The Office of Information Technology completed the network infrastructure upgrade during the first half of 2001. The new network infrastructure consists of three Cisco 6509 core switch/routers located in the Browning computer room, the Library and the new Science Building. These devices provide the high speed core backbone for the University’s network. Every academic and administrative building on the University’s main campus as well as the University’s Fort Campbell facilities and the downtown Extended Education facility connect to the core backbone with switched network electronics (Cisco 3508. 3524, 3548 and 2924 switches). This network infrastructure provides, in most cases, gigabit speed from building electronics to the core network and 100 megabit switched access from workstations, servers and printers to the building network electronics. As well as providing increased network speed, the new network infrastructure segments campus traffic, eliminating unnecessary broadcast traffic between buildings.

As part of the network infrastructure upgrade, the Office of Information Technology also installed firewalls between the campus network and the Internet. The two firewalls, consisting of a primary and failover device, provide increased security from hack attempts and other malicious behavior from the Internet. In tandem with the firewall, the Office of Information Technology implemented the use of private addressing and Network Address Translation (NAT) through the firewall. This allows a great amount of flexibility in assigning internal network addresses as well as “hiding” workstations, printers, and non-Internet accessible servers from the Internet community.

Current network projects include the recent addition of the new University Center to the campus network, preparing for the addition of the Pace Alumni Center and the campus dorms to the campus network, and reconfiguration of the campus infrastructure to include moving the core switch/router located in the Library to Harned Hall and extending the campus fiber optic backbone ring through the new University Center.

For more information, questions, or to report problems related to the network infrastructure, please contact Stephanie Taylor, Network Manager, at 221-7113 or taylors@apsu.edu.