flipped Classrooms

• By Leila Meyer
• 12/04/13

Wittenberg University in Ohio has upgraded its networking hardware and network management system to support its bring-your-own-device (BYOD) and flipped classroom initiatives.

The university's old network used outdated 802.11g WiFi technology and couldn't provide the reliable, high-performance service the university needed for these new endeavors. To support its BYOD and flipped classroom initiatives, the university implemented an Enterasys higher education solution from Extreme Networks.

The university's new network includes Enterasys S-Series terabit-class modular switch routers at its core; Enterasys C-Series switches at its edge; Enterasys 3700-Series wireless access points (APs) and controllers for indoor and outdoor WiFi; as well as Mobile IAM and Enterasys Network Access Control (NAC).

The university is also implementing a managed video delivery system from Kaltura. The system will be integrated with the school's Moodle learning management system (LMS), so students, faculty, and staff can create and store video content in their electronic classroom space and view it outside the classroom. The upgraded network will support this system, which includes "WiFi-connected iPads to launch and control a wireless drone that captures video and virtual lab spaces," said Bob Nilsson, director of vertical solutions for Extreme Networks, in a prepared statement.

As a result of the network upgrades, the core capacity of the university's network has increased from 1 gigabit to 10 gigabits, and the WiFi network now uses the higher capacity 802.11n technology. According to Extreme Networks, the university now has its network in a single view for easier wired and wireless access management, and the solution enables network administrators to set quality-of-service (QoS) priorities to set different service levels for wired and wireless users or to allocate more bandwidth for educational and classroom services over extracurricular use.

"Having increased visibility and the capability to manage different service levels not only makes it easier for us, but also allows the university to provide critical services needed across the various combinations of users and functions," said Rick Mickool, chief information officer for Wittenberg University, in a prepared statement.

Wittenberg University is a liberal arts college located in Springfield, OH. It serves 1,900 students and employs 470 faculty and staff, including three networking staff members.