University of Winchester Enhances Campus Networking with Arista Switches for Improved Connectivity
Customer Company Size
Mid-size Company
Region
- Europe
Country
- United Kingdom
Product
- Arista 7000 Family Switches
- Arista EOS
Tech Stack
- 10 Gigabit Ethernet
- MLAG
- Virtual ARP
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Cost Savings
- Customer Satisfaction
- Productivity Improvements
Technology Category
- Networks & Connectivity - Ethernet
- Networks & Connectivity - Network Management & Analysis Software
Applicable Industries
- Education
Applicable Functions
- Facility Management
- Business Operation
Use Cases
- Remote Control
Services
- System Integration
About The Customer
The University of Winchester, located in the south east of England, is a vibrant center of higher education with a rich history dating back to 1840. It serves over 6,300 students and employs nearly 700 full-time staff, with an annual budget of £48.4 million. The university is organized into four faculties: arts; business, law, and sport; education, health, and social care; and humanities and social sciences. It operates on two campuses in the city center, the main King Alfred site and a second at West Downs. The university is known for its commitment to providing a high-quality educational experience, as evidenced by its ranking among the top five universities in the South East of England and the top 25 in England for overall student satisfaction. The university's open BYOD policy and extensive use of digital applications and services highlight its focus on leveraging technology to enhance the learning environment.
The Challenge
The University of Winchester faced a significant challenge in upgrading its campus network to handle the projected increase in data traffic over the next five years. The existing network infrastructure was limited to data streams of 1 gigabit per second, which was insufficient to meet the growing demands of students and staff. The university's open BYOD policy, the installation of next-generation wireless access points, and the support of over 240 applications, including Moodle and Microsoft Office 365, further exacerbated the need for a faster and more reliable network. Additionally, the network needed to be dynamic and flexible to accommodate the changing needs of academics and students across its two campuses.
The Solution
To address the network challenges, the University of Winchester turned to Arista Networks for a comprehensive solution. The university implemented Arista's high-performance switches, including three Arista 7050T and eight 7050S Series 10 Gigabit Ethernet switches, to boost network speed and allow for a more efficient network architecture. The Arista switches were chosen for their low power consumption, compact size, and familiar command line interface, which simplified day-to-day network management. The upgrade allowed the university to consolidate its network into a better Layer 3 topology, reducing the number of switches in the core and distribution layers and addressing port channeling limitations. Additionally, the support of MLAG and virtual ARP by Arista switches enabled the university to avoid redundant network links, optimizing the use of network assets. The deployment of Arista switches resulted in a ten-fold speed increase between core, distribution, and edge switches, with enhanced connectivity within the data center environment.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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