Quinnipiac U Overhauls Cross-Campus Network To Address Growth

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 06/23/09

Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT will deploy 3Com's H3C core-to-edge enterprise data networking solutions throughout its three-campus network that serves about 8,000 people. The network and its applications resources will be managed with 3Com's H3C Intelligent Management Center (IMC), and secured using 3Com's TippingPoint Intrusion Prevention System.

Fred Tarca, associate vice president, information services, said tremendous growth in campus facilities, student enrollment, and networked applications created networking challenges for Quinnipiac. The university has seen its key applications base grow tenfold during the last decade from six to about 60 enterprise-class applications--including a learning management system, video services, institutional enterprise resource planning, and a portal system--served out of its data center.

"Our challenge is to deliver application services anytime, anyplace, anywhere to a very demanding population," said Tarca. "We needed to keep costs down while not compromising on network performance, reliability, and security. We chose 3Com because we wanted to work with a vendor that delivers excellent products at a very competitive price with outstanding support.... We felt very comfortable choosing 3Com based on its H3C enterprise networking portfolio. We were already using 3Com Tipping Point solutions and we were aware of the strength of the company and the responsiveness of its people who are clearly committed to our success. Extending our relationship with 3Com to include their core products was easy."

Quinnipiac is deploying several H3C S9500 core switches and 100 H3C S5500G edge switches from 3Com among its three campuses. The H3C IMC will manage the network including its wireless network that serves student housing and other facilities. Quinnipiac also is relying on a number of 3Com services, including project management, deployment, and migration to deploy the new network.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • geometric pattern of interconnected triangles and hexagons

    Gravyty Merges with AI-Powered Student Engagement Companies Ivy.ai and Ocelot

    Gravyty, a provider of alumni and donor engagement and fundraising solutions, has announced a merger with AI-powered student enrollment and engagement companies Ivy.ai and Ocelot. The combined company will operate under the Gravyty brand.

  • glowing digital brain made of blue circuitry hovers above multiple stylized clouds of interconnected network nodes against a dark, futuristic background

    Report: 85% of Organizations Are Using Some Form of AI

    Eighty-five percent of organizations today are leveraging some form of AI, according to the latest State of AI in the Cloud 2025 report from Wiz. While AI's role in innovation and disruption continues to expand, security vulnerabilities and governance challenges remain pressing concerns.

  • illustration of a futuristic building labeled "AI & Innovation," featuring circuit board patterns and an AI brain motif, surrounded by geometric trees and a simplified sky

    Cal Poly Pomona Launches AI and Innovation Center

    In an effort to advance AI innovation, foster community engagement, and prepare students for careers in STEM fields and business, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona has teamed up with AI, cloud, and advisory services provider Avanade to launch a new Avanade AI & Innovation Center.

  • From the Kuali Days 2025 Conference: A CEO's View of Planning for AI

    How can a company serving higher education navigate the changes AI brings to ed tech? What will customers expect? CT talks with Kuali CEO Joel Dehlin, who shared his company's AI strategies with attendees at Kuali Days 2025 in Anaheim.