Residential Networking at Northwestern, Three's a Charm

Name: Lida Miller

Institution: Northwestern University

E-mail Address: lida@nwu.edu

Title of Presentation: Residential Networking at Northwestern, Three's a Charm

Format: Paper Presentation

Suggested Audience: Technical Support Staff, ResNet Coordinators, Help Desk Managers, Trainers

Presentation Outcome:

1. See the ResNet Big Picture

2. Shift Perspective from Initial Set-Up to Fall Start-Up

3. Scale Current Support Structure to incorporate ResNet

Presentation Content:

Northwestern has entered its third year of having all residence halls networked. We have survived the cyclone of change generated by adding 3400 users to the on-campus network on an annual basis. Our undergrads have taken to ResNet like ducks to water with 66% of them connecting via a port-per-pillow 10BaseT ethernet. The initial ResNet startup required much infrastructure planing. The focus of this presentation will be the care and feeding of a few thousand networked users and the carnival ride we have all been on. From the setting of computer and ethernet purchasing guidelines, to the creation of email accounts, to the delights of TCP/IP, BootP & DHCP configuration, to empowering a team of Residential Networking Consultants (ResCons) to take with you on the ride, to the custom NU Internet Software Installers, and last but not least to training a few thousand new users on how to use what you have put at their fingertips, we will take you with us inside the ResNet cyclone t has kept us spinning for the past three years.