Zayed University uses sophisticated IBM storage technology to enhance management of student records

The new IBM TotalStorage Storage Area Network (SAN) system along with the highly available IBM eServer xSeries 345 servers is one of the most sophisticated systems in the UAE and was implemented by Jumbo Electronics IT Group, IBM's business partner in the UAE, in a record two months.

The new IBM TotalStorage system will allow for quick and easy access to the university's significantly large stores of content, including records, files and archives, as well as easier collaboration between faculty staff and students for maintaining records in a variety of forms throughout the academic learning process. It will also provide them with faster access to audio, video, animation, and other rich media materials that they use daily for various tasks and assignments.

"Our aim was to put a system in place that would provide our students with enough storage space for them to create their own portfolios and store their work over the four years of their education with Zayed University," said Anand Pinto, supervisor of network systems at Zayed University. "The new system allows our students to structure their records quickly and update them continuously in an efficient format. They will also be able to copy these files onto CDs and use them as proof-points of their work and abilities when they present themselves to future employees."

Jumbo Electronics IT Group installed the new system with three core objectives in mind, including the management of Zayed University e-Portfolios (student records), backboard applications (e-learning tools) and server consolidation. The centralised storage system will allow for incremental scalability, faster data backup and recovery which is crucial for organisations that have large stacks of data that need to be constantly updated and managed.

"Backboard application users have increased significantly and we believe this will trend will continue as the university faculty community increasingly use it as a valuable e-learning tool. The addition of multimedia content in courses and student work will also add to the need for additional storage. The new IBM TotalStorage SAN system has ensured us that we have sufficient resources available for these applications before the beginning of the next semester," added Pinto. "We are very pleased with the efforts and the level of expertise that Jumbo's professional services team has been able to provide us in implementing this new system in such a short time frame and without any interruptions to the university operations."

Zayed University selected Jumbo Electronics IT Group as its enterprise storage partner because of Jumbo's experience in building asset management systems, its commitment to developing advanced solutions for the higher education community, and its expertise in IBM technology.

"Jumbo is absolutely committed to the education sector in the UAE. We have worked closely with IBM on several educational initiatives in the country and have now scaled our expertise to high-end storage solutions that provide education institutions with critical platforms for easy and fast collaboration between faculty staff and students," said Arvind Agrawal, general manager, enterprise systems division, Jumbo Electronics IT Group. "Through this project, we have invested in a highly-skilled professional services team that will allow us to continue to invest in other similar projects in this core segment of the market."

"The IBM TotalStorage SAN system along with the xSeries servers will allow Zayed University faculty staff and students to have their own home directory for storing, filing, archiving, accessing and updating their records from virtually anywhere through the Internet and local network connections," said Jeff Maslen, Storage Channel Development Manager IBM Middle East. "Zayed University has placed itself in the forefront of educational facilities in the UAE by establishing initiatives that enhance the learning experience of its students. This initiative, among several others, is just another example of IBM's commitment and dedication to support education and skills development in the region."