Meraki Wireless LAN Helps Westmont College Win Prestigious InfoWorld 100 Award
Adoption of campus-wide 802.11N network, transition to cloud-centric infrastructure earn prize.
SAN FRANCISCO — December 3, 2009 – IDG InfoWorld has recognized Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA, as one of the top 100 IT projects of 2009. Meraki, the cloud-based wireless networking company based in San Francisco, CA, led Westmont’s cloud-centric initiative with a campus-wide indoor/outdoor 802.11n network.
The InfoWorld 100 lists IT projects that have implemented and integrated technologies in innovative ways in pursuit of concrete business goals. “This year’s recipients of InfoWorld’s highest honor are shining examples of IT projects undertaken by tech leaders committed to pushing their organizations forward,” says InfoWorld editor Jason Snyder.
Westmont is the first college in the U.S. to deploy a cloud-managed wireless network campus-wide, choosing Meraki over vendors Aruba Networks and Cisco Systems. “I never imagined that deploying a wireless network over a 111-acre campus… would just work,” says Reed Sheard, vice president of information technology and CIO. “I couldn’t be more happy with how things have turned out, and we’re delivering unsurpassed service to students, faculty, and staff.”
In addition to Meraki’s cloud-based wireless LAN, Westmont adopted cloud-based infrastructure from Google, Postini, and Salesforce.com. “The IT department supports over 135 unique services for the Westmont community,” says Sheard. “By moving… wireless management to the cloud, the IT team is freed up to work on areas more strategic to the College.”
“We’re thrilled to see Westmont recognized for their bold vision, and are honored to be part of their cloud-centric technology strategy” says Kiren Sekar, Product Marketing Manager at Meraki.
About Meraki
Meraki offers enterprise-class wireless networks at a fraction of the cost and complexity of traditional networking vendors. This is made possible by its unique cloud-based technology. The company’s customers range from small and medium-sized businesses to global hotel chains to world-class educational institutions. Meraki wireless networks serve millions of users on over 13,000 networks in more than 140 countries. Meraki is located in San Francisco, California, and is funded in part by Sequoia Capital and Google. For more information, go to www.meraki.com. Follow Meraki on Facebook and Twitter.
About Westmont College
Westmont provides a rigorous academic program set in a Christ-centered community. Founded in 1937 and ranked in the top tier among the nation’s best liberal arts colleges according to U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges 2009 Edition,” Westmont enrolls more than 1,200 students across a 111-acre campus with 24 major buildings. For more information, visit www.westmont.edu.
Katherine Madariaga
Atomic Public Relations
415-402-0230
katherine@atomicpr.com
