NPTF Wireless Discussion

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NPTF Wireless Discussion
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Agenda

• Goals
• Strategy
• Current status
• Future plans
• Challenges
• Options

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Goals

• To meet the wireless needs of the Penn community
  for schools and centers inside and outside and
  public space both inside and outside.
• To have a common authentication approach with
  strong security and ease of administration.
• To have seamless roaming from one wireless LAN to
  another.
• To determine a sustainable funding model for
  one-time and all ongoing operational expenses.

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Strategy

• Adopt a phased approach.
• Allow technologies to mature.
• Find a secure, scalable and cost-effective design
  choice.
• Determine a funding model.
• Allow outside service providers offerings to
  mature to provide us with potential alternatives
  to PennNet wireless service.

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Current Status (Phase One)

• FY 01-02
• Small, school-sponsored pilots
• Schools paying for their locations
• Mostly MAC address authentication

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Current Status (Phase One)
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Current Status (Phase Two)

• FY 03
• Wider school and center-sponsored deployments
• Pilots for central authentication technologies
  using PennKey
• University Square
• College Houses
• Houston Hall
• Determine a sustainable funding model in
  conjunction with NPTF for public spaces

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Wireless - Phase Two
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Wireless What Were Learning From the Pilots

• University Square
• Not much valuable data due to low usage
  attributable to bad weather in October
  November.
• College Houses (HH)
• Again, not much data. Vendor technical problems
  have resulted in not wanting to advertise the
  service widely by College House staff.
• Houston Hall
• Service activated within the last 10 days.

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Wireless What Were Learning From the Pilots
(Continued)

• Some progress being made on vendor related
  technical issues with authentication device.
• Auto logout not working
• Network management and monitoring not working
• DHCP lease problems
• Some OS/client connection problems
• Fledgling market offers few vendor alternatives
  at this time
• We expect to have an operational service in late
  June

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Future Plans (Phase Three)

• FY 04
• Operational central authentication deployments
• Van Pelt Library
• Wharton
• Conversion of existing MAC address locations to
  central authentication with PennKey using
  school/center funding.
• Staged school/center funded deployments.
• More public space deployments
• FY 05 and beyond
• Seamless roaming from one wireless LAN to
  another.
• Campus-wide deployments including public spaces.

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Challenges Where Will the Money Come From?

• ISC will work with NPTF to determine key public
  spaces in which wireless should be deployed.
• College Green
• College Houses
• Sponsors need be identified to make these key
  public deployments happen.

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College Green Costs (Est. 5 APs)
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College Green Costs (Est. 5 APs)
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Outsourcing Option

• We could completely outsource our public space
  areas to 3rd party providers.
• Some cellular service providers are beginning to
  bundle voice and wireless LAN services.
  (Sprint, Nextel)
• Support challenges could exist with a mixed
  wireless environment caused by users being able
  to use subscription service in some areas on
  campus and non-subscription wireless
  (school-funded deployments) in others.