Network Upgrade 01/14/2015

Information Technology Services is upgrading Fairfield University’s ‘network core’. Our network core is the equipment that connects the network across all buildings.

On Wednesday, January 14^th beginning at 9:30 AM, we will be moving the primary connections from each of our campus buildings from the old hardware to the new hardware.  We will be moving one building at a time.  Because our administrative buildings have redundant connections, we do not anticipate any service interruptions.  If an unexpected interruption occurs during a building move, the resolution should be almost immediate, and we will halt any further moves until service is restored.

During the Wednesday cut-over, if you experience a network disruption in your building that lasts more than a few seconds, please contact the Information Technology Services Help Desk at x4069.  The Help Desk will contact the infrastructure team who will address the situation immediately.

That is the short story. The long story follows (if interested).

As discussed throughout the Fairfield 2020 initiative and backed by 2015 forecast articles, now more than ever we are reliant on mobility, connectivity and wi-fi to help attain mission goals and reach optimum efficiency. Your ITS department is actively engaged with the University community, including FUSA, Staff and Faculty, in dialogue pertaining to campus wireless, we have received an assessment on our environment and we are ramping up for a comprehensive overhaul of our infrastructure to best support our students, classrooms, teaching and business. The scheduled core upgrade is our most significant leap in that direction to date.

The core upgrade will:

1)      Allow for future expansion of bandwidth throughout the campus

2)      Retire outdated equipment whose age threatens network stability

3)      Simplify the central networking of Fairfield University by reducing to two redundant systems

What will you as a user experience after this move? Aside from greater network stability, nothing yet. However this move does facilitate aggressive improvements in the future; improvements that our current hardware could neither accommodate nor deliver.

Your Network Team has been meticulously testing this upgrade for the past several months. We are in exceptionally capable hands.

Should you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me personally. If they are technical questions, I will be sure to forward them to the appropriate individual.

Look for a follow-up announcement next week. That reminder will also supply contact information and a communication plan in the event of any difficulties. Thank you for your patience as we improve technology for Fairfield University.

Have a wonderful day and Happy New Year!