Port Activation

Approved by chancellor office 12/23/2010

Rate for Network Connectivity for End-User Devices

Current Rate

$175 per port (effective Jan. 1, 2011)

Background

In 2005, UW‐Whitewater undertook a project to consolidate and replace network switches on campus, reducing by several thousand the number of unused network ports at great savings to the campus. To ensure that campus connectivity needs were met without creating an excess of unused capacity, two key controls were put in place. First, equipment moved from one port to another would have the old port deactivated, ensuring that the net number of active ports remained the same. Second, requests for activation of new network ports were assigned a $175 per‐port activation charge to fund the additional infrastructure needed to expand the campus network.

This port charge has helped the University to fund the expansion of the campus network over the last five years and to keep pace with the current generation of end user devices requiring connectivity. Funding provided through the port activation charge has enabled ITS to keep pace with campus demand while holding spare equipment in reserve to quickly deploy new infrastructure both in emergencies and for new projects.

Present and Future Needs

An increased campus demand for high‐bandwidth applications involving video and other rich media is pushing connectivity demands past the 100 Mb point. Campus customers are now requesting 1 gigabit (Gb) connectivity to their desktop machines to allow for the production and consumption of rich media that is becoming increasingly prevalent in all aspects of the University’s operations. At the same time the cost of switches capable of 1 GB connectivity has been coming down. These switches are still more expensive than 100MG switches, but are no longer cost‐prohibitive.

Resulting Action

ITS will begin a gradual transition to the new generation of switches capable of 1 GB connectivity to end user devices. In order to fund this transition, the per‐port activation charge was increased in 2011 to $175 per port for all new port activations. This charge applies whether the port activation happens on the 100 MB or 1 GB switch.

If customers have applications they believe require GB connectivity, they may request GB ports, but must provide data supporting the need. ITS Networking will evaluate the request and will make final determination as to whether 1G is needed.