Case Study: Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences achieves reliable, secure statewide connectivity for 70 extension offices with Juniper Networks

A Solid Network is Fertile Ground for Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences

Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, through its Penn State Extension network, needed to reliably connect 70 county extension and research offices to deliver science-based education and services across Pennsylvania. An aging, decentralized network and spotty commodity Internet made it difficult to access email, collaboration tools and mobile services, while limited central IT control hindered fast, secure improvements.

Over a three‑year upgrade, the college deployed Juniper SRX340/240 gateways with AppSecure, EX2200 access switches, QFX5100 data‑center switching and the Junos OS with automation to centrally manage branch connectivity. The result was a secure, resilient foundation that simplified operations, improved uptime (eliminating frequent VPN outages), enabled voice and videoconferencing for greater collaboration and outreach, and reduced support effort through automation.

Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences

Ed Zuech

Director of IT