Case Study: Harper Adams University achieves a resilient, high-performance, SDN-ready campus network with RUCKUS Networks

Leading University Chooses Ruckus LAN Switches to Take it to the Future

Harper Adams University, the UK’s leading provider of agri‑food and rural higher education and winner of Modern University of the Year, faced an aging 11‑year‑old 1GbE, tiered LAN that had become a network bottleneck. The university needed a resilient, stackable, SDN‑ready platform to support upcoming VoIP, retain operational control while accommodating some existing kit, and meet students’ expectations for always‑on connectivity.

The university deployed Ruckus ICX 7750 core switches and ICX 7250 edge switches (with PoE), enabling stacking, multiple 10/40Gb links, 802.1X department VLANs and integration with firewalls and Active Directory. The refresh removed bottlenecks, simplified management, increased reliability for mission‑critical systems (CCTV, access control, building and energy controls), and delivered cost‑effective flexibility to scale and add SDN‑based capabilities.

Harper Adams University

Martyn Reid

Chief Technical Officer