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WHITE PAPER

Advancing Higher Education Through Smarter Network

Life on the

Digital Campus

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WHITE PAPER LIFE ON THE DIGITAL CAMPUS

Technology advancements in the past decade have transformed life on college campuses. Students, faculty and administrators are using mobile devices, rich media and digital software to bring greater access and collaboration to the learning experience. But these new learning innovations, and opportunities for 24/7 network connectivity, have also presented a series of complications.

In this guide, we’ll address the distinct challenges that higher education IT departments face. Then, we’ll introduce solutions exemplified by colleges that have already strengthened their operations with network upgrades.

CHALLENGE #1: MANAGING MOBILE OVERLOADInstant connectivity is a hallmark of the millennial lifestyle, so it’s no surprise that college students own 5.6 connected devices and use thec 137+ hours per week.* Students expect always-on access to content for both education and entertainment purposes. The downside for universities? Connected devices are the biggest drains on campus bandwidth. And, with an already incredible demand on university networks, the need to provide students and faculty with secure WiFi access is only growing.

Solution: Add Mobile Access Points and Capacity. Before 2011, the University of Cincinnati had between 3,000 and 3,500 simultaneous devices connected to a WiFi network with only 700 access points. Today, the university boasts a network with nearly 4,300 access points that support 53,000 unique devices.

CHALLENGE #2: RICH MEDIA’S REAL COSTOne of the fastest-rising trends in higher education is using multimedia, like videos, to help bring learning to life. The problem? Video and audio streaming use the largest amount of campus bandwidth after mobile devices. The Internet of Things also has an impact on the campus network by connecting systems like alarms, student laundry machines and even sprinklers. As universities work to offer collaborative digital tools in the classroom and in residence halls, strong, reliable connections are more essential than ever.

Solution: Deploy a Robust Video Platform. Walters State Community College in Morristown, Tennessee, noticed the academic benefits of rich media and has spent the past five years investing in a network, server and videoconferencing infrastructure. The college installed a next-generation network core and switching environment to provide fiber switching across the network and to servers to ensure services can scale. WSCC is continuing to embrace the possibilities of rich media by also offering 15 videoconference classrooms at four of its campuses.

“Students, faculty, staff and visitors have high expectations for campus networks. Much like electricity, they believe the network should simply work, and be as easy as flipping on a light switch. The reality, however, is that education institutions are constantly challenged to ensure 24/7 network availability.”

Diana Noelcke, Assistant Vice President of Enterprise, Shared Services, University of Cincinnati

College students own 5.6 connected devices and use them 137+ hours per week.Source: 2017 College Explorer, Refuel Agency

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WHITE PAPER LIFE ON THE DIGITAL CAMPUS

CHALLENGE #3: THE BIG PROBLEM WITH DATAUniversities are processing, storing and sharing larger and larger quantities of data, from financial and enterprise resource planning systems, student and employee records, and learning management programs. Not to mention research data, especially in genome or biomedical fields. This especially important research is often contained in incredibly large files that put a strain on network resources.

Solution: Enable Collaboration With a DMZ. Colorado State University uses a research DMZ (a perimeter network) to support hundreds of researchers. This allows faculty and students to work on topics including life science, natural science and engineering locally, while also making it easier to transport data as needed to external facilities for collaborative projects. And best of all, the services within this network allow large files to be transferred in a matter of hours, not days.

CHALLENGE #4: SUPPORTING REMOTE CAMPUSESHigher education today isn’t bound by campus—or even country. Students and faculty rely on technology such as web conferencing to collaborate in real time and share research with counterparts at other campuses or universities, no matter the location around the globe. Additionally, students studying abroad often depend on web conferencing technology to keep them connected to their home campuses.

Solution: Add Bandwidth and Diversify Connectivity With Fiber. Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, relies on a 1 Gbps dedicated Fiber Internet Access circuit to support its robust study abroad program, says Shane Wilson, Senior Systems and Networks Coordinator. The college not only boasts an exceptionally high percentage of students participating in programs in China, Europe and South America, it also maintains campuses in France and Mexico. Its fiber-based network provides the scalable bandwidth needed for students to collaborate in real time across locations.

“In the near future, the university will use a cloud-based video conferencing/presentation system to enhance the ITV and online course experience to deliver live, online courses with video to students in low-bandwidth areas in the state and around the country.”

Virginia Padilla Vigil, Rio Rancho Center Director, New Mexico Highlands University

Ethernet technology can accomplish data transfers faster than campuses with less capacity, allowing research to proceed more efficiently because applications run faster, and because scientists no longer wait days or weeks to gain access to the campus network.

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WHITE PAPER LIFE ON THE DIGITAL CAMPUS

LESSONS LEARNED: IMPLEMENTING DYNAMIC SOLUTIONS.Investing in a more robust network is a necessity in the rapidly evolving world of higher education. By providing a faster, more secure and reliable connection, institutions can support the uptick in rich media, multi-device connectivity and online learning systems. Wondering where to start? Here are three best practices to help improve your network offerings on and off campus.

Add Fiber-Based Network Services to Expand Digital Learning Opportunities.Internet and Ethernet services built on a fiber infrastructure enable:

• Blazing-fast speeds

• Increased stability

• Secure collaboration

• Flexibility to scale bandwidth

Add Fiber-Based Network Services to Expand Digital Learning Opportunities.Outsourcing tasks such as 24/7 monitoring, troubleshooting and network management to a trusted partner frees up IT teams to properly prepare for tomorrow’s needs and develop plans to support growth. Spectrum Enterprise Managed Network Services include:

• Managed Router Services

• Managed WAN

• Managed WiFi

Frequently Assess Network Performance With the Help of User Feedback.Today’s users expect connectivity on campus that rivals the 24/7 uptime and bandwidth they’re used to off campus. One of the best ways to improve is by regularly asking for feedback. Find out whether students or faculty are noticing issues or spots on campus where they experience inconsistent connectivity, so you can work to resolve them quickly.

EMBRACE THE POSSIBILITIES OF SMARTER NETWORK.Technology is inundating campuses across the country, and this increased demand on university bandwidth requires a network that really makes the grade. By building a strong infrastructure now, your IT department can start preparing for even greater needs down the road.

At the University of Cincinnati, social media has made the network a celebrity. Students, faculty and staff provide real-time reviews of its performance. They expect the network to be reliable, and social media gives them an avenue to report on their experience.

LEARN MORE: enterprise.spectrum.com/education

ABOUT SPECTRUM

Spectrum Enterprise, a division of Charter Communications, is a national provider of scalable, fiber-based technology solutions serving many of America’s largest businesses and communications service providers. The broad Spectrum Enterprise portfolio includes Internet access, Ethernet access and networks, Voice, and TV solutions and extends to Managed IT solutions including Application, Cloud Infrastructure and Managed Hosting Services offered by its affiliate, Navisite.® Our industry-leading team of experts works closely with clients to achieve greater business success by providing these right fit solutions designed to meet their evolving needs. For more information, visit enterprise.spectrum.com.

©2017 Charter Communications. All rights reserved. Not all products, pricing and services are available in all areas. Pricing and actual speeds may vary. Restrictions may apply. Subject to change without notice.