| Mon 11 Feb 2002, 0:00 | | Bytes Technology Group Limited - Media |
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BYTES TECHNOLOGY GROUP LIMITED
(Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa)
(Registration number 1911/003874/06)
(ISIN Code : ZAE000029526
Share code : BTG)
Bytes Technology Networks - KZN
Media Release
CONNECTING THE CAMPUS
The University of Natal has replaced its ageing Layer 2 Cisco networking
infrastructure with a new layer 3 Cisco 6509 switched network thereby
dramatically increasing network capacity and catering for future
technologies such as e-learning, video streaming and mass data transfer.
The R4 million project, which was completed late last year, is part of a
recently introduced client care initiative providing students and staff
access to the most up to date technologies and learning devices.
Bytes Technology Networks, part of the Altron-owned BTG group, which has
been providing the university with network related procurement of equipment
and support services for almost four years, was awarded the contract and
assisted with the implementation process.
Redesign of the network was started about two and a half years ago and
included segmenting the network and replacing existing hubs with industrial
strength Cisco switches. "The primary objective of introducing a new
networking infrastructure was to relieve network congestion," says Farouk
Docrat who heads the university's technical services division.
Abdullah Sharrif, principal systems consultant at the University of Natal
who was responsible for the project says the routing of network traffic was
previously done by separate devices. "But the Cisco 6509 solution has the
ability to route traffic on a single device thus accelerating speed
throughput and creating a fully switched end-to-end network," he said. The
university now has the capability of upgrading the network backbone to
gigabit Ethernet allowing bandwidth intensive applications to be transported
across the local and wide area networks that connect the university's
multiple campuses.
These comprise the university's multiple campuses based in Durban,
Pietermaritburg, Medical School, Killie Campbell, Wentworth Hospital, King
Edward Hospital, Edgewood and the Ukulinga Research Farm near
Pietermaritzburg. Docrat says that in addition to relieving network
congestion, the new design offers central multi-cast traffic. "Essentially
we have moved from a shared network to a ubiquitous scaleable and reliable
structure."
Bradley Jayanath, principal systems consultant at the university was
responsible for implementing Cisco's Remote Access Services (RAS). "The
introduction of the RAS servers at the Durban and Pietermaritzburg campuses
has increased our dialup capabilities from 12 analogue modems to 40, which
allow both analogue and ISDN connections to take place. Since the
introduction of the new dial up system, users are able to connect up at high
speed from home.
It allows remote users such as lecturers, staff members and field students
reliable access to the network through Cisco's RAS systems via analogue or
ISDN lines and includes built in security features using intrusion detection
services.
Docrat says BTG played a pivotal role in assisting the university with the
design of the network and acquisition of equipment. "We have bought into
the concept of aligning ourselves with tier one companies for our
networking, server and application requirements."
Until recently we used the services of multiple suppliers with multiple
products, but are now focusing on the single partnership approach," he says.
ENDS
Contact : Bytes Technology Networks KZN Account Manager, Mr Chris Hattingh @
083-653-4672.
