Network
Network 2020 Project
Wired network upgrade work
IT Services have launched a new project (Network 2020) to replace and upgrade the campus wired network. The upgraded solution will provide the University with many benefits; improved cyber security, faster user deployments, in addition to enhancing teaching and learning through a more reliable and efficient network capability.
To keep help minimise the impact to staff when changes are made, we are starting to engage with colleagues across the University to ensure Schools and Departments have as much notice as possible and where pertinent can feed into the planning process.
Important information
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The project will run until 2022 with implementations and network changes commencing in October 2020
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Every building that contains network and communications hardware will witness a small period of disruption when equipment is replaced
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Disruption may range from 10 minutes to 4 hours depending on the complexity of the IT hardware in the location
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The project will use several approaches to reduce the impact of this disruption such as working out of hours and working with local contacts to schedule changes for quieter periods*
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Initial deployments will focus on low complexity locations to ensure teething issues are addressed with minimal impact and lessons can be implemented for later more challenging deployments
*Not all buildings and locations will have flexibility due to the requirement to replace old and out of support hardware before their hardware contract ends.
What benefits will I get from this change?
The current network is coming to the end of its life and uses outdated hardware which is prone to failure. The new network will address this and provide a greater service and more efficient network connectivity.
Will I have access to the internet during the change?
If you are connected to the buildings wired or wireless network during the change there will be no access to the internet or other services.
I’m using remote desktop connection to access services – will I be affected?
If you are using remote desktop connection and remotely accessing your PC or a Lab PC in a building undergoing the network upgrade you will be affected by these changes. After the network upgrade has been completed in an area the computers in that area will have new IP Addresses. To ensure you connect to the correct IP Address use the hostname of your computer when connecting via RDP. e.g. win-adxx-1111.lunet.lboro.ac.uk
Will I be able to access the office/building during the change?
Yes – work will be taking place in communications cabinets, these are typically located in storage areas.
I’m in halls, how will this affect me?
The changes in halls will run over a larger period of time however planning for halls considers key teaching periods and aims to avoid these where possible.
I’m doing critical work during the change period that may be affected, who do I contact to discuss this further?
The project team are contactable via network2020@lboro.ac.uk.
I have a specialist piece of hardware connected to the network – how will this be affected?
Please contact the project team: network2020@lboro.ac.uk to discuss your individual situation.
I have a Linux machine, how will I be impacted?
To connect your linux machine to the network you must either configure the wired network interface to authenticate using 802.1X or register the MAC Address.
If you are using Ubuntu or Fedora visit https://cloudpath.lboro.ac.uk and use tools to configure your device.
For other distributions, you will need to visit https://cloudpath.lboro.ac.uk and choose 'Other Operating Systems'. From there you can download the Certificate Authority and Intermediate Certificate authority. You can also download your identity certificate. Once you have downloaded these three files consult the documentation for your distribution for configuring EAP-TLS 802.1X authentication.
If it is not possible to configure 802.1X on the wired interface, it is possible to register the MAC address to identify the machine. Visit https://onboarding.lboro.ac.uk and choose the option:
Can I test some hardware/devices before the change happens?
Yes – a test network is available for proactive testing, please contact the project team to discuss your requirements.
Who can I contact for more information?
Please speak to your local Park IT team or email bp@lboro.ac.uk or network2020@lboro.ac.uk with any queries you have.