We have reviewed 1:1 deployment management before and one of the many issues in current school implementations is maintaining a network that can handle hundreds of devices. Aerohive Networks published an article sharing their efforts of live testing their own system in a K-12 environment:

“A team of Wi-Fi experts from Aerohive Networks sets out to do a high-density radio test on a school campus located in California’s wine country. As a result of this test, it was shown that a large number of students could simultaneously take standardized online exams in places like school gyms, auditoriums, cafeterias, assembly halls, and other wide-open spaces as described in the deployment Guide for K-12 schools. For these tests, the team used Aerohive AP230 devices and had 25 student volunteers operating 250 iPads to simulate taking an online test.”

“To give the students a better understanding of why we were performing these tests, and why they were an important part of the testing (and perhaps to spark a budding interest in Wi-Fi and networking), Aerohive Sr. Product Marketing team member, Metka Dragos, gave an interesting and animated talk about wireless technology.”

“The network that supported all of this was composed of four APs using default radio profiles on four 5 GHz radios and three 2.4 GHz radios. The technical team watched carefully for any issues (iPads slowing, or going offline, for example), and in general, even with the extremely heavy burden of 250 exams running simultaneously, the network proved to be resilient and responsive.”

You can read Aerohive’s K-12 Education Deployment Guide here

Discussion Questions:

What are your biggest issues installing or maintaining 1:1 deployment?

What type of network do you operate?

What do you think of the educational opportunity Aerohive took with it’s volunteer students?