The Architecture and Design School in Oslo
The Architecture and Design School in Oslo (AHO) is a leading international scientific college that provides education in architecture, design, landscape architecture, and urbanism. AHO’s knowledge field focuses on design and encompasses all scales: objects, systems, buildings, urban, and landscape design. The school is organized into four institutes and has approximately 700 students and 150 staff.
Architecture and Design School at the Forefront of Networking
The Architecture and Design School in Oslo is at the forefront of networking with new network solutions and access management from Aruba. The entire solution was fully implemented in April 2019.
Quality wherever you are, what devices you use and how you connect
The client had an old network infrastructure with a static setup, making it difficult to meet the needs of increasingly dynamic users.
With more users and various types of devices, the need to control and log access is growing. The security risk is also higher with a traditional network design.
Students at the Architecture and Design School are challenged to be creative and innovative in their work. Therefore, the network is expected to provide agreed quality regardless of where students are, what types of devices they use, and how they connect to the network (wired or wireless). At the same time, security must always be maintained.
With extensive use of cloud-based services, it is crucial for students that these services are available with agreed quality at all times. It is also important to identify potential issues and document how a client experiences the quality of various network services. AHO is focusing on increased virtualization in the cloud, which requires good network services.
NetNordic has conducted a complete upgrade of the network from A to Z.
We started with radio planning, assessing coverage based on the building’s construction, capacity concerning the number of users and services, and how we could maintain the aesthetic design that the client desired.
All edge and core switches were replaced to provide the necessary speed for wired clients and access points. The number of access points was tripled compared to the existing solution.
Role-Based Access
To ensure flexibility and security, we implemented authentication for all users, with automatic role-based access. This applies to all types of clients, regardless of whether they connect to the wireless or wired network.
Using Machine Learning to Recognize Devices
The access control solution recognizes clients based on predefined user identities, types of devices, location at connection, or time of connection. The solution employs machine learning to identify the type of device connecting.
Sensors Testing Network Quality
To monitor how users experience the network, we have implemented sensors that continuously test critical services and report challenges with the network. This enables the identification of problems and the initiation of measures before users notice issues.
In an educational environment with extensive use of cloud-based services, this is an important measure to ensure satisfactory experiences for users. This is especially crucial during digital exams, where it is essential that certain services are available with agreed quality, and this can be documented afterward.
The Solution is Delivered by Aruba
The entire solution, including controllers, switches, network, quality sensors, and ClearPass access management, is provided by Aruba.
Aruba is the world’s leading provider of network solutions for educational institutions. NetNordic has extensive and solid experience in building solutions for the education sector with Aruba equipment.
Long Experience with Delivery of Aruba Solutions
NetNordic has a long history of delivering Aruba solutions in the Norwegian market, with several similar deliveries to other colleges. We have Platinum Partner status with Aruba, one of two in Norway. With this experience, NetNordic is regarded as the provider in Scandinavia with the highest competence in Aruba’s solutions.
What the Architecture and Design School Says
Professional Sparring Partner:
– “We didn’t have many requirements for the solution, but we explained to NetNordic how we operate and what we wanted to achieve. They came up with a good solution design, which we improved together before the final delivery was decided,” says the digitalization and ICT team leader at the Architecture and Design School in Oslo.
Inclusive and Rapid Follow-Up:
– “We have a positive partnership with NetNordic – not a typical client-provider relationship. They have solid expertise and include us all the way. During the project period, we received support at all hours when something was wrong,” says Gether-Rønning.
- Secure and flexible access with colorless ports
- ClearPass secures both devices and the network
- Visibility and control to document a secure network
- Network speed tailored for use in various locations
- Provider with high competence on the solution
- Strict access control
- Scalable network
- The latest in network solutions
- Support and security from one provider