Building an effective ICT infrastructure for E-Learning at WSU

eLearning ConferenceNovember 4, 2009

C. Walker, ICT Director

Agenda

• E-Learning Requirements• Network Types• WSU situation• Strategy• Network Architecture• Summary

E-Learning Requirements

• Typically E-learning Systems have the following requirements– Many users(students) need access simultaneously– Multimedia content such as video and voice– Real-time access (live online presentation)– Integration with ERP– Rapid Growth of Data

Network TypesTypes Cost Typical Speed Technology

LAN Access Lowest 10-100Mbps •Ethernet over Copper Cable •Ethernet over Radio (Wireless Access)

Campus Backbone Low 1Gbps - 10Gbps Ethernet over Fibre

Metro Backbone Normal <=100Mbps •Low range, High Speed Data Radio•Metro Ethernet over Fibre

WAN Backbone High <=10Mbps Telecom Carrier Technologies using MW Radios, Fibre and Copper

Special Networks

• SEACOM– Provides through TENET low cost, high speed

Internet to universities through Oceanic Fibres from South East Africa to Europe

• SANREN– Provides High Speed National Backbone that

connects Universities and Research centres together that allow access to super computers as well as the medium for SEACOM

WSU Situation• Four Campuses separated by large distances • Buffalo Campus consists of mostly small sites

scattered in East London, Potsdam and Chiselhurst

• Many Health Resource Centres and small offices scattered throughout Eastern Cape

• Main Sites NMD, IBIKA, Queenstown and Potsdam located where Public Telecommunication Infrastructure is poor compared with East London and other major South Africa cities.

Typical University

One Campus One Physical Location

Simple

WSUComplex Opportunity

GoalBuild a cost effective consolidated Data Network that will lower the overall cost of running separate networks whilst providing reliable and effective services

WSU ICT Strategy 1/2

Data Network • Establish Main Hub in East London to enable best connection to

SANREN and SEACOM and best connections to other sites.• Establish Wireless Metropolitan Network in East London to connect

the multiple Buffalo City sites together.• Establish DR site in EL• Establish High Availability to the major sites (IBIKA and NMD)• Build Gigabit LAN Backbones at all sites.• Use 2Mbps Telkom Diginet for WAN links where there is no Fibre

infrastructure• Use dedicated Neotel Metro Ethernet Links (<= 10Mbps) to connect

to large and critical sites • Use TENET ADSL for small remote sites. • Explore Wireless Access for students in 2010

WSU ICT Strategy 2/2

Services• Virtualised Server & Consolidated Storage

– Fast Provision of services – Disaster Recovery

• Identity Management System– Provides Single Sign-on for all applications

• Quality of service– Provide different priorities to different applications, users, or data flows– Guarantee a certain level of performance to a data flow.

• Security Fortification– Prevent all kinds of denial of service attacks – enforce access policies

• WAN acceleration – using Cisco WAAS at the major sites

WSU Network Architecture

Summary• QOS to ensure excellent performance of any

eLearning System• Security Fortification to prevent DOS and other

intrusions. • Use of Cisco WAAS to improve the performance

at the large sites. • Storage and Server Consolidation to improve the

provision of new services• Consolidation of Telecommunication and Internet

Links to reduce costs whilst delivering improved network performance

Thank You