Off-campus buildings are connected to the Core Network in various ways depending on their location and distance from campus, including:
- Fiber Optic Connections (Preferred, where available)
Where available or when higher bandwidth and speed are needed, ITS works with units to install fiber optic connections. Fiber connections provide up to a 100 Gbps connection. - Commercial Internet provider (Alternate solution if location requires)
Where fiber is unavailable, ITS can assist units in working with outside vendors (e.g., XFinity, AT&T, etc.) to coordinate a residential/business level connection for their off campus location. ITS Infrastructure Project Managers help units order and design the vendor solution, as well as providing overlay components to the vendor service to secure and optimize unit connections. ITS is also working with outside vendors to develop campus level contracts for these types of services.
Note: Fixed wireless connections have provided connectivity to the campus Core Network from some off campus locations for a number of years. ITS has determined that this technology is no longer suitable for long term connectivity and is sunsetting this service effective immediately. ITS may continue to install fixed wireless links to meet short term needs. What this means is: new requests for connections will be serviced by either new fiber installations or by a 3rd party ISP; existing fixed wireless connections will continue to be serviced until the products reach end of life. When the product is nearing end of life an ITS project manager will work with the unit to find an appropriate alternative.