California District Ramps Up 802.11n To Support Mobile Learning

Union School District in San Jose, CA is gutting its old wireless infrastructure and moving to an enterprise-class WLAN to support its mobile computing efforts.

Union SD formally incorporates technology in its mission statement as a means for supporting and enhancing instruction. The district is currently in the process of beefing up its technological capabilities by installing a district-spanning 802.11n network using gear from Aerohive Networks, a company that provides networking technologies for schools.

According to information released by Aerohive and the district, Union SD was previously using a consumer-grade wireless solution that couldn't support increasing needs for bandwidth.

" The results of Union School District's Aerohive deployment have been immediate," said Alan Fillmore, director of technology for Union SD, in a statement released this week "As far as the teachers, instruction is easier and faster. Also, the labs are able to handle 30-plus computers simultaneously in comparison to bygone days when the system maxed out at 10 to 12 clients."

When completed, the network will reach all nine of the Union SD's locations.

The district has also deployed the HiveManager Network Management System from Aerohive for network security. HNMS is a system that centrally manages wireless access points and provides full-time monitoring through a browser-based console.

Union SD serves more than 4,500 students in six elementary schools, two middle schools, and a preschool center. The new WLAN deployment is currently "nearing completion," according to information published today.

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


Featured

  • computer with a red warning icon on its screen, surrounded by digital grids, glowing neural network patterns, and a holographic brain

    Report Highlights Security Concerns of Open Source AI

    In these days of rampant ransomware and other cybersecurity exploits, security is paramount to both proprietary and open source AI approaches — and here the open source movement might be susceptible to some inherent drawbacks, such as use of possibly insecure code from unknown sources.

  • Discovery Education resources

    Discovery Education Initiative Offers Free Environmental-Focused Learning Resources

    Discovery Education has introduced a new collection of free digital learning materials focused on environmental studies.

  • pattern of glowing blue and green orbs connected by thin luminous lines

    Microsoft Copilot Gains Actions Feature, New Agents in Latest Update

    Microsoft has introduced new and enhanced features for Microsoft 365 Copilot, including Copilot Actions, new AI "agents," and a Copilot Control System.

  • landscape photo with an AI rubber stamp on top

    California AI Watermarking Bill Supported by OpenAI

    OpenAI, creator of ChatGPT, is backing a California bill that would require tech companies to label AI-generated content in the form of a digital "watermark." The proposed legislation, known as the "California Digital Content Provenance Standards" (AB 3211), aims to ensure transparency in digital media by identifying content created through artificial intelligence. This requirement would apply to a broad range of AI-generated material, from harmless memes to deepfakes that could be used to spread misinformation about political candidates.