Project Underway to Increase Ohio State's Data Network to GigE Capacity 02/20/09
In pursuit of satisfying Dr. Gee's six strategic goals for The Ohio State University, OIT is implementing an upgrade of the existing campus-wide data network, which will increase capacity for all its users. This new network equipment will allow the university community to streamline systems, which is one of the criteria for reaching Dr. Gee's sixth strategic goal.
OSU's data network is currently based on 100 Megabit per second Ethernet. Network engineers will upgrade the system to Gigabit Ethernet, which can transport 1,000 Megabits per second--a tenfold increase. It's not speed that's important here, but rather capacity--or bandwidth. Signals actually travel at the same speed for both network configurations. However, with Gigabit Ethernet--GigE, engineers enable the system to pack more into the signal. It's the difference between traveling down a two-lane highway as compared to traveling on a highway with eight lanes. The cars go the same speed, but an increased number of cars can travel down the highway at the same time.
Bandwidth needs to continue to grow because of the increasing complexity of the data utilized at the university. Most networks haven’t been constrained up to this point, and OIT is working to make sure that doesn’t happen. With the new network connections, end users will be able to utilize newer applications that require greater network capacity, and departments will have the ability to place file servers and backup servers in disparate locations and still experience the same dependable network responsiveness as if the servers were positioned locally.
In order to accomplish this, OIT is improving its infrastructure. Single mode fiber is replacing multi mode fiber installed 20 years ago, and older network switches are being replaced with newer ones. The current timeline calls for this project to be completed in time for the start of autumn quarter 2009. GigE installation on west campus is completed. Most new network switches supporting south campus buildings are in place, and engineers are working to transition buildings in that area over to the new network equipment. Next, OIT will changeover all the existing departmental connections. This process usually takes about five minutes per connection and is scheduled in coordination with departmental network administrators. Work is usually performed during very early morning hours or after the regular workday has concluded.
End users will most likely not notice a direct impact as their connections are realized. "If you do a network upgrade right, nobody ever notices because you keep the capacity ahead of need," said Jay Young, OIT's Manager of Network Engineering.
