Dublin, Thursday 26th August 2021: Ireland’s leading independent network integrator and cloud services provider, Agile Networks today announced the completion of a campus-wide project with the University of Limerick (UL) to provide high-performance, high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity to over 20,000 students and staff.
Administration blocks, lecture halls, amphitheatres, study spaces and dining areas now provide high-speed internet access for smartphones and mobile computing devices, recognising the demand from students for anytime, anywhere connectivity on campus.
The provision of extensive Wi-Fi supports the university’s efforts to offer a Covid-ready campus for the return of students in September. It facilitates easy reconfiguration of teaching spaces to cater for physically-distanced learning.
For the first time, outdoors spaces have been networked to include the 1.5km long ‘Living Bridge’, where students typically congregate to discuss the burning questions of the day. Other outdoor areas such as the student courtyard and the green space around the library building also provide high-speed connectivity, while two of the main car parks have also been networked.
Commenting on the project, Ger Moroney, IT project manager with the University of Limerick said:
“Student demands for multimedia access including video, voice, chat and desktop sharing brings a different set of requirements and that’s the design standard we set for the project. The team at Agile Networks completed the project with professionalism and competence, overcoming many technical challenges, particularly in some of our older buildings.”
Over 2,000 access points (APs) have been installed throughout the campus based on Aruba Networks’ wireless technology.
Aruba’s Adaptive Radio Management technology played a key role in the project’s success as it automatically assigns channel and power settings, ensuring that APs stay clear of all sources of RF interference. This feature proved invaluable in the Plassey Building, for example with its thick walls and older structure.
“Detailed site surveys were a critical part of the network design,” explained Sean Nolan, business development manager with Agile Networks. “We carried them out pre- and post-installation to ensure that all areas of the campus had optimum coverage.
“Aruba’s User Experience Insight (UXI) software also ensures consistent user experience thanks to sensors, which perform continuous monitoring and testing of the Wi-Fi network with AI-powered awareness of network health and performance. UXI Sensors help the small network team at UL to diagnose, troubleshoot, and even detect anomalies before issues arise and data is viewed in real time on a cloud-based dashboard.”
Agile Networks is a long standing partner of Aruba Networks and the company has a strong foothold in higher education thanks to previous contract wins with HEAnet, DCU, Maynooth University, UCG, UCC and Technical University, Dublin.
-ENDS-
Pic l-r are: Marguerite McEnery, Head of IT, University of Limerick, Martin Moran, Senior Networks Engineer, Commet, Ray O’Connor, Ireland Country Manager, Aruba, Brendan Dore, Department Director IT, University of Limerick, Sean Nolan, Business Development Manager, Agile Networks, Ger Moroney, Project Manager, University of Limerick and Marie Linnane, Head of Services Delivery, University of Limerick. Picture: Keith Wiseman
