Rutgers Next-Gen Network:
Resources

Rutgers is engaged in a major, multiyear effort to develop a faster, more resilient Rutgers network with expanded wireless connectivity and support for next-generation innovations in teaching, learning, and research. As part of this effort, network infrastructure will be upgraded; public safety will be improved by replacing end-of-life blue light phones and other efforts; the speed of the network core will be increased; and wireless connectivity will be improved in various locations. The addition of key redundancies will greatly increase network resiliency and reliability. The project was approved by the Rutgers Board of Governors in 2020, and a variety of improvements are currently in progress.

Due to budget constraints, the funding for the Rutgers Next-Gen Network has changed from what was shared in the initial plan announcement. The plan’s budget has been $7 million a year since 2021. Due to recent University budget reductions, the annual budget is now $6.4 million. With the reduction in funding from what was originally anticipated, the project has targeted the highest priority elements of the master plan, including the network core, redundancy, security, and Wi-Fi improvements.

The network core will be 10 times faster, while endpoint connections will be 10 to 100 times faster. Wireless connectivity will be expanded. The addition of key redundancies will greatly increase network resiliency and reliability.

A secure, fast, and reliable network is essential to support the daily operations of the university. The project calls for improved redundancy, upgrades to key infrastructure, increased connectivity, and a plan for systematic upgrades.

The Rutgers network covers more than 1,100 buildings and 31 million square feet of real estate. It serves more than 50,000 wired devices and almost 110,000 wireless devices daily.

The last major network initiative, RUNet 2000, was launched in 1998. It provided one-time funding for fundamental network improvements. Most of the technologies driving current network demands did not exist at the time, such as smartphones, tablets, and general wireless.

A faster, more reliable network will support computationally demanding research and enable Rutgers to compete for research grants available exclusively to institutions with world-class network capacity.

Increased wireless coverage will provide seamless connectivity without competition, enabling students to work effectively from nearly everywhere on every campus. Increased speed will better support next-generation teaching technologies such as smart classrooms and synchronous classrooms.

Support for high-speed networking, state-of-the-art security, ubiquitous wireless, intelligent building technologies, seamless redundancy, computationally demanding research and next-generation teaching and learning technologies.

Upgrade implementation will be strategically distributed to minimize both the extent and the duration of disruptions due to work related to construction, installations, network maintenance and improvements.

The plan was initiated in April 2017 with a consulting firm, and was developed over two years, engaging stakeholders from all areas of the University. The Rutgers Board of Governors approved the Network Master Plan on April 7, 2020. Here is a PDF that includes the entire text of the Network Master Plan resolution, starting on page 25.