Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board Transforms Digital Learning with Extreme
Published: October 30, 2024
The Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board (SMCDSB) serves more than 25,000 students across 40 schools. SMCDSB needed a wireless solution that could support the growing demand for bandwidth in the classroom without sacrificing security or adding complexity to the network. With the help of Extreme Networks, SMCDSB deployed a unified, high-performance network including 1,800 wireless access points, all managed through ExtremeCloud IQ.
With the new wireless network in place, SMCDSB’s IT team saw a reduction in the time spent managing and troubleshooting network issues and instead were able to focus on more strategic initiatives. Student privacy and safety online is top priority for the district, which improved its security posture with ExtremeCloud IQ and created a foundation for success in adjusting to future government regulation focused on safety in schools.
The success of the project is attributed to the strong partnership between SMCDSB and Extreme Networks. The district now enjoys a reliable and secure network that supports the needs of students, teachers, and administrative staff. The enhanced network infrastructure has not only improved the digital learning experience but also enabled more efficient network management, allowing the IT team to focus on strategic initiatives rather than troubleshooting issues.
“The upgrade to ExtremeCloud IQ was so easy. It was one of the easiest implementations that we've ever done. You would think the uplift from all these physical access points connecting to a physical on-prem server would be a nightmare. But it was super easy.”
Challenges
- Spotty wireless coverage that caused connectivity issues.
- Proliferation of connected devices created a high-density environment that the old network could not handle efficiently.
- Managing a fragmented network with multiple on-premises servers was time-consuming and prone to errors.
- Enhanced security posture needed to protect student and staff data.
Extreme Solutions
- Extreme Wireless
- ExtremeCloud IQ
Results
- The ExtremeCloud IQ platform simplifies network management, allowing IT staff to quickly identify and resolve issues.
- Advanced security features in Extreme Wireless protect sensitive data and ensure compliance with provincial regulations.
- Students and teachers enjoy a reliable and fast network, enhancing the digital learning experience.