The Next Generation Network (NGN) Program is being scoped to address the results of several external and internal audits that highlight the risk of the university’s aging network. These audits identified inconsistencies in the quality, security, and reliability of the network.
The goals for the new NGN Program are:
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Improve wireless coverage and support for end users across the campus
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Resolve security findings and deficiencies overall
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Consolidate management of the network to reduce risk and improve overall quality of service
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Ensure Research infrastructure and data management is compliant with current and future standards
NGN Program:
The NGN Program rollout has been segmented into the following projects, which are undergoing detailed scoping. The projects are:
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Wireless and Wired Network Platform Assessments
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Wi-Fi Survey
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Wi-Fi Expansion
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Long-range platform and network management solution decisions
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Resolve security findings and deficiencies, services improvement support
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Develop Security Class 1 and 2 Technologies
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Develop and Operate Common Enterprise Services
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NGN Service and Support Improvements
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Secure and Consolidate Management of Network Infrastructure Closets
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Network Foundational Improvements and Transition
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Clean up Cable Management In Network Infrastructure closets
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Upgrade Aging and out of Support Building Network Switches and Components
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Upgrade Network (Telecom) Rooms
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Transition Buildings to New Next Generation Network Security Classes
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Data Center Security improvements
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Move Unit Servers to Data Center
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Data Center Security Profile Domains
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Background:
The university contracted with a consulting firm specializing in higher education, to perform a comprehensive evaluation and analysis of the university’s current IT network, network infrastructure and underlying business practices to develop a comprehensive baseline snapshot of the current Wi-Fi and internet services accessed by our students, faculty staff, visitors and guests. The consultant met with the many IT Support Organizations across campus, as well as IT governance groups to understand and help prioritize areas of the IT network infrastructure improvement project proposals. As a result, the NGN Program workstream has been broken into discrete projects that are currently being evaluated.
Phases
The university operates a large and decentralized network consisting of more than 13,000 components to support over 300,000 end user devices. Changing how the network and devices using it operate requires careful planning and years to execute. The Next Generation Network Program is a foundational infrastructure workstream that is part of the initiatives in the UT -10-Year Strategic Plan - 3.9 Modernize Information Technology. The NGN Workstream is being managed in phases, and logical project groupings. Each phase will require approval by the university leadership and Transformation and Strategy Office before proceeding.
Phase 1: Planning (Completed)
Assess the state of centrally-maintained and distributed network, architectures and technologies, and organizations. Work with the university IT community to formulate recommendations, offerings, plans and budgets. This work was completed in December 2022.
Phase 2: Preparation (In-progress)
Submit funding requests in accordance to the President's Transformation and Strategy Office to acquire products, professional services, and staffing to launch the Program to convert to the new technologies. This requires submitting for approval detailed plans for project costs and ongoing operational funding needs.
Phase 3: Execution (Not approved)
Implement the plans according to the scope, budget and timeline provided, with appropriate quality checks and engagement with the IT support community throughout the implementations. There are several NGN projects with varying durations and interdependencies among projects. As a Program they are expected to take one to five years to complete, depending on the project.
You can contact the Next Generation Network Project by sending an email to: NextGenNet@austin.utexas.edu