Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google


Kentucky Community & Technical College System Invests in AI Network Upgrade

The Kentucky Community & Technical College System has upgraded its network with the rollout of AI-native networking equipment from Juniper Networks across more than 80 campuses. The institution worked with managed services provider CBTS on the project, implementing Juniper Mist access points and the Marvis Virtual Network Assistant to achieve enhanced automation, dependability, and network performance.

CBTS noted that it worked closely with KCTCS to provide customized AI strategies that would help reduce disruptions, enhance performance and availability, and enrich the student experience.

"At CBTS, we believe technology should empower people, but only when it's aligned with purpose," said CEO Kristin Russell. "That's why we began by listening with intent to KCTCS' goals before recommending a specific solution. We took time to understand their mission first and then identified the AI-powered tools that support smarter, more responsive campuses and put students at the center of the digital experience."

The Juniper Mist platform offers proactive issue resolution, self-healing network functions, and seamless user experiences, according to the news release. Since its network upgrade, KCTCS has seen a reduction in access point-related tickets as well as a decrease in support incidents, and expects that Juniper's dynamic provisioning will reduce deployment time as well as provide a projected increase in infrastructure usage time from 62% to 90% over five years.

"As we serve a digitally connected and ever-expanding community of learners across 16 colleges and more than 80 campuses, we have an opportunity to meet the evolving demands of students who expect seamless, secure, and high-performance digital experiences," said Kenneth Burdine, Deputy CIO of KCTCS, in a statement. "Leveraging advanced AI technologies enables us to deliver intelligent, responsive infrastructure that not only empowers our students and communities but keeps pace with the rapid growth and connectivity needs of today's academic environment."

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Profile silhouette of a person thoughtfully touching their chin, overlaid with transparent data visualizations and digital interface elements suggesting artificial intelligence and analytics.

    The Institutional Knowledge Shift Is Reshaping Higher Ed IT

    Higher education IT leaders are navigating a quiet but consequential transition: Experienced team members are retiring or leaving for private-sector roles, and the teams replacing them are smaller, newer, and often stretched thin. The result is a structural shift in how technology decisions are made, executed, and sustained.

  • Abstract energetic glowing lines with particles

    Meta Steps Up Enterprise AI Ambitions with Muse Spark Launch

    Meta has announced the launch of Muse Spark 1.1, a multimodal reasoning model designed for agentic AI, alongside a new Meta Model API that gives developers access to the model for the first time.

  • blue wooden cubes block texture abstract background

    Gartner Estimates Worldwide IT Spending at $6.31T for 2026

    Gartner recently forecast that worldwide IT spending will total $6.31 trillion in 2026, a 13.5% increase from 2025. Sectors experiencing the largest growth include data center systems, software, and IT services.

  • digital lock with circuit patterns

    IBM Announces New AI-Powered Cybersecurity Tools

    IBM has announced an expanded portfolio of AI-powered cybersecurity products, positioning the company to compete more aggressively in a rapidly evolving market where enterprises are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to defend against automated cyber threats.