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Network Opens Doors To Learning For Students By Mona R. Litt University students hope to graduate with the best education possible. "Our top priority is to provide students with all the tools they need to get the most out of their education and build a strong future," says Gary Habermann, associate director of the computer systems department at Widener University. The Chester, Pa., school offers that and much more through its FDDI and ATM network. The learning institution places strong emphasis on students and professors tapping into all informational resources through multimedia applications and databases accessible in the comfort of the students' own dorm rooms. Starting this semester, 2,000 students can plug in computers in their rooms and access critical information for their assignments and take part in videoconferencing. Students reach librarians at the touch of a keyboard, by using PictureTel Corp.'s LiveLAN and Microsoft Corp.'s NetMeeting. Widener's main campus library utilizes Ameritech's Dynix software for its online card catalog and Canveon Systems' Infotrac and BNA Software's Environmental Library for informational databases. According to Habermann, these software packages enable more students to take part in group discussions from their rooms or any other location. Web servers store classroom presentations for future reference and for those who missed that day's session. The university also will offer full-motion satellite video by the spring of 1998. "The new technology presents both students an d faculty with a bit of a learning curve," Habermann says. "But the faculty has demanded that we use the newest teaching tools to help the students, and that's what we're doing." Habermann runs Hewlett-Packard Co.'s HP OpenView for general network monitoring and 3Com Corp.'s Transcend Network Management for hardware management. These provide the management tools critical to keeping the network stable and reliable. Widener runs T1 connections to its two remote campuses--Wilmington, Del., and Harrisburg, Pa. Habermann says the Wilmington location started an upgrade in October to match the latest technologies installed on the main campus, adding another 1,000 switched ports. All three locations have Internet access via service provider PrepNet. Students and faculty simply dial in from home computers to conduct research and tasks. With general access available for so many students, Habermann has implemented a number of security measures intended to keep critical data safe. The university has built vir tual LANs (VLANs), and it also uses the firewall software and IP/IPX filter provided in 3Com NETBuilder II routers. "We strive to cover all areas without leaving any segment without access," Habermann explains. "We will continue to provide the best technology available to better our students' education." For more information on Widener University, visit its Web site at www.widener.edu.
Updated October 8, 1997 
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