#Gate2Cross

Implementation

Daily Round Up

Friday, May 19th

Full review of the campus equipment and testing was performed.

Final networking cut-overs occurred.

GCFA team departed AU; many hugs, smiles, and tears were had.

The new servers, chasses, and brocades.

Thursday, May 18th

  • The wireless equipment is installed and connected.
  • The Africa University electricians continue to install the UPS units. They should be completed by next week.
  • All the VMware infrastructure is installed.
  • The team worked on quality assurance and ensuring network stability.
  • The VM virtual environment is complete.
  • All servers and storage (SAN) have been configured and finalized.

Wednesday, May 17th

  • All but one internal wireless access point has been installed. Configuration of new units should be complete Thursday, May 18th.
  • Installation of UPS units continues.
  • Server migration continues, and VMWare is being imaged.
  • Survey of the wireless network and server configuration will be completed Thursday, May 18th.

Team installing a final access point at Agriculture.

The team working on the server configuration and migration.

Tuesday, May 16th

  • Server work continued. The ports were opened, the SAN was connected, and the migration to the new servers is underway.
  • Work continued for the wireless and fiber at the front gate.
  • The team continued installing the internal access points throughout campus. Nine (9) internal APs were installed yesterday.
  • The installation of the UPS (uninterrupted power supply) units continues. These units protect the equipment during power surges.

Monday, May 15th

  • Installation of the wireless network continued. The team focused on installing the internal wireless access points. The team also surveyed campus to look for dead spots in the Wi-Fi and determining where additional access points may be required.
  • The team configured the PowerEdge FX Chassis and ESXi host 1 through 4 for the servers.
  • The team worked with ProCon to complete the SAN configuration.
  • The team configured the Brocade for the fiber backbone.

The team determining the access point location at the dining hall.

Fiber installed at the front gate

Weekend Update – May 13th and 14th

  • The external wireless access points (AP) network is complete. All external cable work was finished over the weekend. And, the external APs have been mounted, powered and connected to run data.
  • Work continues on the wireless network for the staff housing area.
  • Fiber is connected to the servers from the front gate.
  • Work on the internal wireless access points has begun and will be the primary focus of work on Monday, May 15th. This includes cabling inside of buildings, and connecting the access point to the internal switches and network.

Friday, May 12th

  • All servers and brocades have been racked.
  • Staff started the installation of the external cabling to support the outdoor wireless access points.
  • All fiber optic cabling has been installed to the security gate.
  • All fiber optic cabling has been installed at the staff housing area.
  • The team will be finishing up the configuration of the network for these two areas over the weekend.
  • Over the weekend, the team will be running cable throughout campus.

AU ICT Team installing external wireless access point

Thursday, May 11th

  • GCFA staff met with Professor Munashe Furusa, Vice Chancellor of Africa University.
  • All but three of the external wireless access points (AP) have been mounted. The team plans to try and complete the wireless network install, both internal and external, before Monday, May 15th.
  • The Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) units are now being installed.
  • Cabling for the wireless network has begun.
  • Fiber is being installed at the front gate.

AU Team prepping cable for install

First Cisco wireless access point installed at Theology.

Wednesday, May 10th

  • The lightning arresters are all installed next to the external wireless access point poles.
  • All of the external wireless access point poles are in place and sealed with concrete.
  • All conduit has been run where conduit is needed. Cabling has begun.
  • Fiber work has begun at the front gate.
  • The external wireless access point is complete at the Theology building, including all cable work, etc.
  • Other wireless access point mountings were installed in various areas around campus.
  • UPS deployment will begin Thursday, May 11th.

Tuesday, May 9th

  • All but one switch is installed.
  • All trenching for the wireless network is complete.
  • Installation of the poles for the wireless access points began. Pole work is expected to be completed by end of day, Wednesday, May 10th.
  • All wireless access points were prepped with brackets for install and completion.
  • Installation of the wireless access points will begin Wednesday, May 10th.
  • The plan for the UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) deployment was finalized.

First pole for external access points installed at residence halls

New switches at Health Services

Monday, May 8th

  • 90% of the switching project is complete.
  • The team acquired all necessary materials for the installation of the external wireless access points.
  • The team met with Tel One on the fiber installation and external access point installation.
  • The team finished programming all the external access points.
  • Work on the the external access point installation will begin on Tuesday, May 9th, with trenching and pole installation.

Weekend Update, May 6th-7th

  • All Cisco switches were prepared and configured for deployment.
  • New switches were installed in the Admin FMA, ICT Building, Library, and Facilities.
  • All external wireless access points were configured, programmed, and prepped for deployment.
  • Continued work on configuring, programming and prepping all internal wireless access points for deployment.

Friday, May 5th

  • Team 2 from GCFA arrived. They are very excited to be back to Africa University.
  • The team finalized the ERP server configuration requirements and design.
  • The team’s plan for this weekend is to complete the Cisco switching implementation within the ICT building, the Library, and the Administration building.
  • The team finalized the design and implementation plan for the wireless network.

Richard Fotsin, ICT Director & Derek Preston, GCFA Director of IT Infrastructure

Thursday, May 4th

  • Testing signal in ICT, Theology building and Health Sciences .



Wednesday, May 3nd

  • Marking positions to place access points in block A-N.
  • Testing signal on other buildings, Library and Chapel.

Networking team mounting the testing access point near the Jokomo Yamada Library to test the signal.

All changes saved in Drive

The network team identifying possible positions to mount the access points.

Tuesday, May 2nd

  • Block I, J,K,L Site survey and access point positioning for proper signal testing in the rooms and open space.
  • Block N signal penetration test.



Monday, May 1st

  • Block A,B,C,D Site survey and wireless signal penetration testing in the rooms and open space.

External access point taken out for testing.

Access point assembled, configured and ready to be mounted.



Sunday, April 30th

  • Mounting of access point for testing.
  • Configuration of access points and upgrading the firmware of the CISCO access points.



Saturday, April 29th

  • Replacement of the main core switch for the university.

The old switches that were replaced.

GCFA team makes a courtesy call with the Acting Registrar, Ms. Mushambi.

Friday, April 28th

Dale, Stephen and Michael arrived at Africa University. Introductions and welcomes were exchanged between ICT staff and the GCFA team. The team was led by Mr chinzvende and Mr Musesengwa when they went for a courtesy call and took a campus tour.... Read more

Did you Know?

The recently purchased access points are :

  • currently the industry's highest-performing outdoor access points.
  • the only ones to date that support 802.11ac Wi-Fi with 4x4 MIMO true beamforming smart antenna technology with three spatial streams.