About

Key Goals

Everyone at the university needs a fast, dependable, and secure network - it empowers teaching, enables research success, and enhances student experience and learning. We're undertaking a major upgrade of the networking infrastructure on campus over the coming months. This involves updating our traditional network architecture and equipment to a modern, highly configurable and automated software-defined network. 

Benefits

  • A secure network that is more customizable to meet the unique needs of researchers and teaching and learning activities
  • A more reliable network with fewer unplanned outages
  • An easier-to-support network that is easier to patch, maintain, and configure

Timeline

Throughout 2024 and 2025, ICT will upgrade and migrate the hundreds of network switches distributed throughout campus to the new architecture. 

  1. Pilot phase (complete): Migration of network devices in the Diefenbaker, Education and Gordon Oakes Red Bear Student Centre buildings. 
  2. Implementation phase one (complete): Network migration for buildings primarily on the West half of campus.
  3. Implementation phase two (complete): Network migration for buildings primarily on the East half of campus. 

Throughout 2026 (Q1 and Q2), ICT will upgrade and migrate over 3000 network access points across campus to the new architecture. 

  1. Pilot phase (complete): Migration of network access points in the Peterson and Education Buildings.
  2. Implementation phase one (Q1): Migration of network access points. Building schedule TBD.
  3. Implementation phase one (Q2): Migration of network access points for remainder of campus. Building schedule TBD.

Service Alerts

This work will be carefully planned and executed to minimize network disruption. However, during this work there will be scheduled service interruptions, generally localized to parts of individual buildings. This work will be communicated well in advance and posted on IT Service Alerts.

Thank you for your patience as we modernize and improve our network infrastructure.

Questions?

Please reach out to ict.clientexperience@usask.ca with any questions or feedback.