Power over Ethernet Pioneer Launches Educational Grant Program in United States and Canada
PowerDsine(R), a provider of Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology, announced it has launched an educational grant program that will offer $100,000 worth of Power over Ethernet (PoE) midspan products to educational institutions operating in the United States and Canadian provinces.
All grants under the PowerDsine Educational Grant Program will be awarded to eligible institutions of higher learning, including state and federal universities or colleges, public and private universities or colleges and local, regional, state and federal K-12 schools. Eligible institutions based in the United States and Canada must possess an immediate need to incorporate or deploy PowerDsine PoE midspans for the purpose of supporting exciting new technologies such as wireless LANs, Voice over IP (VoIP) phones or IP surveillance cameras.
Midspans Best Way to Add PoE to Existing Network
Power over Ethernet midspans allow the addition of PoE capabilities to networks with existing Ethernet switches. In the case of recently purchased Ethernet switches, the midspans allow IT managers at universities and schools to connect up to PoE-ready devices, such as wireless LAN access points, VoIP phones and IP surveillance cameras, while protecting the investment in existing switches.
As plug-and-play devices, the addition of midspans is completely hassle-free with no necessary set up or configuration required, and practically no downtime. Midspans are usually installed in the wiring closet. The midspan input is connected to the Ethernet switch output, and on its output, which is connected to the powered device (through the patch panel), it injects the power according to the IEEE802.3af standard.
“The deployment of the wireless network in the College of Engineering and the benefits it brings to our faculty, staff and students would not have been possible without the cost effective midspan solution from PowerDsine,” said Bret Jordan, Director of Networking and Computer Services, at the College of Engineering, University of Utah. “PowerDsine’s solution allowed rapid deployment of wireless access points with minimal impact to the current network infrastructure which saved the College time and money.”
Product Grant Kits
PowerDsine has developed four types of grants: “Wireless PoE Kit,” “Voice over IP PoE Kit,” “IP Security PoE Kit,” and “Convergence PoE Kit.” All four grants are tailored to provide product support for all IEEE 802.3af-compliant, Cisco and legacy style devices that can be PoE enabled.
The “Wireless PoE Kit” includes hardware to support up to 144 wireless LAN access points, while the “Voice over IP Kit” includes hardware to support up to 144 IP phones. The “IP Security PoE Kit” includes support for 144 IP surveillance devices and the “Convergence PoE Kit” includes hardware to support a combination of 144 wireless access LAN points, IP phones, IP surveillance devices and all users that are associated with those PoE-enabled devices.
The PowerDsine Educational Grants are administered through PowerDsine and applications are available at www.powerdsine.com or upon request from PowerDsine at 631-756-4680 x416. All applications must be submitted via fax or mail to PowerDsine.
About IEEE 802.3af Standard
The standard, approved by the IEEE Standards Board on June 12, 2003, outlines how to feed power to Ethernet-connected devices, such as VoIP phones, wireless LAN access points, and IP network cameras, over Ethernet cabling. For more information on the standard, go to http://www.standards.ieee.org. 802.3af addresses and defines the following issues:
— Legacy Installation – Power over Ethernet ensures safe delivery of power to existing legacy devices as well as power-enabled terminals.
— Preservation of Cabling Infrastructure – PoE avoids altering existing wiring and does not damage cabling infrastructure already in place.
— Data Integrity – Power delivery over Ethernet cables does not cause data degradation or loss of data integrity
About PowerDsine
PowerDsine is a Power over Ethernet technology pioneer, providing the ability to deliver both power and data over a single network cable. PowerDsine offers converged power and data solutions to corporate users via its own range of equipment and via OEM agreements with the leading communications equipment manufacturers in the telecom and datacom industries. PowerDsine’s product line offers a variety of Power over Ethernet midspan devices as well as integrated solutions, which are embedded directly into Ethernet switches. PowerDsine is a founding member of the IEEE 802.3af Task Force. For more information, please visit http://www.powerdsine.com.
