University of Maryland Enhances Student Success and World-Class Research by Standardizing on HPE Aruba Networking
- University of Maryland (UMD) chooses HPE Aruba Networking ESP solution by Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) to upgrade its network infrastructure.
- The deployment includes Wi-Fi 6E wireless access points and CX wired switches, powered by AI insights.
- UMD aims to provide reliable, fast, and ubiquitous connectivity for its 40,700 students and 14,000 faculty and staff.
- The new network is expected to save millions of dollars over the infrastructure's lifetime compared to other options.
- UMD plans to deploy approximately 19,000 wireless APs, including Wi-Fi 6E indoor APs, to support increasing connectivity demands.
- The deployment also includes HPE Aruba Networking CX Series Switches to improve bandwidth for researchers and support new security systems.
- UMD will utilize HPE Aruba Networking Central On-Premises and ClearPass for AI-powered management and role-based security of endpoints and IoT solutions.
- None.
Insights
The adoption of HPE Aruba Networking ESP by the University of Maryland represents a significant investment in advanced network infrastructure, which is critical for supporting the high volume of devices and the demand for reliable connectivity in educational institutions. The deployment of Wi-Fi 6E technology is particularly noteworthy, as it offers faster speeds, greater capacity and lower latency compared to previous Wi-Fi standards. This is especially relevant for environments with a high density of connected devices, such as a university campus.
From a network technology perspective, the move to Wi-Fi 6E will greatly benefit UMD's operational efficiency and the user experience for students, faculty and staff. The introduction of AI insights for managing the network suggests a forward-thinking approach to network administration, potentially reducing the need for manual oversight and allowing for more proactive management of network health and security.
Furthermore, the decision to implement HPE Aruba Networking CX Series Switches will address the growing data demands of researchers. The enhanced bandwidth is essential for handling large data sets and is indicative of the university's commitment to supporting cutting-edge research initiatives.
The integration of HPE Aruba Networking ESP into UMD's infrastructure is a strategic move that aligns with broader trends in educational technology. By creating a robust and secure network, UMD is positioning itself to better support digital learning environments, cloud-based platforms and IoT applications in education.
With the deployment of Wi-Fi 6E, UMD is future-proofing its network to accommodate the anticipated increase in connectivity demands. This is particularly important for applications such as cloud-based student learning management systems, which are central to modern educational experiences. The outdoor Wi-Fi expansion also suggests an innovative approach to learning, promoting the use of green spaces and supporting athletics, thereby enhancing the overall campus experience.
Additionally, the focus on role-based security and automated management tools is a proactive measure to safeguard against cybersecurity threats, which are increasingly a concern in higher education settings. The ability to authenticate and manage a large number of devices daily with reduced IT overhead will be a significant advantage for UMD.
The financial implications of UMD's investment in HPE Aruba Networking ESP are multifaceted. The initial cost savings are substantial, as the university is expected to save millions over the life of the infrastructure compared to other offerings. This cost efficiency is achieved through an all-inclusive solution that avoids additional licensing fees and add-on costs for features.
For stakeholders, this represents a prudent allocation of resources that can potentially translate to better financial stability for the institution. In the long term, the reduced IT overhead and operational efficiencies gained from the new network infrastructure may contribute to further cost reductions and improved allocation of university funds. These savings could be redirected to other critical areas, such as academic programs or research funding, thus indirectly supporting the university's mission of 'doing good'.
For Hewlett Packard Enterprise, this implementation serves as a case study for the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of their solutions, which could positively influence their market position and stock valuation as they demonstrate successful deployments in the education sector.
Flagship institution gains a secure, policy-driven network that authenticates over 80,000 devices daily while saving multi-millions on infrastructure costs
University of
With rising student, faculty, and staff expectations for reliable, fast, and ubiquitous connectivity for the skyrocketing number of mobile, connected, and IoT devices they use daily,1 higher education institutions like UMD are responding by modernizing their networks. This includes solutions that enable them to secure, centrally manage, and maximize the performance of hundreds of thousands of endpoints, while minimizing costs and IT overhead.
"Because our institution has committed to being the nation’s first ‘Do Good’ campus, it’s imperative that we provide students, faculty, researchers, and administrators with the tools and technologies they need to achieve their goals for making a difference in areas like climate change, sustainable development, and global equity," said Axel Persaud, Assistant Vice President of Enterprise Engineering for UMD. "That makes our new HPE Aruba Networking infrastructure critical to supporting our campus communities with world-class, always-on connectivity for today and tomorrow."
Seeking a secure, centralized, policy-driven network that would improve infrastructure visibility and application performance, UMD decided to standardize on HPE Aruba Networking across its entire footprint. “HPE Aruba Networking provided the best solution, which included securely authenticating our current census of 80,000 endpoints and scaling into the future,” said Persaud. “Also, as the solution is all-inclusive, rather than requiring additional licensing or charging add-on costs for particular feature sets, it saves us multi-millions over the life of the infrastructure.”
The deployed solution will include approximately 19,000 wireless APs, including the latest generation of Wi-Fi 6E indoor APs. UMD also plans to deploy high-performance Wi-Fi outdoors to facilitate the growing interest in using green spaces for learning and to support intramural and competitive athletics.
“Wi-Fi 6E future-proofs our network as we expect connectivity demands will only intensify, including for accessing our cloud-based platforms and applications such as our Amazon AWS infrastructure and our Canvas student learning management system,” Persaud said. "Operationally, we intend to expand wireless into unconventional spaces, like mechanical rooms and rooftops, which will enable our facilities managers to utilize IoT sensors and mobile devices for making HVAC, lighting, and other building systems smarter."
For wired networking, UMD is implementing HPE Aruba Networking CX Series Switches, which will significantly improve bandwidth for researchers handling massive data sets. It will also support the adoption of new physical security and safety systems. "With respect to research, we'll be boosting throughput up to 25 times, depending upon the building," said Mark Addy, Executive Director of Systems and Networking for UMD. "For physical security, our wired deployment will support new, more granular systems, such as readers for entering individual dorm rooms."
To unify, simplify, and secure wired and wireless connectivity, UMD is also adopting HPE Aruba Networking Central On-Premises, for AI-powered management, along with a combination of HPE Aruba Networking ClearPass and Dynamic Segmentation for automated, role-based security of wired and wireless endpoints and IoT solutions.
"In addition to improving our cybersecurity posture for the tens of thousands of devices that ClearPass authenticates daily, the automation features within our new management tools enable us to substantially reduce our IT overhead," Addy said. "For example, we expect to cut our legacy VLANs by about
Further, the institution is leveraging HPE Aruba Networking User Experience Insight (UXI) to improve end-user experiences with AI-powered monitoring and troubleshooting of application and network performance issues. “For an outage on a distant agriculture campus, UXI identified the problem and then proactively notified us that the same issue was affecting another building, even though users hadn’t yet reported it,” said Addy. “This enabled us to fix both facilities, saving us from making a four-hour round-trip to diagnose the problem on-site.”
The UMD IT staff is excited about the possibilities enabled by HPE Aruba Networking. "Academically, having a high-performance network that enables connecting any device a person wishes to bring on campus is a competitive differentiator for attracting students, faculty, and staff," Persaud said. "In IT, we've gained a true partner that has already supplied us with better support than any networking vendor we've worked with before."
To learn more, visit HPE Aruba Networking. For real-time news updates, follow HPE Aruba Networking on X/Twitter and Facebook, and for the latest technical discussions on mobility and HPE Aruba Networking products, visit the Airheads Community.
Sources:
Where the Tech Troubles Are, Inside Higher Education, October 31, 2022
About Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE) is the global edge-to-cloud company that helps organizations accelerate outcomes by unlocking value from all of their data, everywhere. Built on decades of reimagining the future and innovating to advance the way people live and work, HPE delivers unique, open, and intelligent technology solutions as a service. With offerings spanning Cloud Services, Compute, High Performance Computing & AI, Intelligent Edge, Software, and Storage, HPE provides a consistent experience across all clouds and edges, helping customers develop new business models, engage in new ways, and increase operational performance. For more information, visit: www.hpe.com
1Where the Tech Troubles Are, Inside Higher Education, October 31, 2022
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240213598472/en/
Kari Curto
kari.curto@hpe.com
Source: Hewlett Packard Enterprise
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