CASE STUDY
SOLUTIONS
• Over 1,400 dual-band Ruckus ZoneFlex indoor and outdoor smart Wi-Fi access points
• ZoneDirector 3000 and 5000 smartWLAN controllers
Benefits
• Lower total cost of ownership ( TCO ) compared to alternatives
• Unified indoor and outdoor campus-wide high performance Wi-Fi infrastructure
• Integrated BYOD support
• Simplified and centralised campus-wide WLAN management
• A reduction in network fault calls
• Ubiquitous Wi-Fi coverage and stronger signal strength to deliver consistent and pervasive Wi-Fi performance
• The ability to support high density environments with more concurrent users per access point
carrier grade reliability under all conditions and in a myriad of high density environments such as lecture theatres , student accommodations , its sports complex and activity centre as well as in green spaces around campus where students and staff are highly mobile .
“ A fast , reliable and ubiquitous Wi-Fi infrastructure has become a foundational utility for higher education environments around the world ,” said Leo de Souza , IT Director at AUS . “ Having a unified indoor and outdoor Wi-Fi infrastructure that delivers carrier-grade reliability and performance is imperative to supporting our teaching , learning , research and service mandates . However , we found very few solutions capable of delivering such quality of wireless service . The Ruckus solution was the one exception .”
The IT Department at AUS initiated an exhaustive 18-month evaluation of Wi-Fi systems that included a real-world proof of concept trial . Seven technology vendors were invited to temporarily install their proposed solution at the university for three to four weeks in a ‘ real life ’ environment . Ultimately , AUS selected the Ruckus ZoneFlex Smart Wi-Fi system .
According to AUS , the Ruckus WI-Fi system best enabled the university to build a campus-wide Wi-Fi infrastructure at the lowest total cost of ownership ( TCO ). In addition , the Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi solution offered unique integrated adaptive antenna array technology that would deliver students and staff high
A FAST , RELIABLE AND UBIQUITOUS WI- FI INFRASTRUCTURE
HAS BECOME A FOUNDATIONAL UTILITY FOR HIGHER EDUCATION ENVIRONMENTS AROUND
THE WORLD .
performance Wi-Fi , stable connectivity and ubiquitous coverage throughout the campus .
For AUS IT administrators , the Ruckus system provided a range of different and purpose-built indoor access points from which to choose . This allowed AUS to select the best Ruckus access point for each area and application across the campus . Finally , the Ruckus ZoneFlex system offered a unified and simple management framework that would allow AUS to easily update , change and tune the entire infrastructure from a singe point . Advanced features such as band balancing , band steering and automatic channel selection could be enabled in seconds across the entire network with a click of a mouse . Detailed Wi-Fi network statistics use could be quickly and easily viewed from a single dashboard and available to AUS IT staff to identify usage trends and troubleshoot potential problem areas .
Critical to a smooth deployment for such a large-scale Wi-Fi network was engaging with Fibre Optic Supplies and Services ( FOSS ), one of the leading network infrastructure solution providers in the region . FOSS was given critical deadlines for each accommodation block so that the students occupying the dormitories were not adversely affected . The Wi-Fi roll out involved running new cabling for the access points , site surveys as well as performance and coverage testing , and fine tuning of the Wi-Fi network to ensure optimal Wi-Fi performance everywhere . FOSS has now installed over 1,400 Ruckus indoor and outdoor Wi-Fi access points at AUS . The roll out of the new wireless LAN was implemented in three phases . Phase one involved outfitting three large administrative buildings with Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi access points , The second phase involved installing the new wireless LAN into 2,200 student accommodation rooms . The final phase was to fill in the remainder of the campus to provide blanket coverage everywhere . Full rollout of the new Smart Wi-Fi infrastructure across the entire campus is now complete . p
www . intelligentcio . com INTELLIGENTCIO MIDDLE EAST 57