Organization: University of Bahrain
Location: Isa Town and Al-Sakheer, Kingdom of Bahrain
Marketing Segment: Education
Employees: 1,500 and increasing
Applications: Enterprise Resource Management, including Registration, Grade Submission, Payroll; E-learning, including e-library access, e-books online, file sharing; Internet access; most Microsoft products including Outlook.
The Challenge:
Founded in 1986 through the merger of The University College of Arts, Sciences, and Education and The Gulf Technical College, the University of Bahrain (UoB: http://www.uob.edu.bh), is one of the most prestigious universities in the Arabian Gulf.
The university's two campuses, located near the capital of Manama, offer a full range of study in subjects ranging from chemical engineering to business and education. UoB is also undergoing rapid growth, having added several institutes and expanded from four to eight colleges in the past four years. During this time, enrollment has soared from 10,000 to 23,000 students, with continued growth projected well into the future.
To facilitate this expansion, UoB originally invested 500,000 Dinar ($1.3 million USD) to network its campuses with Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) technology from Nortel Networks. Recently, however, increased traffic seriously decreased network throughput, hampering administrative and e-learning applications. Moreover, the Nortel ATM infrastructure was incapable of creating additional virtual LANs (VLANs) and otherwise scaling to satisfy UoB's rapidly escalating needs, rendering the network obsolete in just four years.
To remedy this situation, UoB needed to migrate its core network architecture to Gigabit speed with the power to drive current applications and the scalability to meet UoB's growing demands. In addition, to ensure ample future-proofing and the greatest possible return on its technology investment, UoB sought a respected vendor with a team of proven professionals who could assist in all phases of deployment, from strategic planning through installation, training, and support. In short, UoB wanted to partner with a company it could keep for the long term.
Why 3Com
After consulting with its reseller, National Computer Sales + Service of Manama, and comparing open tender bids from Cisco and Foundry Networks, UoB chose a robust, 3Com® network solution for its reliable performance, scalability, and superior business value. In addition, UoB selected 3Com for its proven Global Services capabilities, which the university utilized to design and deploy the network and train IT staff.
The solution consists of the following products:
"When undertaking such a large-scale project, Bahrain law requires we receive bids from all major vendors," explained Dr Yousif Al-Bastaki, head of IT, UoB. "After comparing bids, it was obvious that 3Com offered price/performance that Cisco and Foundry couldn't match. However, what impressed us most was the commitment of 3Com's Global Service professionals. 3Com engineers came to our campuses, analyzed our network, and listened closely to our objectives. They designed the ideal network solution, implemented it, and trained our IT staff. Since then, the 3Com team has been with us every step of the way. I have no doubt we exercised the best possible choice by selecting 3Com."
The Benefits
Using the 3Com Gigabit solution, UoB now has the networking power it needs to drive all its administrative and e-learning applications without downtime or bottlenecks. Backed by the expertise of 3Com's Global Service engineers and support professionals, UoB has achieved maximum value from its network investment.
At each of UoB's campuses, the network is anchored by a high-performance, modular 3Com Switch 7700 that provides multilayer Gigabit and Fast Ethernet switching in an integrated chassis platform. In addition to the redundant fabric installed in each 3Com Switch 7700, the two switches are dual homed over fiber, and in the unlikely event that one switch malfunctions, the other automatically takes over, guaranteeing failsafe network performance and preventing any possible outages at both campuses.
The 3Com 7700 Switch supports local switching on modules, reducing congestion and enabling intensive applications to run faster. Multiple VLANs segregate network traffic and ensure maximum efficiencies. Hardware Multicast Routing reduces packet loss and latency times, allowing flawless transfer of mission-critical data as well as Enterprise Resource Management applications and videoconferencing.
The Switch 7700's support of 802.3ae, the 10-Gigabit standard, ensures that UoB's LAN core will cost-effectively scale to meet future bandwidth requirements, including a completely converged voice and data network, which the university plans to implement. UoB also benefits from the systems' outstanding security features. Access Control Lists (ACLs) confine users to areas of the network for which they are authorized and Layer 3 Protocol Authentication prevents unauthorized users from entering the network, ensuring that sensitive student and payroll records are safe from prying eyes.
At both UoB campuses, a 3Com Switch 7700 supplies Gigabit Ethernet and Fast Ethernet connectivity to 30 3Com SuperStack 3 Switch 4924 switches located conveniently in wiring closets on floors of individual campus buildings. The 3Com Switch 4924 utilize 3Com's patented XRN® (eXpandable Resilient Networking) technology, which transforms the interconnected switches into fully redundant edge switches that can be managed as a single system. UoB relies on 3Com's 17 versatile SuperStack Switch 4400 that, like the 3Com Switch 4924, feature advanced traffic filtering and Quality of Service (QoS) functionality to ensure optimum real-time video applications and full support for projected voice/data solutions. The Switch 4400s deliver reliable Fast Ethernet desktop connectivity in classrooms, computer laboratories, and offices. The reseller, NCS, provides UoB with on-site maintenance and 24/7 technical support with back-up services from 3Com.
With the 3Com solution, the UoB's 20,000 students now easily register online from anywhere in the world. Grades are recorded effortlessly; payroll functions smoothly. Students and professors access learning tools at e-libraries, engage in videoconferences, and exchange papers and corrections over the network. The network also is primed to support planned improvements with a minimum of added cost. In addition to converging voice and data, UoB will deploy 3Com wireless systems to connect students in dormitories, cafeterias, and meeting rooms.
"When you choose 3Com," said Dr Al-Bastaki, "you get real commitment. Other vendors offered a network with collapsed capacity, resiliency, and performance at the core. 3Com pushed these traditionally core concepts closer to the users and distributed them across the entire network. With our 3Com network, we have maximized throughput today. With 10-Gigabit ready capacity at the core, we're ready for tomorrow and beyond. And we know 3Com will be there with us as a partner all the way."
