Colubris Networks, Inc., the leading global provider of intelligent wireless LANs for enterprises and service providers, today announced that Mesa Public Schools in Mesa, Ariz., will deploy Colubris 802.11n WLAN equipment to enable next-generation wireless applications and services for the school district’s students and employees.
Mesa Public Schools is the nation’s 38th largest school district. More than 10,000 employees are dedicated to meeting the educational needs of approximately 75,000 pupils in 97 different school locations. Using Colubris’ 802.11n wireless gear, the district plans to wirelessly enable a multitude of applications – ranging from student information, library management and physical plant work order systems to email, Internet access and streaming video – giving its students and employees an unprecedented level of mobile access to key information and resources.
“Our goal with this project is to enable reliable wireless access to our central network from anywhere on a school’s campus, and do so in a highly secure, cost-effective way,” said Eric Freed, network operations supervisor, Mesa Public Schools. “In addition to the applications we use to run our schools’ operations, many of our Internet-based, multimedia educational applications – such as virtual operating rooms, flight simulators and streaming video – require a lot of bandwidth for proper performance. Deploying Colubris’ 802.11n gear means that our students and teachers can access the applications they want to, where and when they want to, without being impeded by the limitations of an Ethernet cable.”
In the case of streaming video, Mesa Public Schools receives a live feed from its sister school in Fairfax, Virginia. They were warned not to try viewing the feed over a Wi-Fi connection for fear of performance degradation and an unsatisfactory viewing experience. Mesa Public Schools has found the exact opposite to be true, with their Colubris 802.11n equipment more than capable of delivering error-free viewing.
Another important example of how the district will take advantage of the new wireless network is through an innovative use of the district’s student information system. Using handheld devices, school security officers can use the WLAN to easily check on students’ current schedules or status and accurately determine whether the student should be in class, or even on campus. This capability significantly improves the efficiency of safety officers and overall student safety.
Able Information Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of complete technology solutions for the education sector, is Colubris’ integration partner for the project. The first phase of deployment, which involves approximately 40 different sites, is currently underway and expected to be completed within 18 months. Mesa Public Schools anticipates the entire project, encompassing 97 locations, to be completed within three years. The district’s deployment plan includes the use of one Colubris 802.11n MultiService Access Point (MAP-625) per classroom and a single controller per site. Colubris’ highly distributed architecture was a key selling point as it eliminates the bottlenecking and performance problems that can occur in more centralized solutions. Other important features in the Colubris solution include high-performance security, industry-leading QoS and an upgrade path that helps to maximize past technology investments and allow for future growth and expansion.
“A wireless deployment for a school district has its own unique challenges and Colubris has been more than willing to work closely with us to ensure the 802.11n WLAN meets the needs of our district,” continued Freed. “Not only do I know that my wireless network and the applications on it are protected from unauthorized users and will deliver a consistent experience, but also that the gear itself is protected. Colubris was able to ensure that if the APs were disconnected from the network they would be useless to a thief or hacker.”
“The Mesa Public Schools WLAN project is ideal for demonstrating the multiple capabilities of the Colubris 802.11n wireless networking gear and we’re excited to be a part of it,” stated Tom Racca, vice president of marketing of Colubris. “Whether it’s meeting unique budgetary requirements or delivering the high performance standards needed in today’s schools, Colubris gear is ideal for education environments.”
About Colubris
Colubris Networks is the leading global provider of intelligent wireless networks (WLANs) for enterprises and service providers. Its optimized WLAN switching systems deliver unmatched bandwidth efficiency, seamless mobility and secure, easy access for thousands of organizations and 40 million users worldwide. With its “future proof” architecture, Colubris provides organizations with the most cost-effective migration from legacy standards to 802.11n. Its systems unify and integrate with existing network infrastructures, as well as security and management systems. Colubris’ numerous recognitions include Red Herring’s top 100 private companies in North America, Fierce Wireless Fierce 15, CRN’s Emerging Tech Vendors and Mobile Trax Mobility Award. For more information, visit Colubris on the Web at www.colubris.com.
