The Campus-Wide Network


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The campus-wide network, including the physical cable plant and network communications, can be viewed as the "electronic glue" that binds our campus computing, communications and information resources and services together into a fully integrated system. Network communications will increase significantly in speed and become so ubiquitous that the transfer of useful/large volumes of information (sound and video) will be possible, and practical, for all campus users. However, to meet our campus computing and information goals and to effectively implement those strategies we have outlined in this plan, it is imperative that we continue to manage and maintain our campus-wide network to meet four criteria:
  1. ubiquitous access;
  2. satisfactory performance and responsiveness;
  3. support for important network technologies and services;
  4. maximum reliability and flexibility.

Access

On-Campus Access

 The demand for network access--in the classroom, the laboratory, the library, the residence, and the office (administrative and academic)--is driven by the applications, information and services that continue to expand on our local campus LAN and the "network universe". Within the next 3-5 years, it is our goal to provide complete, integrated access to all campus information services (voice, data, video and multi-media) in each classroom, laboratory, office and student residence on campus as well as ubiquitous access to data services within the library (perhaps relying upon wireless technology). There is also considerable interest in expanding this level of access to lobbies and foyers within campus buildings where information kiosks and multi-media connection points will be placed (to plug in special equipment for demonstrations, presentations and entertainment).

Goal:
To provide access to the campus network for voice, video and data services in every classroom, office, student room, lab and public-use area on campus.

Off-Campus Access

Access to our campus data network from off-campus is equally important, especially for faculty and non-resident students who need convenient off-campus access to the College's computing and information resources. It is expected that the most common, efficient method for providing this access over the next 3-5 years will be high-speed, dial-in modems. It will be necessary to expand our current dial-in modem pool and obtain the necessary communications hardware and software to support campus communication protocols, services and applications. For example, access to AppleTalk services requires an AppleTalk Remote Access (ARA) server; and, a SLIP/PPP server is required for TCP/IP. The modem pool will need to be continually balanced in terms of providing off-campus access to the different communication protocols (e.g., TCP/IP, AppleTalk, Novell IPX, LAT) and services.

Goals:



Performance

The perceived (and real) performance and responsiveness of our campus network is based upon several key factors--the design and management of its physical infrastructure (the wire/cable plant and electronic communication components), the capacity and speed of its communication links, and constant vigilance in monitoring traffic and balancing activity loads. For most users, the bottom line for performance is that they be able to effectively use the applications and services whenever they need them.

Physical Infrastructure

The physical infrastructure of our campus network consists of its voice, video and data cable plant and its physical segmentation and interconnectivity.

Cable plant

SUNY Potsdam's campus-wide network currently consists of three major cabling plants to support voice, video and data services: a coax cable plant (installed over 20 years ago) for television, a multi-mode fiber/twisted pair copper cable plant for telephone service, and a multi-mode fiber/twisted-pair/coax plant to support data communications and the future integration of voice, video and data.

Fiber connects each wiring closet in each building to one of two ChipCom hubs (see below under "Segmentation...") for data communications. Thinwire coax cable and unshielded twisted-pair wire connect each individual office and room, via a wall faceplate, to a wiring closet that serves a limited number of offices and rooms in close proximity. All fiber and coax cabling currently supports 10Mbs Ethernet communications standards. Our fiber plant, given current information about emerging standards for high-speed communications, should be capable of high-capacity, high-speed technologies such as ATM.

Our choice of future standards to adopt must continue to be flexible and well-researched. We cannot afford to adopt a cabling standard that does not have wide-spread acceptance or support, and is not flexible enough to adapt to changes in needs and technology.

Wireless technology offers great promise in addressing our network infrastructural needs. It will eliminate the need to install cabling in many locations not currently served by our campus network if the technology is able to achieve the speed and capacity required for high-quality, multi-media services. It is not clear at this time whether wireless technology is a reasonable approach to connect individual offices and student rooms to the network as well.

Goals:

Physical segmentation

How the data communication on the local campus network is segmented (divided) and interconnected is a major determinant in the network's overall performance. In order to avoid congestion and bottlenecks, it will be important to segregate highly active, local-only communications and networking activities from the rest of the campus network. This would not isolate users or services, but rather would keep local traffic restricted to the local network segment. A router or bridge connects the local segment to the rest of the campus network. When a service or contact is needed outside the local segment, a user should be able to identify it (e.g., via the CHOOSER) and connect to it as easily as if it were on the same local network segment.

Our campus-wide network should therefore be thought of as an internet--a network of local network segments, interconnected via a common network "backbone". The backbone network segment at SUNY Potsdam is based upon a collapsed-backbone design. All campus fiber is currently interconnected ("collapsed") on the backplane of two ChipCom hubs. One hub is located in Raymond Hall; the other is in Stowell Hall. This design allows us to take advantage of ChipCom's 3-channel communications design to further segment our network. It also provides the campus with the means to incorporate emerging high-speed communication standards (viz., ATM) to expand our network capacity and improve performance.

Goals:

Interconnectivity

To join a local network segment to the campus-wide network, a bridge or router must be used to make the physical and logical connection. A router allows us to further refine our segmentation through subnetting specific communication protocols (such as TCP/IP) and developing logical areas ("zones"). This gives us greater control over security and more options to adjust performance as well. AppleTalk and TCP/IP are the two primary data communication protocols currently routed on our campus network. While other protocols are used (e.g., DECnet, Novell IPX), their local usage rate is handled adequately without routing.

Goal:
To segregate local network segments with routers and bridges as necessary to maintain optimum performance for the entire campus network.

Off-campus Data Communication Link

The performance of our network as a gateway to off-campus data networks and services (e.g., the Library catalog and the national Internet) is largely determined by the capacity and speed of our data communication link to SUNYNet (our link to off-campus data communications). Our current configuration provides a single, dedicated T-1 line to SUNYNet. This connection link must be upgraded as our campus needs dictate and should be based upon current and projected usage.

Goals:


Network Monitoring and Management

To adequately manage our network for optimum performance, it will be necessary to continually monitor and analyze our voice, video and data traffic to make adjustments in our cable plant and network segmentation as necessary. This will require the use of network monitoring/analysis equipment and applications. For data, monitoring and analysis must include campus-supported communication protocols as well as raw data packets.

Goals:



Support for Important Network Services

SUNY Potsdam, despite its geographic distance from large metropolitan areas, will have the capability of providing a level of electronic access to valuable educational resources and services (e.g., research libraries, archives, databases, on-line services), comparable to the most prestigious institutions of higher education.


Voice Services

Telephony

While it is outside the scope of this current planning document to develop future strategies and plans for our current telephone system, it will be useful to note and plan for the eventual integration of the telephone and the personal computer. While it is not clear now what form or direction this technology will take, future plans for the expansion and upgrade of our campus telephone system must take this eventual development into consideration. It is conceivable that computers will become all-purpose communication devices which will replace the office phone. By working closely now with our telephony partner, AT&T, in the preparation of our plans, we will increase the probability that our future communication needs will be successfully met.

Goals:

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Voice-mail

Voice mail is very similar in function to our campus electronic mail system except that it is based entirely upon our new telephone system. Voice mail provides another time-independent means of interpersonal communication. You can leave a voice-mail message at any time for another person to listen to at any time. The primary strength of voice-mail is its availability via any standard touch-tone telephone in the world. However, it is limited in its efficiency by its voice/phone-pad interface. As this technology matures and is integrated with other information technologies, it will be possible to offer voice-mail along with the organizational management power and user-interface of the computer. The result should lead to improved communications and more productive use of our campus communication technologies and services.

Goal:
To fully integrate the voice-mail features of our new telephone system with other computer-based communication services (e.g., email, conferencing) and information technologies.

Video Services

Commercial television programming and SUNYSAT broadcasts are delivered via coax cable to virtually every classroom, student residence and study lounge on campus. Installed in the early 70's, the TV network was upgraded to a 300MHz bi-directional telecommunications network (Sytek) in the early 80's to support both data (low-speed asynchronous) and television. In the late 80's, the bi-directional telecommunication network was upgraded with a new SMAT (Small Master Antenna Television) system with a 21-channel head-end and six satellite dishes to support commercial and educational television, SUNYSAT programming and teleconferencing.

This technology no only offers the college community a number of television/video-based services that enhance the quality of campus life, it also provides the means for incorporating video with our campus information technology. This integration allows the campus to develop effective distance-learning projects and instructional programs. Rather than a passive, one-way broadcast of instructional material, this technology promises to support a highly-interactive environment between the student and teacher. It may very well broaden the market for courses offered by the College. As our local expertise in developing and delivering distance-learning programs improves, the campus may also discover markets for new services that would not be possible without the integration of video with our information technology resources and services (e.g., CWIS, collaboratively developed documents that are shared electronically).

Goals:


Data communication services

Data communication services are essential to the effective utilization of computing resources on our campus. They provide and support the interpersonal component of computing by which users can communicate directly with each other. These services also establish a critical link to other institutions by electronically eliminating the geographic isolation of our campus. But, to be utilized effectively, these services must be virtually transparent in operation and accessible by the campus as a whole.

The Internet

Access to the national Internet is one of our most vital network services and is essential to the success of our campus computing strategy. Our campus is currently connected to the Internet via a link to SUNYNet and that link is managed by SUNY Central's Information Technology office.

The Internet provides a variety of services with new applications and resources emerging almost daily. The new client/server-based applications (Gopher, Mosaic, etc.) are often the most widely and actively used because they aid the user in effectively navigating through the maze of information available on the Internet. As these services and resources grow in popularity and become a vital part of the daily academic and administrative activities on our campus, there will be considerable pressure to maintain connection to the Internet that adheres to our campus standards for networking: ubiquitous access, robust performance and reliability.

Goals:

BITNET

Only a few short years ago BITNET was described as, "...the single-most important off-campus service we maintain." The fact that our campus must now evaluate whether to maintain its membership with CREN (the organization that manages BITNET) merely reflects the rapid changes occurring in the communications industry and in network technology and services. CREN has recently proposed to its membership that it provide value-added, client services for using the Internet. While there is a considerable amount of current discussion about the role CREN plays in higher education, Potsdam's membership should be based upon the value of BITNET services to our campus.

Goals:

Electronic mail (Email)

Electronic mail (Email) provides the campus with a private medium for exchanging messages between individuals and/or groups. Our current campus email system is designed with a single mail hub that routes all incoming and outgoing email messages using the Internet email addressing standard (SMTP).

Goals:

Conferencing, information sharing and other public communication services

Providing effective communications services must include public and group-oriented communications as well as private communication. It should be possible for faculty, staff and students to collaborate easily amongst themselves or with off-campus colleagues on instructional assignments, research, reports, and other projects that rely upon information sharing. There are a variety of applications and features which support this form of communication (e.g., voice-mail, electronic conferencing, LISTSERVs, NOTES(TM), bulletin boards and netnews groups). As a "well-connected" campus, it will be important to offer the ability to include individuals and organizations around the world in our day-to-day, working definition of "group."

Public and group-oriented communications must also accommodate the sharing of information on a point-to-point, as well as on a host/server, basis. All users should have the capability to exchange and share information as easily as they use that information on their own personal computers. This capability should include peer-to-peer networking (e.g., setting up "drop" boxes and shared folders/directories) and interactive collaboration using screen sharing technology (e.g., Timbuktu).

Goals:



Reliability

The quality of our campus information resources and services can be enhanced or diminished by the reliability of our underlying technological infrastructure. A reliable system gives confidence to users that they will be able to accomplish what they need to when they need to; an unreliable system creates frustration, reduces productivity and diminishes the College's reputation for quality and technological leadership. While it is usually clear to users when the system is working and when it is not, what constitutes a "reliable system" is relative to users' perceptions which are influenced by the urgency of their work. Some reliability factors are under the control of the campus, and some are not, such as our connection link to SUNYNet and SUNYNet's connection to the Internet. Many, if not all, of those factors under local campus control (the physical infrastructure, servers, printers, etc.) can be fixed by campus technicians. Other components of our campus system that cannot be fixed locally should be covered by maintenance contracts.

Issues and questions about the quality and reliability of our network might best be addressed by a network advisory committee which could provide guidance to those responsible on such issues as acceptable levels of "down time" and response times to problems after normal business hours (evenings, weekends, holidays).

Goals:




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This document prepared by Robert Jewett. Email: (jewettrj@potsdam.edu).