Home 2010-2011 Desktop Network Upgrade Project

2010-2011 Desktop Network Upgrade

Project Overview

USF Information Technology Communications received one-time funding through various sources to upgrade the wired network infrastructure in several buildings on the Tampa campus. These upgrades are another step step in replacing the roughly 40% of USF's infrastructure which is, in some cases, over 10 years old.

The upgrades will deliver gigabit connectivity to desktops, 10 gigabit building uplinks, and provide ITC with advanced switch management and security features which were not available in the legacy hardware currently deployed. These upgrades are also the first step to delivering advanced telephony services over the data network.

Affected Buildings

Over the next couple of months, ITC will replace all of the wired network infrastructure in the following buildings:

  • HMS
  • NES
  • CHE
  • ENC
  • LIB
  • CIS
  • BEH
  • FAO
  • ATH
  • CPR
  • SOC
  • BSF

Project Timeline

The exact timeline for the upgrades is still being determined. Since the upgrades will require several hours of downtime for each building area, we are working with the colleges and departments to identify times which will least impact users. This detailed schedule will be updated as schedules are confirmed.

What users should expect before, during, and after the upgrades

Prior to the upgrades, ITC will work with the colleges and departments to make all users aware of the upgrade schedule. We will ask that users close any open documents that are stored on network drives and close their email clients. It will not be necessary to turn off computers, but any network-based application should be closed to prevent loss of data.

During the upgrades, the network in the affected areas will be completely down. This includes the wired and wireless networks. This upgrade process involves disconnecting all active data jacks, removing all of the existing hardware, installing the new hardware, and reconnecting previously active jacks. Depending on the size of the wiring closet, this can be a 2-6 hour process.

After the upgrades, users should not notice any difference in the way they access or use the network. If users do have problems connecting, we ask that they notify us via the IT Helpdesk (4-1222). We will do everything we can to make sure every active jack is working properly when we're done. However, given the hundreds of connections we will be upgrading in each area, it is possible an occasional problem could arise.