University of Bahrain improves network performance with 3Com switching solution

Supported by the 3Com solution, the university's 20,000 students can now readily remote-access the university's network from anywhere in the world. Students and teachers are able to access learning tools at e-libraries, engage in videoconferences with their professors, and exchange papers and corrections over the network with minimum delay.

Using the 3Com Gigabit solution, comprising of a 7700 Switch, SuperStack 3 Switch 4924 and 48-Port SuperStack 3 Switch 4400, UoB now has the networking power it needs to drive all its administrative and e-learning applications without downtime or interruption. Backed by 3Com's XRN (eXpandable Resilient Networking) technology, this cost-effective network solution offers the university reliable performance and scalability.

Other university applications that have been enhanced by this solution include registration, payroll, e-library access, e-books online, video conferencing, file sharing and internet access.

"Emphasis on education has been an integral part of Bahrain's rapid development in recent years and the university has been at the forefront of this progress, providing quality instruction to students for over 15 years. Maintaining these high standards is our top priority," said Yousif Al-Bastaki, head of IT, University of Bahrain, commenting on their decision to upgrade.

"As our student body has grown, the subsequent increase in user traffic caused problems with the previous system, seriously decreasing network speeds, hampering administrative duties and hindering deployment of e-learning applications. We knew that our existing network infrastructure lacked the scalability to meet UoB's rapidly expanding needs and decided that we should implement a new solution."

"With the gigabit speed and power to drive current applications and the scalability needed to meet our growing demands, 3Com's solution was exactly what the doctor ordered. Their team of proven professionals who assisted in all phases of deployment - from strategic planning through installation, training, and support - was an added bonus," he added.

The Switch 7700's support of 802.3ae 10-Gigabit standard ensures that UoB's LAN core will cost-effectively scale to meet future bandwidth requirements, including a completely converged voice and data network the university is planning to implement. 3Com's solution ensures the integrity of the university's data and controls network access. Access Control Lists (ACLs) confine users to areas of the network for which they are authorized and Layer 3 Protocol Authentication prevents unauthorized users from entering the network, ensuring that sensitive student records and payroll data are safe from prying eyes. Moving forward, UoB has plans to deploy 3Com wireless systems to connect students across campus.

"At 3Com, we fully-recognize the value that an advanced network infrastructure can deliver to the education sector, and this deployment at UoB reflects our commitment to developing leading-edge technology for universities and colleges. By providing fast and reliable network communications, we are ensuring that the university continues to successfully provide superior education to its students without any hindrances," said Wael Fakharany, regional manager, 3Com Middle East.

3Com Middle East has developed a strong reputation in Bahrain and the wider Gulf region through its work on a number of high profile projects, including the Ministry of Commerce's visionary e-government project, as well as deployments at Bahrain Television and for Bahrain Airport Services.

"The unrivalled price and performance offered by 3Com, combined with the unwavering professionalism of the Global Service team working in co-operation with National Computer Sales, the local 3Com solution provider, is what sealed the deal for us. The engineers visited our campuses, analyzed our network, and listened closely to our objectives. They designed the ideal network solution, implemented it, and trained our IT staff. I have no doubt we exercised the best possible choice by selecting 3Com," added Bastaki.

"With our 3Com network, we have significantly increased the capacity of our infrastructure. With a 10-Gigabit ready capacity at the core and XRN technology on the edge, we're ready for tomorrow and beyond," he concluded.