| Managed solutions and IP networking provider NetStar Australia, will deploy a $7
million IP network for Swinburne University by the end of 2005. The project will see
a complete communications infrastructure overhaul across the university’s six
Victorian campuses, with over 18,000 endpoints and 4,000 IP screen phones.
Utilising a Cisco IP Solution the network will combine voice, data and video as well as
Unified Messaging capability. Swinburne University CIO and IT Director Richard
Constantine estimates that the new infrastructure will result in over $900,000 in cost
savings.
“Swinburne was a pioneer in trialing IP telephony four years ago and we understand
benefits that it can deliver. The new infrastructure will enable us to carry out our
business more efficiently, address our organisational needs and achieve our goals
over the coming years,” he said.
VOIP TO REDUCE COSTS
One of the main drivers to implement IP telephony was to reduce the costs
associated with improving and maintaining Swinburne’s existing PABX infrastructure.
“We will also benefit from reduced costs in refurbishing old buildings or fitting out
new ones through installing one cable as opposed to separate voice and data lines,”
he added.
The new IP infrastructure will also enable to University to undertake several new
initiatives, such as implementing a new student administration system and
participating in sophisticated research projects with outside partners that were not
previously possible. It will also meet the University’s growing band-width demands.
“The University experiences a high level of organic growth each year and we were
having to spend increasing amounts on upgrades to support this. The new
infrastructure provides plenty of room for growth,” Constantine said.
Swinburne has one of the largest existing Cisco Wireless Networks in Australia, with
over 400 wireless base stations. |
