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Universal IP at Last
10/29/2004
There’s no end to what you can do over IP. Prepare your network, take our test, and go!
Heard the one about the New Age appliance repair person who shows up unexpectedly
at the door, and tells the housewife, “Your fridge e-mailed me”?
Well, now there really are networked, IP-enabled refrigerators.
Your campus may be in the same situation. Traditionally, there have been many devices and systems running independently, and using separate cabling and control systems. You now need to prepare to integrate many of these systems into your data or IP-based networks.
Why You Should IP-Enable These Systems Networked systems allow for remote device
management and troubleshooting, in effect permitting a systems administrator
anywhere on campus (or off, for that matter) to manage and support the systems.
For management consolidation. Devices can be managed from the operations center,
rather than by walking around, saving time and effort.
For cabling standardization. Separate systems and groups of components can share the same types of wires. This can help contain costs and improve aesthetics in new construction and remodeling projects.
IP-enabled systems can be set up to proactively send notifications when help is needed re: environmental conditions, lamp replacement, or fan/filter cleaning. Many systems link to e-mail or text pagers, to alert managers about issues needing attention. This proactive communication can minimize classroom downtime and may also prolong the effective life of devices.
IP is standards-based. This fosters the ability to interconnect many types of systems, and avoids proprietary-type control issues and costs.
There is global acceptance of IP as a transport mechanism, permitting the vendors
to offer their wares to a larger market, consequently driving down costs.
Candidates
While voice over IP (VoIP) is the current attention-getter, there are new applications for IP integration, including:
Video (with audio), both one-way broadcast and two-way interactive
Building Automation systems (control and management of heating/cooling and lighting management systems)
Physical security systems (cameras and security equipment controllers)
Multimedia systems (projectors, monitors—any device that has an Ethernet/IP connection or a serial connection)
Candidates Make It to the Campus
Video over IP. Back in ’99, Northcentral Technical College (WI) pioneered a video-over-IP network on a US campus. The new system was designed for live distance learning courses across several campuses, and the transport between buildings became IP, replacing an analog video system from the ’80s. It worked out so well that VoIP was added onto the system later. NTC chose Cisco Systems (www.cisco.com) for the network electronics and subsequent IP phones. Polycom (www.polycom.com) was ultimately selected for the video encoding/decoding units (codecs); Tandberg (www.tandberg.com) was also deemed acceptable.
Recommended Reading
- Tiffin U's New Online College to Use Pearson's eCollege for Course Management
Beginning this fall, students in Tiffin University's newest online program, Ivy Bridge College, will use eCollege, a course management system from Pearson, for all of their online courses. The 2,350-student Tiffin U is located in Tiffin, OH and offers both on-campus and online classes. Since 2005, those online courses have been managed through Jenzabar Internet Campus Solution.
- California Community Colleges Adopt SunGard Banner Software
California's Rio Hondo College and Sierra College have selected software from the Banner Unified Digital Campus and other solutions from SunGard Higher Education to help address their growing enrollments and to help improve student retention and services.
- Luidia Releases eBeam Interact 2.1 for Interactive Whiteboards
Luidia has released a new version its eBeam software for use with classroom-based interactive projection environments. eBeam Interact 2.1 offers both new and upgraded features, including enhanced screen recording and a comprehensive online image gallery, as well as the company's Scrapbook Image Writer feature.
- McGill U Library Scanning Rare Books with Kirtas
McGill University Library in Montreal will be using a Kirtas Technologies APT BookScan 2400RA to digitize its collections. The company says that the 2400RA is capable of acquiring page images at the rate of 2,400 pages per hour. The library will be working with Ristech, a Canadian reseller, to implement the digitization solution.
- Ball State U Web Sites Now Managed with Sitecore
Ball State University in Muncie, IN has gone public regarding its deployment of a Web site content management system from Sitecore. Ball State chose Sitecore's software to revamp its 220-plus sites, integrating common new media applications and garnering a next-generation user experience that has won several awards from education and new media marketing organizations. Now, Ball State maintains uniformity across all university Web sites and said it has enhanced its recruiting efforts through the site's new look and interface.
- Bio-Key Launches Emergency Alert Platforms for Schools
Bio-Key International has announced the release of two new emergency alert and management solutions for the education market. MobileSRO is designed specifically for the K-12 environment, while MobileCampus caters to higher education and other campus-based organizations.
