BC3 approves tech device replacement
BUTLER TWP — Trustees of Butler County Community College approved a $617,000 proposal to strengthen network connectivity on BC3 campuses and replacing hundreds of outdated devices.
At a meeting Wednesday, Sept. 18, BC3 board trustees unanimously accepted a proposal submitted by Ideal Integrations of Pittsburgh.
The decision comes after the college announced in August that it had received a $300,000 grant from the state Department of Education that will help fund the replacement of about 300 electronic devices.
James Hrabosky, BC3’s vice president for administration and finance, previously said switches, routers and wireless access points would no longer be supported by manufacturers.
New devices are expected to last 10 years, he previously stated.
Hrabosky said the college’s state grant request that would cover nearly half the project expenses was made last year.
“We are replacing outdated and failing network switches with new high performance models to enhance our reliability, performance and security,” he said. “This is like replacing your tires. All these switches, all across campus, help connect all of our internet systems. And those switches wear out over time. We simply have to go through that process of replacing them.”
