La Salle U Upgrades Networking with Sidera Gear and Services
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 10/13/11
La Salle University has expanded its networking capacity by replacing edge devices and cutting over to a new Internet service provider. The Philadelphia institution, which has about 7,300 students, called in Sidera Networks to provide gear and services for the revamp. Fiber optic connections throughout the academic, administrative, and residential buildings distribute Internet and telephone service to students and faculty.
"Our newly upgraded network gives us a faster, flexible and more reliable connection, and the migration from the previous provider was painless," said CIO Ed Nickerson. "What we got from it was a reliable provider, extra bandwidth, a great price, and a better technical support infrastructure. Our students go through withdrawal if there is the slightest hiccup in Internet service, and we got it done with only 15 minutes downtime in the middle of the night on a weekend."
He added that network performance has been "excellent" since the upgrade.
Sidera Networks also has worked with American University in Washington, DC and a coalition of institutions in Bristol County, MA that includes the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and Wheaton College.
About the Author
Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.