ITS Communication Technologies and UNC Health are improving institutional mobility.
CommTech has brought UNC Health’s Skynet wireless network to virtually all of the UNC School of Medicine. UNC Health, meanwhile, has deployed UNC-Chapel Hill’s eduroam network to most spaces within its hospitals and other buildings.
Extends Skynet and eduroam
When UNC Health employees enter into the School of Medicine buildings, their mobile devices can continue to connect to Skynet. Likewise, the mobile devices of UNC-Chapel Hill faculty, staff and students now can enjoy eduroam within much of UNC Health’s property.
The two institutions integrated parts of their wireless and network hardware with each other to provide continuity of services between UNC Health and the University. The project is especially significant for the technical cooperation and trust that the two closely related but separate institutions demonstrated as well as the visibility of the benefit to numerous users.
Monumental accomplishment
To put it into perspective, CommTech Head of Networking Ryan Turner called the project “one of the key accomplishments I’ve had in my career.”
Keith Miller and Danny Shue, who report to Turner, led the project for CommTech. Lilla Gutay and George Burnett, both network architects, were the project leads for UNC Health.
Completed bulk of work early
CommTech had sought to complete its work by August or September. Instead, CommTech completed 90% of its part of the project ahead of schedule — in early May. UNC Health deployed eduroam broadly in the hospitals, including the cafes, and the Aycock and Anderson buildings and elsewhere.
Still left are the places where the two networks overlap. That’s the more complex work. Also, CommTech is mulling over adding Skynet at the William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education, for convenient Wi-Fi use during conferences.