09/04/2012
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria is Building a Campus Fibre Network with 10 Gigabit Ethernet Solutions from Cisco , Deployed by MEED Networks
Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Kaduna State, the foremost University situated in the northern region of Nigeria, has selected MEED Networks, one of Cisco’s certified partners, to build the most sophisticated campus networks in Nigeria with Gigabit Ethernet solutions from Cisco Systems®. Prior to this, ABU has been running primarily on a wireless infrastructure which did not scale well to match the growing demands of the university. This coupled with the unique geographical terrain of Zaria has prompted the decision on the part of the university management.
The Turnkey optic fibre based campus network, linking the three major campuses Shika, Samaru and Kongo on an intercampus 10GB scalable backbone with 65+ locations having a minimum of 2GB uplink connectivity comprising of the faculties, halls of residence, digital laboratories and libraries.
The new infrastructure will enable ABU to deliver high-speed Internet and intranet access to its 40,000+ students and staff respectively in its campuses in Zaria, and will enable the university to facilitate e-learning, online applications and multimedia communication services for staff and students.
With the objective of building an infrastructure capable of creating a world-class e-learning environment and to cope with a fast-growing staff and student population, ABU opted for a company that had the technical expertise and a network platform that was reliable, scalable, and could accommodate future technology advancements. The network will support the convergence of storage, data and multimedia at consistent speeds.
As a university that prides itself on academic excellence and the development of the next generation of technology-leaders for Nigeria, it is important that we keep pace with advancements around the world. To become a world-class university, we need to provide world-class facilities with a highly dependable communications infrastructure. Haven explored the various technology options and companies in the network industry, we are very comfortable with the combination of product quality, customer service and technology leadership that MEED Networks and Cisco offered.
MEED Networks will also be leveraging its leased national fibre network capacity, to provide the university access to low latency broadband Internet, an upgrade from their previous VSAT-based service, as well as providing support and training for the institutions IT staff and students. ABU students studying IT-related courses will be given priority for industrial training in MEED Networks where they will have hands-on experience on next generation network solutions running on Cisco platform and Cisco certification exams thereafter.
"It is an honour for MEED Networks to be selected to build the most sophisticated campus networks in Nigeria. We are proud that ABU is playing an exemplary role in investing in technology and its future. We hope that other educational institutions will take heed and ensure technological advancement and promote the evolution of ICT in the country," said the Chief Executive Officer of MEED Networks.
