Aruba Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARUN), a leading provider of
next-generation network access solutions for the mobile enterprise,
today announced that Goddard Public Schools, a K-12 school district in
Goddard, Kansas, has deployed a unified wired and wireless access
network based on Aruba’s Mobile Virtual Enterprise (MOVE) architecture,
as well as Aruba’s ClearPass Access Management System for secure
provisioning of mobile devices on the network. The forward-thinking
district deployed Aruba’s wireless infrastructure and wired access
switches, replacing their existing Cisco equipment, to enable a
progressive, district-wide Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) initiative for
Goddard’s 765 faculty and staff and 5,500 students.
Despite a lack of existing models for K-12 BYOD initiatives, Goddard
Public Schools included BYOD as a key concept in the three-year plan it
submitted to the state of Kansas. The district’s forward-thinking
proposal was to enable staff, faculty and students to use a combination
of district-issued and personal mobile devices, with a primary goal of
offering more technology-centered learning that integrates the devices
into the classroom, and a long-term goal of cost savings.
Working with partner AT&T, Goddard began with a pilot deployment in
April 2012. Based on the success of that initial deployment, the
district quickly “ripped and replaced” all of its existing Cisco
wireless equipment with Aruba’s wireless infrastructure including Aruba
AP-135 and AP-105 access points, mobility controllers, the AirWave
Network Management System and ClearPass Access Management System. In
addition, Goddard moved wireless from its Cisco switches at the access
layer and added Aruba S2500 switches. Goddard also plans to use Aruba’s
AirGroup capability to make it easy for classrooms to use AppleTV
devices and Apple AirPrint across the network. The new unified wired and
wireless network covers the district’s twelve schools, five support and
administrative buildings, a separate facility that educates at-risk
students and the high schools’ gymnasiums, softball fields and football
stadiums.
The new WLAN currently supports 3,000 school-issued devices and 1,500
personal devices, but Goddard expects the mix to change as the district
encourages staff, faculty and students to use their personal devices in
the classrooms. At the high school and middle-school level, Goddard
expects that about 75% of the devices connecting to the network will
eventually be personal devices.
“By introducing BYOD into our schools we’re really experiencing a
paradigm shift – almost a ‘flip the classroom’ scenario – that will
transform the teaching and learning experience,” said Mitch Krueger,
Director of Technology, Goddard Public Schools. “We are moving away from
static labs towards a 1:1 environment with a hybrid of district-issued
and personal mobile devices, and we’re encouraging teachers to share how
they’ve used these devices, as well as specific applications, in the
classroom. The new Aruba network has been critical to enabling this
technology-centered learning environment.”
One of the unique aspects of the new network is how it allows Goddard’s
maintenance, building administration and District police department to
monitor and secure the schools. On the maintenance side, personnel use
iPads to connect to the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning)
server and administer remotely. Building administrators and District
police both have access to and can remotely monitor security cameras
throughout the school buildings using their mobile devices.
Using Aruba’s ClearPass system, Goddard began onboarding district-owned
devices in August 2013, providing these trusted devices with a secure
log-in and certificate. When students arrive to school with personal
devices, they will simply use their Active Directory log-in to become
part of the guest network.
Given the success of the deployment to date, Goddard is also looking to
extend wireless access into the community in popular spots like the
public library. Said Krueger, “Our neighboring community could certainly
benefit from the same type of BYOD program that we’ve enabled in our
school district. Our Aruba network allows us to deliver resources and
information quickly and efficiently to our schools. If we can enable
that kind of ‘right now’ access throughout the community, it’s a win for
everyone.”
About Aruba Networks, Inc.
Aruba Networks is a leading provider of next-generation network access
solutions for the mobile enterprise. The company’s Mobile Virtual
Enterprise (MOVE) architecture unifies wired and wireless network
infrastructures into one seamless access solution for corporate
headquarters, mobile business professionals, remote workers and guests.
This unified approach to access networks enables IT organizations and
users to securely address the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) phenomenon,
dramatically improving productivity and lowering capital and operational
costs.
Listed on the NASDAQ and Russell 2000® Index, Aruba is based in
Sunnyvale, California, and has operations throughout the Americas,
Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific regions. To learn more,
visit Aruba at http://www.arubanetworks.com.
For real-time news updates follow Aruba on Twitter
and Facebook,
and for the latest technical discussions on mobility and Aruba products
visit Airheads Social at http://community.arubanetworks.com.
© 2013 Aruba Networks, Inc. Aruba Networks’ trademarks include the
design mark for AirWave, Aruba Networks®, Aruba
Wireless Networks®, the registered Aruba the
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Management System®, Mobile Edge Architecture®,
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Copyright Business Wire 2013