Decatur City Schools improves student engagement with new Aruba Wi-Fi and wired solutions to achieve excellence goals
用例：通过使用高性能，可靠和轻松部署的Wi-Fi和有线基础设施提高学生参与，提高教育结果，并使用基于云的管理节省时间和预算。
建立一个100%的大学和职业initiative launched a multifaceted teaching and learning transformation at Decatur City Schools in Alabama. The effort quickly led officials to determine the district’s existing wired and wireless environment couldn’t cope with the new demands.
“我们十年历史的遗产基础设施越来越缺乏绩效，”8700学生区技术监督员解释说，艾米莉·伊拉姆解释说。“除了我们现有的1：1举行的第四年级，我们还计划在我们两个新的高中使用Chromebook每九个第12层年级学生提供每一次9. 12年级学生。随着需求和设备密度不断增长，我们显然需要一个基础设施刷新。“
积极的经验导致阿鲁巴拥抱
To begin, Decatur evaluated whether to update its existing solution or seek another option. Elam’s familiarity with Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, from her previous district tipped the scales.
我们肯定会实现我们有线和Wi-Fi基础设施现代化的价值。我们信用阿鲁巴，成为一个特殊的伴侣，使其发生。Emily Elam,德国城市学校技术监督员
伊拉姆说：“我在我的前地区举行了惠普的伟大经验，在那里有很少有网络设备问题，并不意味着维修昂贵的维修。”“这使得Aruba所有权是纳税人资金的好管家的成本效益。我们还使用Aruba Clearpass进行基于策略的访问控制，我们的经验与它同样积极。“
Although Elam was confident about Aruba, Decatur’s network administrator was initially concerned, being heavily invested in the incumbent. “Fortunately, the more he learned about Aruba’s product quality, intuitive interface, ease of configuration and extensive support resources, he became excited about making the leap,” says Elam. “We’ve never looked back.”
阿鲁巴Infrastructure + Central = Long-Term Connectivity Gains
In collaboration with Aruba representatives, Decatur began a multi-year update to coincide with the availability of E-rate grants. This included high-performance Aruba Access Points, in Instant mode (IAPs), and access switches along with cloud-based Aruba Central, for network management and operations.
“除了解决我们的短期需求外，设置还提供了随着时间的推移发展我们网络的灵活性，”Elam说。“阿鲁巴的展示记录为提供有效且有效的途径，以便将其顺利过渡到最新技术，因为它们是必要的，是一个大的加号。”
该区还部署了Aruba的移动控制器，通过VPN隧道返回数据中心来创建访客网络。“我们的教师和工作人员需要出于各种原因访问手机，特别是在紧急情况下，”Elam说。“将IAP与VPN结合起来使我们能够为这些Byod设备提供连接。”
阿鲁巴中央reduces networking complexity and costs
鉴于Decatur的超强IT人员，官员特别吸引Aruba Central的特色和成本效率。
“Among its advantages, Aruba Central eliminated the need for an on-site server and associated costs,” says Elam. “This also avoided inherent server administration and update tasks, which helps relieve an already challenging goal to keep up with all of our technology needs and requests.”
From cost savings to IT productivity
更重要的是，中央供应丰富的其他属性。“例如，通过我们的旧系统，配置和更新网络设置繁琐，”Decatur网络管理员Gary Cloer说。“中央不仅简化了这些过程，它也很容易直观地使用。”
无干扰微调C是另一个功能loer values. “Previously, updating network configurations required taking Wi-Fi offline for several hours as our old system was overly complicated to administer,” Cloer says. “Using Central, making needed changes takes seconds.”
Overall, Cloer appreciates the concise view of each IAP, how they are performing and the clients connected to them. “This gives us visibility into whether any adjustments are needed as utilization patterns change,” he says. “Having such a powerful and intuitive tool frees my time to focus on other critical projects.”
Switching Innovations Future-Proof Wired Investments
On the wired side, Aruba’s switches are answering multiple near and long-term needs. “For example, we purchased some of our switches with general fund resources to enable deploying a variety of IoT systems,” says Elam.
她说，这使得Decatur能够运行当前的IOT解决方案，例如安全摄像机，门锁，对讲机和电话，在没有任何拥塞的有线网络上，没有任何拥塞。此外，Decatur的有线网络现在是未来的，以支持它们的新要求。
“阿鲁巴的高功率PoE交换机端口和多千兆以太网功能为我们提供了我们今天所需要的功能，”她解释说。“在未来，我们可以轻松利用Aruba建设到其访问交换机的许多能力。”
阿鲁巴ClearPass – Unified Wired and Wi-Fi policies
Decatur is also anticipating rewards from unifying Wi-Fi and wired access by deploying ClearPass. This will supply the district with one system that works to authenticate students, teachers, staff and guests, saving time and addressing security needs.
“We appreciate the granular visibility and enhanced security ClearPass will give us with respect to who and what is connecting to our network,” says Elam. “We’ll also have improved control over bandwidth utilization, which is particularly critical to managing guest and Internet traffic effectively.”
Putting colorless ports and dynamic segmentation to work
地平线上的其他项目包括利用阿鲁巴交换机内的无色端口和动态分割功能。
前者使交换机端口能够自动使用从清除通道提供的信息，以及关于连接设备，以确定它是否是用于自动分配适当的访问权限的摄像机或HVAC传感器。这消除了手动端口配置任务。
Similarly, Dynamic Segmentation leverages ClearPass to micro-segment traffic using district-defined rules to increase data security as information travels across a network.
Enabling New Offerings while Exceeding Exceptions and Goals
凭借其新的网络提供现代基础设施基础，衰变的优势迅速加起来。“当你开设两所新学校时，每次约有2500名学生的新设备和新的Chromebooks，期望运行很高，”Elam说。
“All of the cloud applications at our high schools – Google Classroom, Canvas learning management and online textbooks – depend on a reliable experience,” she continues. “Our new wired and wireless infrastructure is enabling us to exceed our students, teachers and staff expectations.”
Esports team takes the lead
In addition to powering classroom systems, high-performance Wi-Fi is opening doors to new options for engaging students. One of them is supporting an Esports team, complete with college scholarship opportunities.
“阿拉巴马州制裁三个竞技场，其中我们参加了联盟的联盟，”伊拉姆说。“带宽和性能要求非常高，因此必须稳定，因为高等教育奖学金在线。我们的阿鲁巴Wi-Fi让我们信心鼓励学生参加和获胜。“
Academic outcomes abound
最重要的是，ELAM报告称，Decatur超越其卓越目标。两项重大措施减少了缺勤和毕业率更高。
“By enhancing student engagement we hoped to see a three percent decline in absenteeism,” she says. “Instead, absenteeism dropped by 14 percent, which is tremendous.”
For graduation rates, the target was a two percent increase. “We’re on track to exceed that goal as well,” Elam says. “We’re very pleased with how far we’ve moved the needle, especially considering the challenged demographics of our district.”
“我们肯定会意识到从我们的基础设施现代化的价值，”她补充道。“我们信誉阿鲁巴，成为一个特殊的伴侣，以实现它。”
