April 13, 2005 Minneapolis, MN -- Franklin & Marshall College of Lancaster, Pennsylvania has upgraded its fiber network infrastructure using ADC's TrueNet structured cabling system. The upgrade, installed by telecommunications integrator D&E Communications, provides the residential liberal arts college with future bandwidth capacity, according to a press release.
"What I like about ADC's TrueNet fiber solutions is the fiber management and visibility they offer," explains Tom Mahoney, network manager for Franklin & Marshall. "The ADC FL2000 system's swing-out panels make it easy to see what's happening, and the way the fibers are managed on the side is excellent. This is a four-phase project, but already our fiber plant is cleaner and better utilized."
The college says its future planning specifies strengthening the campus community while growing the institution's physical resources. The fiber infrastructure upgrade is one means of achieving these criteria, according to the college.
"In the middle of last year, we knew an update of the fiber plant was imperative," affirms Mahoney. "We realized we had several kinds of boxes, as well as varied strand counts that were insufficient. It was time to establish standards and to put in place the right equipment to help us meet our growth goals."
According to the release, when an out-of-band network, created to ensure redundancy, added pressure to the fiber plant, the college brought in D&E Communications to conduct a comprehensive site analysis, as well as to install the new infrastructure. According to the release, D&E installed ADC's infrastructure platform within a two-week timeframe, with minimal disruption of network services.
"It's a great thing when we can undertake major infrastructure projects like this without our students missing a beat," concludes Mahoney.
The college says the project included upgrading the fiber infrastructure of nine campus buildings, proactively planning for future fiber capacity, resolving all issues with uncoordinated equipment, and establishing infrastructure standards for future fiber installations.