St David’s Marist Inanda achieves incredible 7.3 Gbps internet - powered by Comsol infrastructure

With more than 1300 individuals and 2500 plus devices often connecting at the same time, St David’s Marist Inanda evolved from internet infrastructure struggling to cope with the increasing demands, to creating arguably one of the most powerful school Wi-Fi networks one can find. 

Tackling a tough challenge

With the ever increasing demands on its Wi-Fi system, St David’s had been struggling with infrastructure that simply couldn’t keep pace with today’s demands. School management and the Board IT sub-committee recognised the clear need for a modern network that could enable the school’s ambitions to provide world-class learning experiences for the digital era.

Nestled in the northern Johannesburg region of Inanda, the St David’s campus covers a broad expanse. Covering this entire area with reliable connectivity was a challenge.

Building the fastest school Wi-Fi in SA

The team realised that the only viable approach was to start afresh, and build a modernised, scalable network using the very latest technologies that would form the basis of enabling a new digital learning capability.

With Comsol’s underlying network as the foundation, a number of internet services were layered on top.

The network’s backbone consists of three kilometres of single-mode fiber optics, connecting high-end enterprise PoE switches from Dell, strategically positioned around the campus ensuring 100% coverage throughout the campus.

All this gives St David’s an incredible 7.3 Gbps total capacity - representing a powerful network that will rival the best on any school campus in SA, and even globally. Every corner of the 20 hectare campus offers Wi-Fi connectivity for students and teachers. Parents and other guests are also able to connect easily without diminishing the overall capacity.

The school can manage all access points and traffic flows on the network at a highly granular level of detail. Each individual hotspot has its own SSID - meaning that policies can be applied at the access point level - allowing the school to dynamically adjust the network as needed.

For example, for a special event in one area of the school, a new guest network can be made available, allowing visitors to tap into free Wi-Fi. Teachers and staff living on or adjacent to the campus also benefit from the network.

Traversing new digital worlds, enriching learning

Ubiquitous, powerful Wi-Fi has brought the school several operational efficiencies and cost-savings. It’s now far simpler to manage the network; ongoing equipment costs have decreased significantly; and teachers have the confidence that they can deliver classes while always being well-supported by their Internet service.

Today, St David’s is able to handle over two thousand devices connected at the same time. From streaming high definition video lessons, to researching within digital libraries and journals, to exploring new frontiers with virtual and augmented reality apps, the network enables it all.

Teachers are now able to post videos and encourage real-time interaction, extending the learning beyond the classroom and enabling more personalised learning experiences. Learners can start downloading a video in one location and continue as they walk from class to class.

Tools like Google Classroom and Google Drive now sit firmly at the core of a new digital learning ecosystem, surrounded by a suite of powerful learning solutions.

Some of the most exciting opportunities lie in immersive virtual and augmented reality - where learners can traverse a digital world and learn in a far richer and more diverse manner. With sets of custom-made Google VR headsets, this is an area the school believes has massive potential.

With a vision that all learners are able to create their own virtual or augmented reality realms by Grade 10, St David’s is placing a heavy emphasis on the skills of the future, preparing learners for a world of new digital opportunities in the years to come.

The network enables more than just educational content. With advanced security and surveillance services linked to the same backbone, the school ensures safety for learners.

The team can track the likes of footfall and congestion throughout the campus and track the usage of various facilities. This informs everything from class and timetable planning, to upgrades and expansions to its facilities.

The nature of school education and e-learning continues to evolve as digital innovation accelerates, and with a new modernised network, St David’s has ‘future-proofed’ itself for the digital age.