COWLSHUR Project
The COWLSHUR project is replacing the hardware that provided the centrally managed Wi-Fi service (COWLS) provided by IT Services. The new Managed Wireless Service is based on Juniper Mist technology, built to provide an outstanding WiFi experience.
Project objectives
- Implement a reliable, robust and secure Wi-Fi service for the University, provided by the Managed Network Services (MNS) team
- Replace the current 'end of life' COWLS hardware with a new solution
- Implement a new service that meets the current and future needs of existing COWLS customers, and is attractive to new customers
Benefits of new service
- Juniper Mist technology delivering Wi-Fi 6 standards
- All existing COWLS Access Points (APs) to be replaced by the project
- Paradigm shift in diagnostics
- Clear visualisation of the supported sites with heatmaps and self-help tools to identify problems quickly and easily
- Support from wireless experts in MNS, together with the better diagnostic interface for ITSS from Mist, will help provide an improved end user experience, and the best possible coverage
- Personal WLAN (in development)
Scope
Existing COWLS customers - all APs that were registered by 31 May 2021
Timeline
- October 2020 - Juniper Mist and Telent selected as manufacturer and reseller respectively (complete)
- December 2020 to May 2021 - Proof of Concept implementation and evaluation at 13 Banbury Road (complete)
- June to August 2021 - Pilot implementation and evaluation at four sites
- September 2021 to December 2022 - implementation at all COWLS customer sites
Implementation plan per site
