3COM - New College

Vendor: 3COM (NYSE: COMS)

Channel Partner: Hayes Computer Systems http://www.hcs.net/

Customer: New College, Sarasota Campus http://www.ncf.edu/

Vertical Markets: Education

Technology Used: 3Com VCX solutions, 3102 Business Phones, 3Com Switch 8800, 5500 and4500 models, Wireless LAN Controller, WX4400 and Wireless LAN Managed Access Point 3750s, TippingPoint IPSs and Security Management System, 3Com Enterprise Management Suite and Network Director

Solution: Based in Sarasota, Florida, New College is an independent, public honors college that attracts academically gifted and talented students. The school was using an aging Cisco data network, a Lucent phone system from the 1980s and was dealing with annual bill of more than $600,000 for outsourcing network maintenance services.

New College initially considered a phone system upgrade only, but chose a completely integrated solution when 3Com and Hayes Computer Systems—a technology services and products company based in Tallahassee, Florida—applied their higher education industry experience to New College’s problem.

The 3Com solution was to install a core-to-edge network that would address the college's technical challenges and lower its operations costs. Today, New College boasts an entirely new voice and data network, including a full suite of VCX IP telephony solutions, 3Com core and workgroup LAN switches, a 3Com wireless mobility system, and a TippingPoint Intrusion Prevention System. A small IT staff controls the entire network using 3Com network management tools.

The benefits realized by the Sarasota campus were a communications infrastructure that can be efficiently managed by small internal IT department. The solution provides full in-house control of data and voice network for 25-percent annual savings, and it also provided a flexible, future-proof network, giving the school a competitive edge and also advances its reputation for excellence.

Further details:
http://www.3com.com/other/pdfs/solutions/en_US/3com_505390-001.pdf