EDUCAUSE 2006

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Letting Go of ResNet

A Panel Discussion on the Outsourcing of

ResNet

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Outsourcing ResNetat

Ithaca College

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Ithaca College

• Located in Ithaca, upstate New York

• Private, coed, residential college

• Carnegie MA I, undergraduate and graduate programs in 5 schools & aninterdisciplinary division.

• Strong residential focus

Faculty 460

Staff 986

Students 6,400

In Residence Halls 4,400

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ResNet Pressures Build & Change

At first… • It was all about support to get student machines configured and connected

By 2000 it was about…. • Support &

• Bandwidth &

• P2P Management

And then…. • File sharing (RIAA) &

• Bandwidth &

• P2P Management &

• Security - Viruses and Worms, and their impact on network performance

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Bandwidth Allocated to ResNet

1998 3 Mb

1999 6 Mb to 12 Mb

2000 16 Mb

2001 24 Mb

Spring 2004 38 Mb

38 Mb

3 Mb

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Fall 2003 Approaches

• Viruses, Worms, and other self-propagating nasties– And their significant impact on network performance

• RIAA, MPAA, ESA…• Insatiable Bandwidth Desires• P2P “whack-a-mole”• Internal debate regarding the purpose of ResNet

and use of our resources, and what is appropriate use of ResNet (games, P2P, etc)

• Staff needed for other projects

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Fall 2003 – It boils over

• August 2003 Blaster and Nachi strike and ResNet could not handle the traffic from infected machines

• On the Friday before opening weekend we turned off the entire ResNet to prevent further infections – It ended up being off for 7 days while we

developed procedures to deal with the situation and worked with students to get their machines protected and cleaned

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www.evanm.com/resnet/indexold.htm

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www.ithaca.edu/ithacan/articles/0311/06/news/LSresnet_revol.htm

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Something had to change

• If we were to continue to support ResNet ourselves, we would need to:– Significantly change and upgrade the network – Install better traffic monitoring and compliance systems– Provide additional network and support staff– Find additional space for student computer repairs

• However, we were concerned about the ability to find funding and staff resources to support this for the long term

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Thoughts turned to outsourcing

• Initial requirements:– Tiered service plan including a base no-cost option

for the students– On-site support– Increased bandwidth– Robust network architecture that could better

withstand viruses, Trojans and worms– A true partner interested in a collaborative

relationship and who understands higher education

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We solicited proposals

• A major nation-wide telecom

• The local cable-TV / broadband franchise

• Apogee Telecom, a small company specializing in supporting residence hall networks

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Apogee Telecom

• Agreed to meet all of our requirements– Tiered service options (including “free” option)– On-site support– Increased bandwidth / network redesign– Understood residence hall networks and the

academic culture• CEO very effective at talking with the students about

their concerns and issues

– Interested in a partnership-type of relationship

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What we outsourced…

• Redesign of the Residence Hall network

• Network monitoring, troubleshooting, repair and replacement

• Management of the account sign up process

• Student billing

• Marketing and PR

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What we outsourced…

• An on-site technician for troubleshooting student network issues

• A call center open 7 days-a-week • The ISP of record for DMCA and other

complaints– Work collaboratively with the college for

responding to DMCA complaints– College gets copies of all notices and still may

impose judicial sanctions

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Apogee Service Plans

PlanOn Campus Resources

Download Upload

Basic High speed* 64 Kbps 64 Kbps

Bronze High speed 1 Mbps 128 Kbps

Gold High speed 3 Mbps 256 Kbps

Internet Access

*High Speed = 10/100 Mbps to all ithaca.edu resources

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How’s it working?

• ITS has had time to focus on other things– “This has been my most productive fall in a very

long time” - IC Manager Network Services

• Students seem to like the service– Even our friend Evan, seems to like the service….

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Condensed from a presentation created for

Educause Live

on January 27, 2005

http://www.educause.edu/LIVE052

Outsourcing ResNetOne Institution’s Experience

ResNet

ResNet

Ithaca CollegeIthaca CollegeRESIDENCE HALL COMPUTER NETWORKRESIDENCE HALL COMPUTER NETWORK

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Outsourcing ResnetOutsourcing ResnetBirmingham-Southern CollegeBirmingham-Southern College

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Institutional DataInstitutional Data

Private 4-year liberal arts college Private 4-year liberal arts college Located in Birmingham, ALLocated in Birmingham, AL Founded 1856Founded 1856 Enrollment: 1,300Enrollment: 1,300 Student/Faculty ratio: 12:1Student/Faculty ratio: 12:1 Students on ResNet: 1,000Students on ResNet: 1,000

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Reasons for OutsourcingReasons for Outsourcing

OutdatedOutdated network exposed by 2003 network exposed by 2003 virus outbreakvirus outbreak

Insufficient bandwidthInsufficient bandwidth Limited staff resourcesLimited staff resources

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Realities of OutsourcingRealities of Outsourcing

IT Staff now able to focus on core IT Staff now able to focus on core objectivesobjectives

Predictable and stable costsPredictable and stable costs Better services and supportBetter services and support Fully scalable networksFully scalable networks Network and virus managementNetwork and virus management No equipment costsNo equipment costs

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EDUCAUSE 2006EDUCAUSE 2006 October 10, 2006October 10, 2006

Outsourcing Resnet

Outsourcing Resnet

Notes from the FieldNotes from the Field

Bob PaverSouthwestern

UniversityGeorgetown, Texas

Bob PaverSouthwestern

UniversityGeorgetown, Texas

EDUCAUSE 2006EDUCAUSE 2006 October 10, 2006October 10, 2006

Southwestern UniversityGeorgetown, TexasSouthwestern UniversityGeorgetown, Texas

• Selective liberal arts• Chartered by Republic of Texas in 1840• Affiliated with The United Methodist

Church• NITLE Technology Center (Southern

Region)• Associated Colleges of the South

• Selective liberal arts• Chartered by Republic of Texas in 1840• Affiliated with The United Methodist

Church• NITLE Technology Center (Southern

Region)• Associated Colleges of the South

EDUCAUSE 2006EDUCAUSE 2006 October 10, 2006October 10, 2006

StudentsStudents

• 1,260 traditional students• 93% from Texas• 22% minority• 930 live on campus

• 1,260 traditional students• 93% from Texas• 22% minority• 930 live on campus

EDUCAUSE 2006EDUCAUSE 2006 October 10, 2006October 10, 2006

Letting GoLetting Go

•Three years of successful, outsourced Resnet

•Productive partnership with Apogee

•Customer satisfaction extremely high

•CIO’s Dream: no complaints

•Three years of successful, outsourced Resnet

•Productive partnership with Apogee

•Customer satisfaction extremely high

•CIO’s Dream: no complaints

EDUCAUSE 2006EDUCAUSE 2006 October 10, 2006October 10, 2006

Motivation for Outsourcing

Motivation for Outsourcing

•Cost

•Provide Better Service

•Reduce Demands on Staff

• Implement "Pay for Play”

•Reduce Liability

•Gain Expertise

•Cost

•Provide Better Service

•Reduce Demands on Staff

• Implement "Pay for Play”

•Reduce Liability

•Gain Expertise

EDUCAUSE 2006EDUCAUSE 2006 October 10, 2006October 10, 2006

Anticipated BenefitsAnticipated Benefits

•Systems & Networks Staff Freed

•Help Desk Staff Unburdened

• Improved Service to Customers

•Pay for Play

•Cost Less Than or Equal To

•Systems & Networks Staff Freed

•Help Desk Staff Unburdened

• Improved Service to Customers

•Pay for Play

•Cost Less Than or Equal To

EDUCAUSE 2006EDUCAUSE 2006 October 10, 2006October 10, 2006

Realized BenefitsRealized Benefits

•Systems & Networking Staff – 99% Freed

•Help Desk Staff – 50% Unburdened

• Improved Service to Customers – Absolutely

•Pay for Play – Workable

•Controlled Costs – Yup

•Systems & Networking Staff – 99% Freed

•Help Desk Staff – 50% Unburdened

• Improved Service to Customers – Absolutely

•Pay for Play – Workable

•Controlled Costs – Yup

EDUCAUSE 2006EDUCAUSE 2006 October 10, 2006October 10, 2006

It’s Good to Let GoIt’s Good to Let Go

•True Partnership with Apogee

•Dramatic Service Improvement

•Enabled New “Aligned” Projects

•Segue Learning Management System

•Anti-spam Appliance

•E-mail, Network, Portal, Campus Card

•True Partnership with Apogee

•Dramatic Service Improvement

•Enabled New “Aligned” Projects

•Segue Learning Management System

•Anti-spam Appliance

•E-mail, Network, Portal, Campus Card

Bob PaverSouthwestern Universitypaver@southwestern.edu

(512) 863-1676

Bob PaverSouthwestern Universitypaver@southwestern.edu

(512) 863-1676

Copyright Robert C. Paver, Edwin Fuller and Anthony Hambey 2006. This work is the intellectual property of the authors. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the authors. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the authors.