UoB sets up campus-wide WiFi network

Manama : University of Bahrain (UoB) has implemented a state-of-the-art wireless network infrastructure, which provides high performance connectivity for over 26,000 students and 1,800 staff.

“We wanted our staff and students to take advantage of the mobility revolution as our goal is to transform into a digital university. A high performance Wi-Fi network would be fundamental to this vision,” said Attiya, Director of  IT Centre, University of Bahrain.

With a campus that sprawls over 5 sq. km and up to 10,000 simultaneous users, high-density, security, ease of installation and configuration, and rapid troubleshooting were the key requirements for success, according to the University.

One of the biggest challenges during deployment was the sheer scale of the project. Over 80 buildings had to be included and access to these could be hampered by security policies, university operational hours and other such factors.

The Wi-Fi network is provided by Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company while Kanoo IT (a division of E. K. Kanoo Group), Aruba’s integration partner in the Kingdom, implemented the project.

Aruba’s 7,200 series mobility controllers allowed the University’s engineering teams to simply install the APs as per their convenience, while the IT team could then remotely manage the set-up and configuration.

“At the time of our Wi-Fi overhaul, we also upgraded our core network with switches from a different technology vendor. However, the integration was seamless,” said Attiya.

An immediate benefit has been the improvement in data transfer speeds and the ability of each AP to handle a high-density of simultaneous connections. 

Alabdi, Head of Information Networks Division – IT Centre, University of Bahrain said, “We offer a unique mobile app for student registration and during this academic year, we have up to 600 students in one particular area. ”

Security has been another key area that Aruba’s solution has managed to address. 

Furthermore, the solution easily integrates with other security devices in our environment,” said Alabdi.

With the first phase of the upgrade successfully completed, 70 per cent of UOB’s campus now enjoys Wi-Fi coverage, he pointed out. 

“Our plan is to extend this coverage in phases based on the requirements of the various departments within the campus. With the continued support from Aruba and Kanoo IT, we look forward to expanding our network infrastructure, allowing it to match the growth and usage within the University,” he added.

Alabdi also said that over the next two years, they will install up to 400 outdoor access points.