Campus housing to have nation's first switched gig network

Students living on campus will pay a new technology fee next year, and in return they get the nation's quickest computer connections in their residence halls.

For the equivalent of approximately $40 per month, students in campus housing will have access to a new, state-of-the-art, switched gigabit to the desktop networking environment. This fall, students will also enjoy a comprehensive wireless infrastructure in public spaces in residence halls and Greek houses and an enhanced cable television offering. The shared 10-based T ethernet and ATM network technologies in all residence halls, fraternities and sororities will be replaced this summer with an all wireless switched gigabit to desktop network, making CWRU the first university in the country with this capacity.

"Building on our legacy, we are once again committing Case Western Reserve University to reinvest and establish its position as a world-class institution of higher learning," said Lev S. Gonick, vice president of information services.

The $400 tech fee will be charged each year to all students living in residence halls and Greek housing. The new switched gigabit network to the desktop and wireless infrastructure the fee helps to fund is one of several technology initiatives being developed with student input. The network will be ready for use this fall.

"As part of our commitment to enhancing student life, we asked students in the dorms and Greek houses what they wanted; and we were told time and again that students want speed, mobility, flexibility and a commitment from the administration of the University to invest in student life and learning," Gonick said. "We are putting all of the technical resources of this University into building this absolutely amazing network, and its all starting with our students."

To describe the difference in the old and new computer networks, Gonick compares the current shared network to, at best, a 10-lane highway with tollbooths every mile. According to the vice president, the switched gig to the desktop is like 1,000 lanes of superhighway, without tollbooths or anything else to slow down access to 3D modeling, advanced visualization using high definition-quality imaging, desktop video conferencing, computational neurology research, CAD and engineering simulation.

"Switched gig to the desktop will deliver more than 1,200 times the bandwidth access of commercial DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) or cable modem products available today," Gonick said.

Wireless access for notebook and hand-held computing devices will also be available for the first time in all lounges and public spaces in campus housing.

"We want to build a bridge between class rooms and residence halls," said Don Kamalsky, director of housing and Greek life. "This network gives students access to mobile and flexible computing that brings their class rooms into the residence halls. This technology gives students the true experience of living in a learning environment."

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