Cisco Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series 7600 Series Wireless Services Module (WiSM) Prospecto
Customer Case Study
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College Expands Educational Horizons Wirelessly
Emory and Henry College deploys a Cisco Unified Wireless Network to recruit new
students.
Business Challenge
Founded in 1836, Emory and Henry is the oldest
college in southwest Virginia. The school is known
for its innovative academic programs, which stress
hands-on education in and outside of the
classroom.
The college offers many incentives to prospective
students, including high-speed Internet and cable
connections in all of its residence halls. But
recently, Emory and Henry has faced a
technological marketing challenge common among
colleges these days. The lack of ubiquitous Wi-Fi
access on campus was starting to have a negative
effect on student recruitment.
“It seemed like prospective students were choosing
other colleges with better connectivity,” says
Lorraine Abraham, director of library and
information technology services at Emory and
Henry. “Students were coming out of high schools
with the expectation that they would have wireless
access in college. It was important that we stay
competitive technologically because there are
scores of liberal arts colleges in Virginia. And many
of our matriculated students said that they wished
they had Wi-Fi.”
In fact, Abraham says, several students had taken matters into their own hands and installed their
own access points in dormitory rooms, which posed security problems for the campus network.
Furthering the cause for Wi-Fi, a survey of the school’s students showed that 82 percent of them
arrived on campus with their own personal computers, and, of those, 75 percent used mobile
notebook computers.
In June 2006, Emory and Henry named a new president, Rosalind Reichard, a doctor of
mathematics who understood the important role that Wi-Fi plays in the lives of young students.
“Our new president is extremely technology savvy, and she told us to run with plans for a new
wireless network,” Abraham says.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
EMORY AND HENRY COLLEGE
●
Higher Education
●
Emory, Virginia
●
1000 students
●
250 employees
BUSINESS CHALLENGE
●
Attract new students to the campus through
technological leadership
●
Use technology to help facilitate “active
learning” on campus, including outdoor
classes
classes
●
Easily manage the wireless network
●
Mitigate network security risks
NETWORK SOLUTION
●
A Cisco Unified Wireless Network provides
centralized management, troubleshooting, and
rogue AP detection
rogue AP detection
●
A mix of mesh and indoor access points
provides Wi-Fi access in key indoor and
outdoor locations throughout the main campus
outdoor locations throughout the main campus
●
Separate Service Set Identifiers for students
and guests help ensure secure network access
BUSINESS RESULTS
●
The promise of wireless access is expected to
attract new students
●
Professors can teach classes outdoors while
maintaining network access
●
Achieving 100 percent wireless coverage
distinguishes Emory and Henry from other
area colleges
area colleges