One of the buildings on campus has fourteen classrooms in total, and this facility was using a hard wired network to provide its students and staff with access to the Internet and network resources; however this access was limited by only being available via its four information technology suites without any support for mobile devices that would enable web-based learning in ordinary classrooms.

1. Case study
Victoria College
Jersey based Victoria College provide its staff and students
with a wireless network that facilitates learning with ease
“Quite simply, Aruba’s Background
wireless technology Situated in Jersey, the largest and most “We had over 75 laptops available for students
southerly of the Channel Islands, Victoria throughout the college, but we were only able
works. Since the day it College is a selective, boys' fee-paying to provide network access via a handful of
was deployed by Data school. Serving 700 day-students from all rooms, which meant that staff had to book
parts of the island, Victoria College sits in a ahead to use a computer room if the Internet
Integration, we haven’t magnificent setting of extensive grounds was needed for studies,” commented Nick
had to touch it.” overlooking the sea. Faria, ICT Technical Services Manager at
Victoria College. “Online tutoring and research
The college offers a high standard of facilities
is critical for many departments such as
to its staff and students, including newly
Science, Mathematics and Language, yet
refurbished and spacious classrooms; nine
students constantly had to move classrooms to
specialist laboratories; three art rooms and
use these facilities.”
four information technology suites.
As with many educational establishments,
The challenge
students at Victoria College wanted to use their
One of the buildings on campus has fourteen own devices on campus – a trend known as
classrooms in total, and this facility was using a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). “Students
hard wired network to provide its students and could bring in their own devices, such as
staff with access to the Internet and network iPads, mobile phones and laptops, but we
resources; however this access was limited by couldn’t offer them access to the Internet which
only being available via its four information was becoming a cause of frustration,” added
technology suites without any support for Faria.
mobile devices that would enable web-based
One other challenge was the nature of the
learning in ordinary classrooms.
college buildings - many of the walls were
VICTORIA
made of granite which made it difficult to roll
out the hard wired network to all of the
classrooms.
COLLEGE
JERSEY

2. Case study
Victoria College
The approach The benefits The future
In 2012, Victoria College decided to look at Victoria College has been able to realise a Given the success of the Aruba Wi-Fi
wireless networking as a solution to extend number of key benefits since deploying the implementation, Victoria College is planning
access to the Internet to every classroom. Aruba wireless network. to extend its wireless capabilities to other
“Not only did we need to give staff and campus buildings. “We have got about 50
students access to online learning and Resilience students that are currently using their own or
research facilities in a much more flexible Every access point provided by Aruba comes school owned devices to access network
way, we also wanted to enable them to share with a lifetime warranty, which means Victoria resources using our wireless network, and
resources,” commented Faria. “Wireless College has complete peace of mind about this time next year that figure will be more like
seemed the obvious approach given the delivering optimum levels of Wi-Fi connectivity 200,” enthused Faria. “As the Aruba platform
restrictions of our campus environment and for its staff and students. “Other companies continues to prove its stability, we plan to
physical nature of the buildings.” wanted to charge us for support and on-going expand Wi-Fi capabilities into our main
As a trusted and recognised supplier to warranty costs,” warned Faria. “Thankfully, building and open up the network to visitors.”
educational establishments throughout the UK, Aruba’s lifetime warranty is not a service we
Data Integration was asked by Victoria College have had to take up yet, but we know that if
to trial one of three wireless solutions. “We first anything should happen we are covered with “Data Integration is highly
an immediate replacement.”
met Data Integration in March 2012 and they familiar with Aruba wireless
recommended that we evaluate Aruba’s Ease of deployment
wireless technology,” commented Faria. “We technology. If we had a
Data Integration set up and configured the
also looked at two other wireless vendor’s
Aruba Controller for Victoria College, with the question, they knew the
technology from different resellers and trialled
all three.” college’s own IT staff handling the access answer without exception.”
point deployment and small amount of cabling
The solution required to facilitate the solution. “The whole
Following the trials which lasted a year, implementation took less than two days,”
Victoria College chose Aruba Networks recalled Faria. “Data Integration was
wireless technology over the other vendors. exemplary in its attention to detail and its
“Whilst all three solutions worked well technical team went to great lengths to
enough, Aruba stood out for two key reasons: transfer their knowledge to us about the Aruba
it was an out-of-the-box solution at a highly technology, including management and
competitive price, and it offered a lifetime troubleshooting.”
warranty on the hardware,” explained Faria.
Enhanced learning environment
Data Integration worked closely with Victoria Since deploying a Wi-Fi network throughout
College to specify the right Aruba solution and all of its classrooms, Victoria College has
advised on the best way to deploy the transformed the way its students and staff are
technology with least disruption to the college able to work. “Offering access to the Internet
and its students. is vital in enabling an enriched learning
“We recommended that Victoria College experience, and we are now able to offer this
deploy Aruba Access Points in each in most rooms, be it from our own laptops we
classroom, along with an Aruba Mobility provide or via students’ own devices,”
Controller for centralised management and commented Faria. “Staff are able to teach a
control,” commented David Roberts, Public lesson without the interruption of having to
Sector Account Manager at Data Integration. move to the nearest available computer room,
“In such a complex campus environment, and both teaching and learning is certainly
multiple access points are far more efficient more fluid and effective as a result,” he
as opposed to one or two high-capacity added.
wireless access points that potentially lose Secure network access
coverage because of attenuation through
thick granite walls.” The Aruba wireless technology uses the
college’s existing VLAN and firewall to filter
network traffic, which means that the college
is able to protect its data and information, and
prevent network threats often associated with
a BYOD environment.
Data Integration
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