Case Study: Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) achieves reliable high-density 802.11ac Wi-Fi and secure BYOD/guest access with HPE Aruba Networking

Aruba and ClearPass Make a Perfect FIT

The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), a 10,000‑student SUNY college known for design, fashion and technology, needed a next‑generation wireless network to support intensive, industry‑grade applications, pervasive BYOD access, and more than 100,000 annual museum visitors. FIT’s dense, vertical Manhattan campus also struggled with radio‑frequency interference, crowded device densities and the desire to convert wired labs into flexible, video‑heavy classrooms and public event spaces.

FIT deployed about 1,000 Aruba 802.11ac access points with three Aruba 7240 Mobility Controllers and centralized policy and guest management via Aruba ClearPass and AirWave, integrated with its Cisco wired core. The new solution delivered secure BYOD and guest access at scale, resolved RF interference and reliably supported high‑density video streaming and wireless surveillance, giving FIT a future‑proof platform for classroom innovation and large public events.

Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)

Gregg Chottiner

VP of Information Technology and CIO