University of San Diego Latest to Join CalREN Net

The University of San Diego (USD) connected to the California Research & Education Network (CalREN), the latest higher-ed institution to join the research network. USD connected to the CalREN optical backbone via AT&T’s OPT-E-MAN, a switched Ethernet service that links networks within the same metropolitan area.

CalREN, which began operation in 1998 now connects nearly all of California’s research institutions, including its community college system, K-12 system, Cal State’s 23 campuses, and the University of California’s 10 campuses. Stanford and other private universities are also members. “The fundamental reason USD joined CENIC is to significantly reduce the costs of our annual commodity/commercial Internet service to the University,” said Chris Wessells, USD’s vice provost and chief information officer...

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SNHU Launches 'Dense Deployment' Wireless Network

Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), in Manchester, N.H., said it had fulfilled its mandate to provide mobile network access to “every seat in every classroom across campus.” SNHU will use mobile controller and access points from Aruba Inc. to provide a “dense deployment” of the network via 61 access points across campus.

Daryl Dreffs, director of computing resources for SNHU, said the deal followed a laptop requirement that went into effect in 2005. The network “has changed the classroom dynamic,” he said, by helping students to become “more engaged…there is more interactivity.”

Dreffs said he also intends to implement Voice over Wi-Fi (VoFi) to make the staff reachable anywhere on campus. All new buildings at SNHU will be part of the wireless network, and the legacy wireless access points will be replaced with Aruba equipment...

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