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Leeds Beckett University Among First Universities in the UK to Deploy Wi-Fi 6

Published 18 Feb 2020

Leeds Beckett University Among First Universities in the UK to Deploy Wi-Fi 6

Leading Uni Modernises Infrastructure with Extreme Networks’ Campus and Edge Networking Solutions

Updated Wired and Wireless Network Improves Student Engagement, Supports Expansion, and Delivers a Powerful User Experience

San Jose, CALIF and READING, UK, February 18, 2020 –Extreme Networks (Nasdaq: EXTR), a cloud-driven networking company, today announced that Leeds Beckett University is deploying its campus networking solutions and Wi-Fi 6 technology across 85 buildings and its sports facilities. Leeds Beckett is one of the first universities in the UK to deploy Wi-Fi 6. The deployment is part of a planned £200 million investment in campus developments over the next five years to support digital transformation initiatives, deliver a modernised student experience, improve engagement, and drive attainment for its 28,000 students and 2,900 staff.

To help achieve student-focused digital transformation, Extreme  designed a tailored network infrastructure underpinned by Extreme Elements™, including Extreme Management Center™ software, Extreme Fabric Connect™ technology, ExtremeWireless™ Wi-Fi 6 access points and Extreme Switching™ products. Over 2,000 ExtremeWireless Wi-Fi 6 access points will also be rolled out over the next 12 months. The bespoke network empowers remote access from anywhere on campus and provides increased network capacity, security, and compliance whilst helping to unlock new efficiencies.

Specific new capabilities include:

  • Optimum Performance with Wi-Fi 6: ExtremeWireless Wi-Fi 6 solutions provide greater flexibility and increased bandwidth to support more devices, including IoT devices, and advanced immersive applications. Purpose-built for challenging physical environments, the access points ensure seamless, secure Wi-Fi connectivity that can perform up to 40 percent faster than the previous Wi-Fi 5 standard, and stronger connections for real-time social media sharing, video streaming, and mobile app usage.
  • Real-time Automated Control of Network Traffic: Extreme Management Center software provides a path to real-time, automated, end-to-end visibility and control of the network. By utilising automation to offload routine, traditionally manual, tasks, Leeds Beckett can unlock efficiencies in its day-to-day operations, reduce costs, and improve performance across its campus.
  • Advanced Edge Network Services: ExtremeSwitching allows Leeds Beckett to extend virtual network services to the network edge, collapse multiple network layers into a single logical services architecture, and create a centralised point of control. These edge network services have created a scalable, cost-efficient network that can support thousands of extended remote ports.
  • Networking Simplicity: Extreme Fabric Connect takes the complexity out networking, empowering Leeds Beckett with a single, next-generation technology to help optimise system availability, incorporate system and service resilience, and enhance network visibility. This makes it possible to sustain a far more robust and resilient network than competitive alternatives, which can also be quickly and easily scaled with the addition of new services.
  • Operational Efficiency and Security: Extreme’s fabric technology allows the institution’s IT Service to stretch the fabric to the edge and across campuses, providing roaming capabilities for staff that make their jobs easier and simplifies the delivery of services for their technical team. Furthermore, the Extreme technology stack allows for the logical and physical separation of consumer IoT technologies (with their associated inherent risks), from its corporate technologies and information assets that need to be appropriately secured and protected.

These capabilities complement existing digital transformation initiatives at Leeds Beckett, all of which underpin the university’s mission to be an excellent, accessible, globally engaged university. The new bespoke network architecture, featuring Extreme Fabric Connect, the latest Extreme Management Center tools and Wi-Fi 6, not only delivers the right technology fit, competitive TCO and reliability today, but future-proofs to satisfy the scaling demands of its student body.

Executive Perspectives

John Morrison, Senior Vice President of International Sales, Extreme Networks

“Student expectations are higher than ever before and educational institutions like Leeds Beckett are putting important digital transformation strategies into action. The next-generation network infrastructure we are delivering sets an incredibly high benchmark and is one every university should strive for. By putting the student experience first, and building a tailored solution to support that, Leeds Beckett now has a robust, flexible, and resilient network that can scale to meet the ever-accelerating needs on its campus from staff, visitors, and students.”

 

Dr Basem El-Haddadeh – Director IT Services, Leeds Beckett University

“Our network infrastructure is the lifeblood of our organisation and represents an important enabler for digital transformation. Putting Wi-Fi 6 at the heart of our revitalised network architecture will have a profound and positive effect on our Wi-Fi enabled communications, whilst Extreme Fabric Connect empowers us with an advanced and powerful network that can scale as we do. Both demonstrate our commitment to investing in next-generation solutions that will support our vision of using technology to deliver improved student engagement, retention and attainment.”

 

Additional Resources

 

About Extreme Networks

Extreme Networks, Inc. (EXTR) is the industry’s first cloud-driven, end-to-end enterprise networking company. Our best-of-breed technology solutions, from the wireless and IoT edge to the data center, are flexible, agile, and secure to accelerate the digital transformation of our customers and provide them with the fastest path to the autonomous enterprise. Our 100% in-sourced services and support are number one in the industry. Even with 50,000 customers globally, including half of the Fortune 50 and some of the world’s leading names in business, hospitality, retail, transportation and logistics, education, government, healthcare, and manufacturing, we remain nimble and responsive to ensure customer and partner success. We call this Customer-Driven Networking™. Founded in 1996, Extreme is headquartered in San Jose, California. For more information, visit Extreme’s website or call 1-888-257-3000. 

Extreme Networks, the Extreme Networks logo, Extreme Elements™, Extreme Management Center™, Extreme Fabric Connect™ , ExtremeWireless™ and Extreme Switching™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of Extreme Networks, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Other trademarks shown herein are the property of their respective owners.

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Media Contacts

Miryam Quiroz Cortez (EMEA)

+44 11 8334 4216

PR@extremenetworks.com

 

Marlin PR (UK)

+44 207 932 5580

extremen@marlinpr.com