From: Kris Jones
Sent: Friday, March 30, 2007 4:43 PM
To: NetworkInformation listserv and campus digests
Subject: Network upgrade update

Dear CC Community,

It’s been a whirlwind first week of Block 7, but a successful one from the perspective of the campus network upgrade project. We want to share some highlights with you, but most of all, we would like to express our sincere thanks for your tremendous support and patience during the last two weeks. It is great to feel your appreciation and enthusiasm for the new network!

Here are some quick statistics for you:
- 178 new switches are installed, enabling 9,471 ports (connections) all over campus
- 3,623 user devices have registered on the new network in the past week, with more being added daily (these are your computers, printers, etc.)
- 147 networked printers have been set up (out of 198 total)
- 126 open tickets remain with the Help Desk (60 is a more “typical” number of open calls in the daily queue, but we are working through these as quickly as possible, and the number is down from a peak of 200+ earlier this week)

We have experienced a few system-wide issues this week, most notably with hubs, older networked printers, and instant messaging (via AIM). We are working hard on all of these issues, and we are prioritizing the problems with academic impact to the greatest number of users. In the case of hubs, we have contracted new data ports to be installed in academic and administrative office/lab areas. [For those of you with hubs in dorm rooms, we haven’t forgotten you. We are exploring options other than adding costly data ports in order to support mobile students who bring multiple devices to campus or who find themselves living in triples]. In the case of networked printers that are either quite old, or else a unique brand, we are researching the appropriate access codes and configuration settings required. And in the case of AIM, we are researching the issue while recommending substitute tools in the interim (e.g., Gaim, Trillian – contact the Help Desk for specifics). Again, thanks for your patience as this clean-up work progresses.

The next big phase of this project involves the migration of our server fleet to the new network, scheduled to happen during the Block 7 break. Stay tuned for more information as this draws closer. Once all of our equipment (from computers to printers to servers and more) is cut over to the new network, two important things can happen. First, we will begin to reap the benefits of a new network, such as increased speed and reliability. Second, we will begin our 40-day contractual “acceptance period” with Foundry. This will provide us with ample time to assess the network under load, with the full community utilizing it. We have also designed some specific tests to be sure that the equipment functions as it should, and that the network monitoring tools function as they should.

The final phase of the network project will include the much-anticipated wireless upgrade, slated to happen this spring and summer. Our students, in particular, are most anxious for this upgrade! The site survey will start next week, when Aruba and Accuvant engineers team with CC staff to begin to map out where the wireless access points should be placed for maximum efficiency. When you return to campus next fall, the network upgrade project will be complete and you can expect notable enhancements.

Special thanks are in order for the talented IT staff from the network & systems group, from the user services (Help Desk) team, and from the academic technology services team. They have planned and executed this very visible and very important migration from the old wired network to the new, and they have worked tirelessly and collaboratively to make it as seamless as possible. Our experienced consultant has praised this as the “best” network cutover that she has ever seen. And again, a special thanks to you, our users, for your patience and support at a very busy time of the CC year!

Kris

P.S. In case you’re interested, here is a daily tally of successful registrations (connections) to the new network. No wonder Friday, Sunday, and Monday felt so busy to us all! :)