The Information and Computer Science network infrastructure connects four buildings and two trailers with a complex arrangement of coaxial, twisted-pair, and fiber optic cable and aging electronic communication equipment. This complex network of 20+ subnets is well-managed, but is showing the strain of growth and use, and is not flexible enough to support newer technologies and emerging communication needs of the department.

The inability of the ICS network to support current and future needs of the faculty and students is the most striking example on campus of growing electronic communication use exceeding local network capacity. NACS, as a part of “UCInet 2001”, plans to update and improve the electronic communication infrastructure in a number of academic buildings. ICS is just the first.

NACS and ICS network staff worked over several months to analyze the situation and develop a solution. By mid-July 1997, several buildings will be re-cabled and new network equipment will be installed. This will provide ICS with a local, high-speed “switched” Ethernet backbone. “Switched” networks use newer technology that allow users access to the full speed of the network. Traditional Ethernets are “shared” networks that allow users access at only a fraction of maximum speed.

In the new design, no traffic flows through the campus backbone from ICS unless it is destined for other campus sites or the Internet. This is distinct from the previous situation where all inter-building traffic traversed the campus backbone.

For more information about this project, please contact Garrett Hildebrand, NACS’ Lead Network Planner. Garrett may be reached by electronic mail (GDH@UCI.EDU) or telephone (824-8913).