Network Tester Finds a Home in the Student Resident Halls
Company Size
1,000+
Region
- America
Country
- United States
Product
- LinkSprinter™
Tech Stack
- Network Testing
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Productivity Improvements
Technology Category
- Networks & Connectivity - Network Management & Analysis Software
Applicable Industries
- Education
Services
- System Integration
About The Customer
Valparaiso University is a private university located in Valparaiso, Indiana, United States. The university has a strong focus on providing a high-quality education to its students, and as part of this commitment, it has implemented a 'one port per pillow' policy. This policy ensures that each student in the dorms has access to at least one working Ethernet jack, in addition to Wi-Fi access. The university has over 5,000 users at any one time and more than 10,000 network drops across 44 buildings. Every summer, the university conducts a network validation process to ensure that all Ethernet ports are working correctly. This process is carried out by student 'IT Pros in training' who test each individual port throughout the five dorms across campus.
The Challenge
Valparaiso University, located in Indiana, has a policy of 'one port per pillow' which ensures that each student in the dorms has access to at least one working Ethernet jack, in addition to Wi-Fi access. This requires the university to conduct network validation every summer. The previous process for this project was cumbersome and inefficient. The student testers had to carry around bulky laptops to every single port, plug into the drop, run various tests, and annotate the results either in a spreadsheet or by hand on a form. The laptops were not ideal for this type of work due to their size, weight, cost, and potential for damage. Furthermore, each laptop’s battery lasted only a few hours and needed re-charging at least once a day. The testing process itself was time-consuming, taking anywhere from 1-3 minutes per port.
The Solution
Jason Kellerman, the IT manager at Valparaiso University, found the LinkSprinter Network Tester through an online search and decided to use it for the network validation process. The LinkSprinter was a better tester for Valparaiso University because of its smaller size, faster testing, and reliable results. The students could take the LinkSprinter anywhere due to its compact size. The LinkSprinter allowed the student testers to complete a full test in just 10 seconds, an improvement that allowed Jason’s team to cut the project timeline down from the usual month-long process to just one week. LinkSprinter was also easier to use for non-network-savvy students. It provided consistent network information for each test that Jason could count on when he needed to fix faulty ports. If an issue emerged during testing, the cloud storage of test details enabled Jason to filter the results and quickly see where in the network the problems occurred. With that information, he could quickly decide the next steps to ensure every student coming back in the fall had a functioning port.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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