Cross-Connect Blog

Six Network Components IT Teams at Schools and Universities Need Now

July 16, 2021

While summer is in full swing, the lessons learned from the last year and a half remain fresh in our minds. The way teachers provide instruction, students attend school, and everyone experiences a typical school year are all significantly transformed due to recent needs for full-time remote and virtual learning and instruction.

That's meant that tablets, phones and generally just about any digital device have been turned into a learning device to be used anywhere and anytime for instructors, teachers, students and even parents or family members at home supporting their student.

As “all-the-time” learning continues to trend, so does the need for the consideration of the physical infrastructure necessary to enable this proliferation in digital and remote learning. Every K-12 and higher education school—and the IT administrators and professionals in these settings—should be prepared to properly power and protect the hardware, networks and infrastructure that supply connectivity to the classroom and campus.

Six Network Components IT Teams at Schools and Universities Need Now

econnect-PDU-small-(1).jpgIntelligent Power Management: Monitor and Control
Equipment Remotely

e-Connect® Power Distribution Units (PDUs)
  • Six progressive models for local metering, remote monitoring and switching at the device level
  • Vertical and horizontal configurations for deployment in traditional telecom spaces or edge sites
  • Single- and three-phase models with market-leading temperature ratings up to 149° F (65° C)
  • Low-profile locking outlets to prevent accidental disconnections
  • Integrated environmental monitoring and access control
  • Redundancy Pack option that includes two PDUs (one Black and one Glacier White)
  • Meets latest UL® and IEC 62368 requirements
RFID Electronic Lock KitRFID-eConnect-ZetaFrame-white-cabinet.jpg
  • Integrated RFID Card Reader
  • Can be integrated through eConnect PDUs, networked controller or building security access control system
  • Provides audit trail for regulatory compliance
  • Remote access control
  • Centralized authentications
  • ZetaFrame Cabinet preinstallation
Server Cabinets and Racks to Support and Protect Heavy Equipment
ZetaFrame™ CabinetZetaFrame-VED-Cabinets.jpg
  • Fast, built-to-order capability
  • Preinstalled with power, cable and thermal management under one project-specific part number
  • Supports 5000 lbs (2268 kg) static and 4000 lbs (1814 kg) dynamic loads
  • Integrated bonding through door hinges and contact points
  • Enhanced cable management accessories can be used interdependently or in combinations to accommodate a wide variety of applications
  • Optional upgrade to brush-sealed cable openings
  • Optional shock pallet option
Cable Management and Pathway to Organize High-Density Cabling
Motive® Cable Manager
  • Central track system provides unlimited adjustability with direct support for cable bundles
  • A wide variety of tool-less accessories and touch-points that helps organize cables, simplifies moves, adds and changes (MACs) and speeds up deployment
  • Large radii are designed into many of the frame elements
  • Dual-hinged doors open to the right or left and offer push-to-close convenience
  • Hook feature on inside of front door provides a dedicated, secure location to hang a test meter
  • Available in a wide variety of heights, widths and configurations
QuadraRack® 4-Post Frame
  • Offers easy accessquadrarack-small-(1).jpg to equipment and cabling
  • Quick assembly with one-piece top and bottom panel sets
  • Easy to bay together to create multi-frame configurations
  • Equipment mounting locations are marked and numbered on the mounting channel
  • Threaded mounting holes speed installation of rack-mount equipment and shelving
  • Supports large equipment on heavy-duty four-post fixed and sliding shelves
Adjustable Cable Runway
  • Provides cable pathway customization with Moveable Cross Members
  • Supports cable and fiber from floors, ceilings, walls and the tops of cabinets and racks
  • Simplifies MACs
  • Supports tool-less accessories for quick and easyadjustable-cable-runway-small.jpg deployment
  • Complements other CPI Runway systems
  • Adapts to any data center or computer room
  • Ships assembled or unassembled
  • Bonded construction
Pemsa® Rejiband® Wire Mesh Cable Tray
  • Available in 1 heights and 6 widthsPemsa-sma.jpg
  • Tray can be cut and formed into turns and transitions using standard splices
  • Tops of trays are rounded and smooth to protect installers and cables from cuts
  • BLACK C8® finish option delivers corrosion resistance almost equivalent to stainless steel
Wall-Mount Cabinets to Extend the Network to Classrooms and Portables
CUBE-iT® Wall-Mount Cabinet
  • Three-part, swing-out design allows access and service to the front and rear of equipment
  • A single lock and key (CH751) on the front door allows access to the entire cabinet
  • Rear panel includes knockouts for conduit and features cable tiecube-it-small.jpg and attachment points
  • Hinge design allows removal of rear panel for easier installation on wall
  • 300 lb (136 kg) load rating
  • Available with optional low-decibel (31 dB) dual-fan kit
  • Factory-prepped bonding feature
  • Ships fully assembled
Ceiling-Mounted Enclosures to Secure Wireless Access Points
RMR® Ceiling Enclosuresceiling-mount-RMR-small.jpg
  • Adjustable-depth, swing-down mounting panel accommodates up to 4 small cell radio nodes in suspended ceilings
  • For indoor use only
  • Flat, vented door or with dome insert options; replaces 2’ x 2’ (0.6 m x 0.6 m) ceiling tiles
RMR Wall-Mount Right-Angleright-angle.jpg
  • Mounts up to 1 small cells in the preferred horizontal orientation for optimal wireless coverage
  • For indoor use only
  • Wedge-shaped, right-angle mounting bracket with hinged, locking cover
  • Knock-outs for 1” (25.4 mm) conduit connectors 25 lb (11.4 kg) load rating
NEMA-Rated Industrial Enclosures to Protect Outdoor Equipmentfree-standing-RMR.jpg
RMR Free-Standing Enclosures
  • NEMA Type 4, 4x, 12, 3, 3R, 5, 2 and 1
  • For indoor and outdoor use
  • Available in stainless steel with brushed finish for corrosive environments
  • Easy-to-use side channels for mounting
  • Continuous foam gasket seal
  • Wide range of sizes available
  • 3-point latch with choice of lock
  • Optional adjustable-depth mounting plate
RMR Bollards
  • Cylindrical fiberglass bollard protects radio nodes in outdoorbollards.jpg public spaces; meets NEMA Type 3R
  • 25 lb (11.4 kg) load rating
  • Structural anchor base provides sturdy anchoring to concrete pads or slab
  • Includes anchor base, equipment stand, hardware to fasten nodes and antennas, color0matched bolt cover and tamper-resistant hardware
  • Available in 6 standard colors; Black, Brown, Forest Green, Gray, Light Gray, White
Accessories for RMR Industrial Enclosures
  • NEMA-rated Cooling Units and Filter Fans keep equipment cool inside the enclosure
  • Roxtec grommets are rated IP 55
  • LED Light Kit provides additional lighting inside the enclosure; 100-240 Volts
  • Drip Shield Assembly provides additional protection against ice and rain; Use to meet NEMA Type 3R requirements
As you focus on finish out this planning year, get a head start on budget planning and upgrades for the 2023 school year now.

We’ve helped schools and universities just like yours tackle some of their toughest challenges, while also meeting tight schedules and budgets.

Your Challenges Solved. Explore Case Studies.

Oak Ridge City Schools
The school district turned to CPI to deliver reliable PDUs, server cabinets with Vertical Exhaust Ducts and cable runway to support all the cabling it would need for the next few years.

Craven Community College
Craven Community College’s training facility used for their Cisco Academy and other IT training courses was overcrowded with a variety of racks, cabinets and cable management products from various manufacturers. Instructors felt that the data center environment, if better organized, could provide a more real-life work experience for students. The college was given a variety of CPI products including cabinets, cable tray, cable managers and more.

Los Rios Community College District
In early 2004, Los Rios embarked on a multi-million dollar building project that included the building, enhancement or modernization of facilities at all four campuses, as well as establishing four additional outreach centers – all in a 10-year time frame. Such aggressive growth requires well-thought out plans, especially in the area of technology.

University of Florida Health Shands Hospital
UF Health Shands’ new data center supports the entire hospital’s operation. It backs up and stores everything from patient and staff files, to security footage and accounting files. As a premiere teaching hospital, an efficient, reliable operation is critical for delivering the most comprehensive and high-quality care, which is why UF Health Shands Hospital returned to Chatsworth Products for its state-of-the-art solutions and customization expertise.

University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame constantly faces the tasks and challenges associated with maintaining a current network infrastructure and planning for future changes. To meet the goals of higher education along with a continuously IT driven world, Notre Dame is wiring and installing IT infrastructure equipment in many newly constructed buildings while also rewiring existing academic buildings and residence halls.

Posted by Brittany Mangan, Digital Content Specialist at 7/16/2021 5:07:57 AM
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