Ferrum College Selects ABS Technology Architects for 802.11n Campus-wide WiFi Network

Ferrum College Selects ABS Technology Architects for 802.11n Campus-wide WiFi
Network
Virginia College Chooses Cisco Over Aruba & Aerohive to Deploy Campus-Wide
WLAN

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Aug. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- ABS Technology Architects, a
Virginia based technology solution provider, has been selected by Ferrum
College in Ferrum, Virginia, to design, implement and support a campus-wide,
802.11n wireless network. After careful consideration and testing, Ferrum
chose ABS to install the Cisco solution over Aerohive and Aruba alternatives.
Ferrum joins a growing number of colleges and universities across the
Mid-Atlantic choosing ABS for its outstanding local engineering talent,
customer satisfaction, and Advanced Technology knowledge.

Founded in 1913, Ferrum enrolls more than 1,350 students across a 700-acre
campus with 21 buildings. The college's decision to upgrade to an all-802.11n
network was based on the significant increase in mobile Internet usage among
students and faculty, eighty percent of whom live on campus. The college will
use the network to support in-class applications and provide connectivity to
residence halls.

When selecting a vendor, user approval, customer service, and financial
feasibility were vital factors. "Ferrum College did a live testing of access
points from three different vendors. In the same Residence Hall during three
different weeks, students experienced one new wireless world after another.
The Cisco 1140 a/b/g/n access points got the highest ratings from the
Residence Hall students and staff," said Dr. Christine Stinson, Chief
Information Officer at Ferrum. "Simultaneously, we tested the Cisco 4400 WLAN
controller and the associated monitoring and reporting software. The Cisco
hardware and software received high marks from the Information Services staff.
We also were extremely impressed with the care and thoughtfulness exhibited
by the ABS engineering team."

"In these economically-challenging times, the ABS bid for the entire wireless
package was competitive with the bids from all other vendors. This trio of
user satisfaction, staff support, and affordability proved to be a winning
combination for Ferrum College," said Stinson.

The wireless network will eliminate physical barriers and encourage
flexibility by providing students, teachers and staff with access to
university resources anytime, anywhere, from any device. With over 200 Cisco
Aironet 1142 Series 802.11n wireless access points campus-wide, students will
be able to download classes, study materials, recorded lectures, and other
resources from laptops, iPhones or other smartphones. ABS will also be
installing cabling drops for all 233 access points and physically securing
Ferrum switch closets to protect network integrity.

About Ferrum

Ferrum College is a liberal arts institution founded on Christian principles
and related to the United Methodist Church. It is our mission to educate
students in the disciplines of higher learning and to help them be thoughtful
and perceptive, to be articulate and professionally capable, and to be caring
and concerned citizens of their community, nation, and world. We therefore
commit ourselves to developing the whole student, both in openness to a wide
range of intellectual discovery, and in the physical, spiritual, and social
aspects of life.

About ABS

ABS Technology Architects (www.absnt.com) is a Cisco Gold Direct Value Added
Reseller (DVAR) headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia that provides
regional and national advanced technology solutions for corporate,
educational, and governmental organizations. Founded in 1972, ABS has long
been considered one of the top solution partners in the United States with an
emphasis on Cisco based advanced technologies including IP Unified
Communications, Contact Center, MESH Wireless, and Advanced Security
Solutions. ABS has achieved the Cisco Channel Customer Satisfaction Excellence
rating for seven consecutive years, from 2002 - 2009. The company was named
Cisco's U.S. East Region State, Local Government and Education (SLED) Partner
of the Year in 2009.

SOURCE ABS Technology Architects

Julia Gardner, ABS Technology Architects, +1-757-963-7105, jgardner@absnt.com