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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Technology Infrastructure Upgrade Will Begin a Year Early

Construction for the single largest technology project in the history of the campus will begin July 2001, a year sooner than previously planned. The CSU-wide Technology Infrastructure Initiative (TII), a campus network infrastructure upgrade project, should be completed by 2003.

Currently, the campus network infrastructure is impacted throughout most of the campus. Underground pathways between buildings are either so full or so old that technicians are unable to get any more cable in them.

In many buildings, proper inside building pathways are either nonexistent or are not easily maintainable, and telecommunications rooms are not large enough to house the electronics needed for meeting the technology demands of the campus community.

The main goal of this project is to provide the campus with a basic network infrastructure (pathways, cabling, and electronics) for voice, data, and video capabilities in every lab, classroom, and office.

This project is designed to not only accommodate current college and departmental needs, but also to provide for many years of growth, as part of the project includes continuous maintenance and upgrading of the network electronics.

The actual infrastructure upgrades, including wiring, communications closets, wall plugs, and network equipment, will be built out according to the CSU system standards set by the Telecommunications Infrastructure Plan (TIP) Guidelines and the Telecommunications Infrastructure Master Plan (TIMP). Chico staff have been actively involved with the development of both sets of guidelines to assure they will meet future local needs.

When completed, the new communication infrastructure will allow new applications such as desktop video conferencing, and should make networking as available as power outlets.

When relocating or building out an office or lab, instead of having to address the cost and issues of the pathways and possibly a new telecommunications room as part of the project, only the connections within that room up to the ceiling will need to be addressed. Thus, office moves should be much easier, quicker, and less expensive.

A local team has been organized to coordinate and manage the details of this huge project. The group includes Fred Ryan, Information Resources and Chief Information Officer; Dennis Graham, Business and Finance; Greg Francis, Facilities Planning; Dan Crozier, Communications Services; Glennda Morse, Facilities Management and Services; Ron Pike, Network Management and Design; and Bill Peterson, Facilities Management and Services. Over the next several months, this team will finalize the required telecommunications rooms in each building, define timelines and building priorities for construction, as well as select the firm that will perform the work.

Dan Crozier, Communications Services