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Education IT, Technology

Campus-wide internet connectivity

17 February 2010

In issue 6.2 of FutureGov (April 2009, Future Campus pg 36-42) we discussed the rise of technology used in universities across Asia and the growth of wireless internet on campus was discussed. Here, we look at two examples of how Motorola has implemented wireless networks in universities in Asia to enable new approach to the existing pedagogy as well as to enrich and empower both the students and the faculty.

Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, China
Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications (NJUPT) combines 16 colleges, two research academies, seven research institutes and research centres spread over two campuses in Nanjing, China. NJUPT wanted to set the standard in higher education institutions and deliver a new wireless experience to faculty, students and visitors.

Covering every building and all outdoor spaces over a total of 1.4million square metres; wireless LAN (WLAN) was implemented to meet the requirements for bandwidth, security and management. Remote configuration of approximately 450 access ports eliminated the need for IT personnel to physically configure each device individually – allowing the NJUPT to configure and deploy access points in record time. NJUPT also installed 150 mesh-enabled access points to enable outdoor network access.

At the centre of the network is a wireless switch that not only offers unmatched security, resilience, mobility, and manageability but is also self-healing. This would mean that if a wireless access port is accidentally powered down, the wireless switch will recognise the issue, report the problem to the IT administrator and then automatically adjust the power and channels of surrounding ports to fill in the gaps with no loss of connectivity.

The result is a campus wide wireless network that improves teaching quality, reduces networking costs and provides flexible access control using future proof technology.

Manipal University
Manipal University in India has implemented a similar campus- wide, allwireless solution. Located in southwest India and with an enrolment of over 14,000 students per year, Manipal University has established a state-of-the-art facility with ubiquitous indoor and outdoor wireless connectivity.

Due to the age of the buildings and their construction methods, rewiring the entire campus to upgrade the network was not feasible. Instead the university has unwired its campus and delivers wireless LAN and broadband through its 5 square kilometre campus. Impressively, the entire system was set up in less than two months.

The wireless networks seamlessly connects with the core wired network and intranet, providing students and faculty with access to class materials, research and the internet anywhere and anytime. In the open areas of the campus, Motorola’s MOTOMESH® technology enables the cost-effective and seamless connection of remote buildings and also provides services to people on foot or in vehicles.

The network design also provides granular control of wireless services. This allows the network to control who has access to what services, how much they use and when. This creates a scenario of free basic services and an opportunity for the University to charge for access to specific applications.

With more course materials made available online and e-learning, social networking and online communication being a key part of a student’s life; access to the internet is one of today’s most powerful teaching tools.

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