3Com wireless solution for Swedish business school delivers mobile learning
Snapshot
Thoren Business School is one of Sweden’s leading education groups. From one school initially, three years ago, the group has quickly expanded to four centres of learning with plans to open three more soon.
With 300 students, aged from 16-18, in each school, ThorenGruppen had some key issues to address - including broken networks and issues with cables and systems that were vulnerable to student damage.
They needed a solution that would allow them to operate and manage a wireless network throughout their four existing schools, but with the capability to scale as the group expanded.
The network had to be very easy to use and highly flexible to accommodate different groups of users, with varying levels of security. It also had to be highly available and capable of handling best-in-breed applications. With limited IT resources, the network had to be simple to install and easy to manage from one central point.
Key to Thoren Business School’s network is the 3Com® Wireless LAN Switch WX1200. Together with 3Com Wireless Switch Manager software, it centrally manages and controls up to 12 managed access points - coping with the most demanding of wireless environments and delivering high security standards in the process.
Jimmy Staff, ThorenGruppen's Head of IT said: “We were delighted at how easy the 3Com WX1200 was to use, managing every access point from one single point. It is a superbly reliable switch. We looked at other systems initially, but 3Com’s system was the most comprehensive and, by far, the best.”
One of the important requirements for Thoren Business School was that the system had to be quick and easy to install.
“We had to implement the system over the summer while the students were away. The configuration for the switches and access points was set centrally. Details for them all were sent out to each school in the post with instructions on how to set up the switches and access points on their campus.” added Mr Staff. “It had to be simple and, with 3Com’s superb product delivery, thankfully, it was.”
With the 3Com wireless solution, the business school has a flexible, high-performance network that supports mobile learning and effective communications between its four schools throughout Sweden.
Challenges
One of the principal demands placed on the school was the requirement to provide a mobile work environment for students and teachers. The ability to study and learn freely across campus was a major challenge that was overcome, thanks to 3Com’s wireless solution.
Jimmy Staff, Head of IT, Thoren Business School
“With this in place, teachers were able to communicate more effectively with students and their colleagues. Using video-conferencing, they are able to meet regularly with teachers in other schools.”
When moving to a more effective wireless solution, cost was a primary concern for the education group.
“What we found, though, was that the new system actually saved us money. With only two or three people involved in implementation, we benefitted enormously from the reduced man hours cost. The ongoing maintenance required to run the system is also very low.”
With the Wireless LAN Switch WX1200 in conjunction with the 3Com 4500 switches and 3Com X506 Unified Security Platform, the schools were able to deliver a much more sophisticated and practical environment for teachers and students.
“Thanks to the ease of the 3Com system, we now have 40 access points. Post-implementation, it’s easy to go in, see how things are working, and then, if necessary, change any aspect of the set up. That’s refreshing.”
A 3Com Switch 4500 at each school provides secure, flexible connectivity with the LAN. Power over Ethernet (PoE) provides electrical power and data connectivity over a single Ethernet cable – which help reduce cabling costs significantly and makes it much easier to deploy wireless access points and IP security cameras around each campus.
Why 3Com
Scalable wireless networkCentral to the 3Com solution for Thoren Business School are:
3Com Wireless LAN Switch WX1200 and 3Com Access Points
The 3Com Wireless LAN Switch WX1200, provides a central management point for the 40 Com Wireless LAN Managed Access Points (MAPs) which ensure a totally mobile learning environment for teachers and students throughout the school. It enables IT staff to configure settings for the MAPs remotely, without having to visit each one individually.
3Com Switch 4500 – invaluable support where you need it most
The 3Com Switch 4500 ensures great performance and increased reliability for the most demanding of users. For each school it delivers an intelligent secure, converged network.
3Com Wireless Switch Manager
The 3Com Wireless Switch Manager lets users connect securely to the wireless LAN and roam. This comprehensive management software package is packed with features to plan, configure, deploy and manage an effective wireless LAN.
3Com X506 Unified Security Platform
The 3Com X506 Unified Security Platform provides powerful protection for systems ensuring less disruption, and minimum damage from security breaches. It’s built on the award-winning 3Com Tipping Point Intrusion Protection System architecture, with Websense content filtering and Commtouch anti-spam filtering.
A lesson in wireless networking
With an effective wireless solution from 3Com in each school, Thoren Business School has been able to move its student and teacher learning experience to the next level.
Secure mobile learning
From superior video-conferencing to increasingly mobile work environments, the 3Com system is delivering greater freedom and interaction among the school’s learning community.
“Our students and teachers are able to work much more closely together, through a network that is much more reliable. In addition, we have separated the network to give us the flexibility of two wireless LANs - one for students and the other, which has more rigorous security, for teachers. 3Com has helped us to deliver a more effective and secure wireless network that we can extend to new schools, as and when they open,” said Mr Staff.
Future-proofed investment
With 3Com’s support for open standards, the business school group knew that their investment in the network is future-proofed, and that the system will work well with new PC hardware they are planning to introduce.
Scalability
The group wanted a wireless solution that would be able to grow effortlessly as they expanded.
Mr Staff added, “We are constantly looking for better ways to improve our systems. We will have 100 access points across our schools next year and have been impressed with what 3Com offers us in terms of reliability, flexibility and security. We are looking forward to welcoming our new schools into the same, integrated wireless solution.”
Simple, low-cost management under one roof
The complete 3Com wireless solution enables technical staff to maintain the network and fine-tune performance from one centre, keeping IT costs to a minimum.
"3Com’s involvement with the schools has greatly enhanced the student experience too. If students want peace and quiet to work, they can do so anywhere on the campus,” added Mr Staff.
“The 3Com wireless solution is much easier and cheaper to install than other systems and significantly easier to run and maintain.”
Goal
Scalable, centrally-managed
wireless network for mobile learning
Solution
3Com Wireless LAN Switch WX1200
3Com Wireless LAN Managed Access Points
3Com Switch 4500
3Com X506 Unified Security Platform
Result
Total wireless learning solution with improved access to resources
Rapidly implemented, low-cost wireless system
Easily managed from a single point
Flexible, high performance mobile network
pdf version of this case study.