CMU Network Upgrade

Project overview

As was approved by the Board of Trustees at their June 25, 2024 meeting, Maroon and gold pie chart showing percentage of overall network upgrade completed: 100 percent.
CMU entered into an agreement with Hewlett Packard Enterprise to
modernize the infrastructure and significantly enhance the wired and
wireless network service at CMU’s main and remote/satellite campuses.
Wireless coverage within many buildings and surrounding outdoor
spaces ere increased and improved upon. At the conclusion of this
project, 100% of the university’s network hardware was replaced. The
work was completed between Summer 2024 and Spring 2025.

The Board of Trustees approval of this resolution was a significant accomplishment for all of CMU and addressed a foundational IT investment needed to support CMU's 2023-2028 Strategic Plan. This project represented a significant step forward in modernizing CMU’s network infrastructure, providing reliable, high-speed connectivity that will support the university’s needs for years to come. The cost savings and enhanced performance underscore the strategic value of this investment.

Key benefits

Cost savings and increased support

A multi-year financing agreement resulted in a cost savings of nearly $7 million over six years with no reduction in quality of service and also allowed CMU to benefit from improved vendor support.

Upgraded network hardware

The new network infrastructure supports existing and future network demands. Additional access points were installed to improve overall indoor and outdoor connectivity.

Unified wireless platform

All campus wireless services were transitioned to a unified wireless platform supporting the latest standards. The existing networks (CMICH and CMICH-GUEST) remained unchanged, requiring no action from members of the university community.

Reduced number of ethernet ports

Due to the widespread use of wireless networks, the closure of several campus buildings and remote/satellite campuses, and a decline in use of ethernet-connected devices, many ethernet ports were retired, resulting in substantial savings in service, maintenance, and support costs.

Vendor support

The OIT networking team was assisted by vendor-provided contractors throughout the project, which ensured a timely and efficient completion of the initial upgrade, as well as beneficial ongoing consultation and technical support.