The upgrade will ensure that the entire network on campus is compatible with the latest wireless-N standard for improved reliability, as well as provide centralised management and customised access levels to enhance security.
After following a tender process and request for quotes at the end of 2012, Jasco submitted the final tender in January 2013 and signed the contract at the end of March to replace all the university's old wireless equipment. The university's selection criteria included competitive pricing, knowledgeable staff, skill and experience on the equipment, and the ability to provide the required training and support. Jasco will be supplying the equipment and providing support and recommendations on the solution, as well as delivering the training required to enable university staff to install and maintain the solution without a Service Level Agreement (SLA). The solution will be backed by Avaya support on the products themselves.
"The university began standardising its entire network on Avaya in 2012, including the replacement of its core network. This contract is the next step in the process, upgrading the wireless network to integrate with the new core. We will be replacing the old Avaya 2300-series wireless access points with cutting edge Avaya 8100-series access points, as the old solutions have reached end of life, are no longer supported, and are only compatible with older standards," said Paul Fick, divisional MD of Jasco Enterprise.
The Avaya 8100 offers the latest 802.11n wireless standard and delivers truly integrated wireless/wired architecture, giving wired performance to wireless users at a lower total cost of ownership. These access points provide optimised support for real-time applications, such as video and voice, while accommodating the growth in adoption of smartphones and tablets and providing access to all the university's applications. Avaya's WLAN Management Software provides granular monitoring and reporting for complete visibility and control over the entire system. Another important consideration for the university is guest access, since visitors need to be allowed access without compromising security. The embedded guest access management on the access points ensures that the university's network is open enough to allow easy entrance and exit for guests and temporary users, but secure enough to prevent these users from accessing restricted information.
"The Avaya 8100 access points also enable the university to manage access and security levels centrally, without having to configure each individual point manually, saving time and operational expenses while reducing complexity. The upshot of this solution is that it will provide better quality of signal across the campus, with enhanced compression ratios for improved quality of service and better data throughput speeds between the access points and end-point devices, delivering a faster, more stable connection," Fick added.
The solution consists of a total of 520 wireless access points, which will be delivered to the university in May 2013, for implementation during the holidays in June and July. Jasco will be conducting training towards the end of May to ensure that the university staff are enabled to assist with the installation and configuration.
