Modern campus network with intelligent authentication

A local vocational school, specialized in building trades, electrical engineering and information technology needed support in planning and implementing a modernized campus network. Based on the existing structured cabling, a new active network infrastructure with a classic block design (core/distribution/access) was to be stretched across the school building and additionally expanded with Wireless LAN.

The network is used for school purposes and to connect the PC rooms, but is also available to students for exchange, research and access to school services. The registration of the students on the school WLAN is not anonymous or shared, but ID-based, with identification of each participant for liability reasons. Authentication systems required for this purpose have been implemented. In the area of the ISP connection, a services DMZ was also provided, in which school services are provided externally and internally.

BEUL advised the school management on the entire planning process and created a concept for submission to school digital funding programs. After approval, we carried out the rollout and commissioning of the systems, test operation and documentation. Furthermore, we support the customer and stand by his side in case of support.

Motivation

  • It was necessary to update the highly heterogeneous existing hardware (lifecycle far exceeded)
  • Only rudimentary WiFi available
  • No individual authentication on the network
  • No dedicated and secured service zone for school services in the network

Challenges

  • Unclear documentation required manual recording of the actual status and the cabling in the school buildings
  • Implementation of VLAN-based segmentation across the campus was necessary

Technologies

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The project in figures

1
Shared rack in the data center
3
Buildings on campus
50
Classrooms and workrooms
70
Switches and access points
150
PCs in computer rooms
1.000
Students daily