Organization: Springside School
Location: Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , USA
Employees: 150
Market segment: K-12 education
Applications: Microsoft Word, The Geometer's Sketchpad, Vernier's Logger Pro, Macromedia Dreamweaver, Inspiration, KnowPlay's Kidspiration, Math Blaster, and Blackboard.com online courseware
3Com® Systems:
The Challenge
Founded in 1879 as Philadelphia 's first private school for girls, Springside School is committed to giving its 639 college-bound students the very best education 21st century resources can provide. Determined to become a leader in educational technology, not only for independent schools, but for all K-12 institutions, Springside wanted to integrate networked tools and resources into instruction both in and out of classrooms. It also sought to distribute advanced learning technologies to all venues throughout the 185, 000 square feet of buildings situated on the school's 30-acre campus.
To meet these objectives, Springside initially deployed a robust Gigabit Ethernet network using secure, converged systems from 3Com. The core switch distributes Gigabit connectivity to a variety of 3Com® switches located throughout the school's facilities, including two 10/100/1000 SuperStack® 3 Switch 4924 edge switches, a 3Com legacy Gigabit chassis, and 40 SuperStack 3 Switch 4400 10/100 systems. Additionally, the school uses a 3Com firewall at its Internet portal to ensure only authorized users can enter the network.
Although fast, secure, and reliable, the initial 3Com solution limited student and faculty access to wired Ethernet ports. This restricted the extent to which the school could integrate computer technologies into its academic life, and how students could use them to learn. To become a true leader in education technologies, the school needed to provide pervasive connectivity across much of its campus.
Why 3Com Solutions
To deliver anywhere/anytime networking, Springside School had to extend its wired infrastructure with high-speed wireless connectivity. It required standards-based systems to support the school's 225 Macintosh and Windows laptops, as well as handheld tablet PCs. The wireless solution also had to allow users to maintain network connectivity as they roam through the school's facilities with their laptops.
"We needed to make wireless connectivity practical and affordable and we also wanted ease of administration," said Peter DiDonato , director of technology for Springside School . "Instead of spending time and money running around campus managing individual wireless devices, we wanted centralized control. Additionally, we demanded security measures that prevented unauthorized devices from accessing our wireless local area network (WLAN)."
A long-satisfied 3Com customer, Springside looked no further than 3Com. "We felt confident in implementing 3Com wireless technology," said DiDonato. "Like all 3Com products, they are standards-based and offer strong security capabilities."
The school initially deployed ten 3Com Wireless LAN Access Point 8250 systems. These enterprise-class solutions are Wi-Fi based, ensuring support for the school's Macintosh and Windows platforms. They also deliver the safeguards Springside required, such as 802.1x RADIUS server authentication for user logins and support for virtual local area networks (VLANs). Administrators use VLANs to segment students and faculty so users can retrieve only the resources for which they are permitted.
In the summer of 2005, Springside opted to extend its wireless coverage to facilitate further use of laptop computers. It wanted users to be able to roam the campus, moving from one access point to another without losing network connectivity. Moreover, because the school planned to double the number of access points on campus, it wanted solutions that were easy to deploy and manage to reduce ownership costs.
Springside again turned to 3Com. It deployed 15 3Com Wireless LAN Managed Access Point 2750 devices to complement the Access Point 8250s already used in the production environment.
Springside also installed two 3Com Wireless LAN Switch WX1200 systems and the 3Com Wireless Switch Manager application. These powerful management solutions integrate the school's 25 access points into a seamless wireless network, permitting the school's IT staff to centrally configure, manage, and optimize the entire system. Users, for example, can now roam, transparently passing their wireless connectivity from one access point to another. Moreover, the Virtual Site Survey tool of the Wireless Switch Manager simplifies deployment by enabling administrators to determine the optimal locations for the access points.
"Thanks to our 3Com wireless switches and Wireless Switch Manager, we set up our wireless network in only two days, eliminating the cost of outsourcing the installation," said DiDonato. "With a few keystrokes from a single computer, we can change any parameters for any or all of our access points, avoiding the time needed to configure devices individually. These 3Com management solutions make owning and operating an extensive wireless network practical, easy, and cost-effective."
The 3Com solutions also extend security across the wireless network. The school's IT staff can now specify which access points, VLANs, or networked resources a given login or group of logins can use. Administrators rely on 3Com's innovative Identity-Based Networking to deliver network services based on user identity rather than ports or devices, ensuring that only authorized users access the network. Additionally, the 3Com wireless switches allow administrators to sweep the entire wireless domain to detect and block rogue access points for added protection.
"3Com gave us the same control, performance, and security on our WLAN as we have on our wired network," said DiDonato. "3Com solutions stretched our IT budget while fully meeting our networking objectives."
Benefits Summary
Empowered by 3Com wireless solutions, Springside is now integrating advanced technologies into daily instruction. Students use laptops to create 3D models in geometry, or communicate with overseas students in language classes. They write papers in English classes, design scenery in art classes for school plays, and create web pages and videos for the school. They even access assignments and submit their work via Blackboard.com online courseware.
Moreover, untethered computing offers learners flexibility. They can work in their seats, in groups, in the cafeteria, or even outside. They use probes and tablet PCs linked to the WLAN to collect scientific data in the Fairmount Park System, the Wissahickon watershed, on the school's campus.
"Our wireless switches optimize radio frequency coverage to provide the strongest links," said DiDonato. "When a microwave in the cafeteria interferes with an access point's signal, the system dynamically adjusts adjoining devices to compensate. We even can determine the location of rogue wireless devices to within three feet, ensuring only legitimate users access our network."
For Springside, deploying 3Com wireless solutions was a powerful step in becoming an educational technology leader. "We're teaching our students technology fluency, empowering them with the skills to succeed. With 3Com, we're achieving our goals quickly and cost-effectively."
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