Leeds Beckett University deploys Wi-Fi 6

To help achieve student-focused digital transformation, Extreme  designed a tailored network infrastructure underpinned by Extreme Elements™, including Extreme Management Center™ software, Extreme Fabric Connect™ technology, ExtremeWireless™ Wi-Fi 6 access points and Extreme Switching™ products. Over 2,000 ExtremeWireless Wi-Fi 6 access points will also be rolled out over the next 12 months. The bespoke network empowers remote access from anywhere on campus and provides increased network capacity, security, and compliance whilst helping to unlock new efficiencies.

Specific new capabilities include:

• Optimum Performance with Wi-Fi 6: ExtremeWireless Wi-Fi 6 solutions provide greater flexibility and increased bandwidth to support more devices, including IoT devices, and advanced immersive applications. Purpose-built for challenging physical environments, the access points ensure seamless, secure Wi-Fi connectivity that can perform up to 40 percent faster than the previous Wi-Fi 5 standard, and stronger connections for real-time social media sharing, video streaming, and mobile app usage.

• Real-time Automated Control of Network Traffic: Extreme Management Center software provides a path to real-time, automated, end-to-end visibility and control of the network. By utilising automation to offload routine, traditionally manual, tasks, Leeds Beckett can unlock efficiencies in its day-to-day operations, reduce costs, and improve performance across its campus.

• Advanced Edge Network Services: ExtremeSwitching allows Leeds Beckett to extend virtual network services to the network edge, collapse multiple network layers into a single logical services architecture, and create a centralised point of control. These edge network services have created a scalable, cost-efficient network that can support thousands of extended remote ports.

• Networking Simplicity: Extreme Fabric Connect takes the complexity out networking, empowering Leeds Beckett with a single, next-generation technology to help optimise system availability, incorporate system and service resilience, and enhance network visibility. This makes it possible to sustain a far more robust and resilient network than competitive alternatives, which can also be quickly and easily scaled with the addition of new services.

• Operational Efficiency and Security: Extreme’s fabric technology allows the institution’s IT Service to stretch the fabric to the edge and across campuses, providing roaming capabilities for staff that make their jobs easier and simplifies the delivery of services for their technical team. Furthermore, the Extreme technology stack allows for the logical and physical separation of consumer IoT technologies (with their associated inherent risks), from its corporate technologies and information assets that need to be appropriately secured and protected.

These capabilities complement existing digital transformation initiatives at Leeds Beckett, all of which underpin the university’s mission to be an excellent, accessible, globally engaged university. The new bespoke network architecture, featuring Extreme Fabric Connect, the latest Extreme Management Center tools and Wi-Fi 6, not only delivers the right technology fit, competitive TCO and reliability today, but future-proofs to satisfy the scaling demands of its student body.