Cloud-Managed Wireless Enhances Student Experience at Kenosha Unified School District
Published: July 10, 2024
Located in Wisconsin, Kenosha Unified School District (KUSD) is an expansive educational network encompassing more than 40 public schools and learning facilities. Serving 20,000 students, the district is dedicated to providing a rich, resource-filled learning environment with the help of nearly 4,000 faculty and staff members. The district operates a complex infrastructure with around 30,000 devices needing to be supported by the wireless network. With a limited budget and staffing resources, KUSD sought a partnership that could not only enhance their connectivity but also streamline network management and improve overall efficiency.
Challenges
- Real-time Troubleshooting: KUSD needed the capability to monitor and resolve network issues as they occurred, rather than retrospectively, to minimize disruption.
- Limited Budget and Staffing: Operating with financial constraints and a small IT team, the district required a solution that could optimize existing resources and reduce the need for extensive staff intervention.
- Network Management Bottlenecks: The district faced difficulties in managing a vast number of devices across multiple locations, necessitating a more streamlined and efficient management system.
- Network Migration: KUSD needed to move off its WiNG wireless network and on to a cloud-managed network managed by ExtremeCloud IQ.
"One of the challenges was when we were having issues, we needed to see the problem happening in real time as opposed to going back in time. This ability to troubleshoot in real-time is huge for us."
Extreme Solutions
- Extreme Wireless
- ExtremeCloud IQ
Results
- Real-Time Troubleshooting: The ability to monitor and address network issues as they occurred, rather than retrospectively, significantly improved problem resolution times.
- Improved Efficiency: The time required to evaluate and resolve network cases was drastically reduced, allowing teachers to return to teaching and students to continue learning with minimal disruption.
- Cost Savings: By converting existing APs into cloud-managed devices, the district saved hundreds of thousands of dollars, enabling more efficient budget allocation.
- Future-Proofing: With the deployment of tri-band radios supporting 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and future 6 GHz devices, KUSD ensured their network was prepared for upcoming technological advancements.
- Enhanced Learning: The new network capabilities supported personalized learning experiences, including VR headsets for visual learners and special education students, broadening the scope of educational tools available to students and staff.
"Extreme's technology allows us to deploy a new system, manage the spectrum the way we need to provide that jitter-free experience, and introduce new specifications like Wi-Fi 6E in a non-disruptive way."