DAILY NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR THE GLOBAL GRID COMMUNITY /    ( Table of Contents )

Breaking News - Networking:

Adv. Facility Built W/ Extreme Networks' Core, Edge Switching

Extreme Networks Inc, a leader in Ethernet networking, announced it is assisting The Ohio State University Newark (OSUN) and Central Ohio Technical College (COTC) by providing a next-generation network infrastructure that delivers Gigabit speeds at the edge to desktops backed with 10 Gigabit connectivity in the core of the network. The new network, featuring the BlackDiamond switching platform, results in an advanced learning environment with first-of-its-kind capabilities that allow students and staff to learn and communicate more effectively.

OSUN and COTC opened The John Gilbert Reese Center in September. This state-of-the-art facility is positioned as the region's leader in technology-based conferencing by combining meeting facilities with cutting-edge network technology. The new center hosts a high performance infrastructure supporting a diverse mix of applications including converged voice and video for global teleconferencing, along with interactive learning resources, Web services and ERP software. Additionally, the new network provides the foundation for customized software portals that provide students with greater flexibility and places common resources at their fingertips. All of this is facilitated by a tremendous increase in network scalability and availability driven by Extreme Networks' 10 Gigabit Ethernet core and Gigabit speeds for every wired connection.

"The tremendous investment we are placing in the John Gilbert Reese Center reflects the importance of implementing leading-edge technology for the benefit of university-level education," said Timothy Link, chief information officer for OSUN and COTC. "Not only will our investment in the network spur a broad array of efficiencies for our student enrollment, we will have the capacity in place for groundbreaking work in the areas of distance learning and for the use of multi-media capabilities."

The Newark campus of OSUN and COTC will be assured of consistent performance regardless of traffic patterns or network load due to wire-speed Layer 3 performance and Quality of Service. The network also supports future plans that include increased on-line services for students and prospective students, including on-line bill payment; network-based storage for students, instant messaging capabilities and high-speed Internet access.

Along with creating a strong sense of community, OSUN and COTC aim to promote the new John Gilbert Reese Center in a manner that will maximize its use by the campus community and businesses at a regional and statewide level. The center will offer a variety of rental spaces for day conferences, weekend events, teleconferences as well as offer entertainment in the auditorium and amphitheater.

"We have designed this network to be not only the most advanced, featuring Gigabit speeds at the Desktop, but one that is simple to maintain," continued Link. "Extreme Networks provides the technology, support and comprehensive solution that allows us to support every content type and deliver it with priority."