July 10, 2009

Trustees approve vendor for campus network upgrade, software agreement

Verizon Business Network Services of Indianapolis was chosen to handle Purdue's five-year, $24 million network infrastructure project, Purdue Network 2010. The project will update Purdue's network and establish a future strategic partnership with a vendor to sustain the infrastructure over a multiyear period.

"This initiative will modernize and build a reliable infrastructure to support mobile communication, such as voice, video and data, for Purdue's research, teaching, learning and business needs," said James S. Almond, vice president for business services and assistant treasurer. "Upgrading our data network is a must for Purdue to achieve the goals in Purdue's strategic plan.

"Our network has served us well since it was installed in the mid-1990s as one of the first modern computing and telecommunications networks at a university. However, the network is showing its age both in terms of worn out equipment and outdated capabilities. Increased demands created by video use, wireless smart phones and the relentless appetite for data in research are clogging the Purdue network."

Part of the project's focus will be securing equipment to address functions related to wireless services, services between campus buildings and connectivity within academic buildings.

The West Lafayette network infrastructure currently provides wired communications services to more than 61,000 campus locations. The wireless network covers 3.7 million interior square feet in 255 campus buildings thanks to more than 1,800 access points.

However, today's campus network is not redundant, and a single failure has the potential to remove service to hundreds of campus users, said Gerry McCartney, the Olga Oesterle England Professor of Information Technology and vice president for information technology and chief information officer. More than half of the network's 3,000 devices, such as switches and routers, have reached the end of their lifecycles and have no upgrades. There also are significant gaps in the wireless coverage.

"Purdue Network 2010 will strengthen the West Lafayette campus infrastructure and allow Purdue to meet current demand for networking resources and accommodate future demand," McCartney said. "Our goals include providing superior wireless connectivity to campus users, as well as improving campus desktop support, increasing security and providing incentive for companies to relocate or launch in Purdue Research Park.

"The strategic learning, research and collaborative opportunities for advancement with a robust, reliable network infrastructure are endless."

In other business, the trustees also approved a $3.4 million contract with Software House International of Piscataway, N. J., to renew the Microsoft Campus and School Agreement, which allows Purdue to license a variety of Microsoft software for faculty, staff and student use at a substantial discount. The license fee for each faculty and staff member is $41.70 for all three years of the term and an average of $13.08 per student annually. Over three years, the contract is projected to save Purdue $239,130.

Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, 765-494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu

Sources: James S. Almond, 765-494-9706, jsalmond@purdue.edu

Gerry McCartney, 765-496-2270, mccart@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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