Background
600 students between the ages of 11-16 attend Harborne Academy, part of the Birmingham Metropolitan College Group.
In 2013 Harborne Academy underwent a major rebuild programme to increase the size of the campus to include a new Sixth Form provision and improve the learning facilities for all students.
Harborne Academy prides itself on delivering a cutting-edge learning environment for students, providing them with the latest technologies and developing the curriculum to ensure all are given the skills they will need in a ‘technology led economy’. As well as specialist ICT laboratories, classrooms are equipped with SMART display devices and a range of Samsung mobile smart devices, containing course content, are available to students for use in lessons. Therefore a seamless, high performance and secure wireless network was required for the new building.
The Solution
Typical of a learning environment, the wireless network capacity had to be able to support a high density of devices whilst delivering fair access. Working with systems integrator Capita, Samsung conducted a wireless site survey to determine a network design to meet such requirements.
Deployment of the solution took place in the summer of 2013 which saw 54 Samsung Access Points and 1 Access Point Controller installed across the campus in order to provide sufficient wireless coverage. As the first phase of a larger project, it was essential that the solution would scale alongside the colleges IT strategy for wireless. To that end our technical architects selected the WEC8500 Access Point Controller as the optimum controller to meet the colleges expanding requirements.
The WEC8500 itself will scale from the initial deployment AP capacity to the appliance limit of 500APs. In addition to the standalone controller limit, additional controllers can be added to the solution to increase AP capacity up to a clustered maximum of 12 APCs (6000APs) whilst also introducing both L2 & L3 AP resilience to the solution at zero cost.
CASE STUDY: HARBORNE ACADEMY
The network is able to deliver fair access to multiple devices in a classroom environment through the Samsung AirEqualiser feature set on each AP to apply traffic scheduling technology. In addition the Samsung Self Organising Network (SON) feature automatically adjusts transmission power and selects channels, ensuring a self healing network with reliable service.
The Benefits
On a typical day, at peak time, between 250-300 Samsung smart devices are connected to the Samsung wireless network simultaneously. Teachers are able to incorporate technology into all subjects with the reassurance that the wireless infrastructure will be able to provide a fast and reliable connection.
In addition there is capacity for visitors to safely and securely receive web access wherever they are in the school building, without having access to the school’s production network.
Julie Nugent, Executive Director at Birmingham Metropolitan commented: “The Samsung wireless network was chosen due to the company’s reputation of manufacturing and delivering world class products and solutions. And Samsung Wireless LAN solution is no exception, installation was smooth and we have experienced no problems despite the high number of users. The connection and service is always fast and reliable, and teachers and students alike are reaping the benefits of this.”