Networking

Network Size Matters
Resnet on Campus

Joshua Feldman

NYU ResNet, NYU's program to provide direct Ethernet connections in residence hall rooms, is transforming itself from a small niche service into what we hope will become a central part of residence hall life for undergraduate students. ResNet provides Internet access through a wired jack, along with software, documentation and technical support. The transformation is taking place not only in the program's scale, but also in its methodology and style.

Most obvious is ResNet's physical expansion, an increase of over 50 percent in size to encompass more than 5600 ports in 10 residence halls. Alumni, Carlyle, East 7th Street and the new University Hall are joining Brittany, Goddard, Hayden, Rubin, Third North and Weinstein in offering direct Ethernet connections.

Simultaneous with the growth in our service area, we see a growth in the use-rate of these ports. In 1996, 17 percent of people with access to a ResNet port chose to activate a connection; in 1997, that figure rose to 35 percent. For 1998, we expect that figure to rise to at least 50 percent. At many schools, activation rates top 80 percent after service has been offered for a while.

There is every reason to expect that NYU's future student population will be just as digitally inclined as those of other schools. As we scale the project into big-league proportions, we are simultaneously attempting to rework our methods to provide better service, not just more of it. The growing importance of computers for communications and research is leading more people from outside traditionally computer-intensive fields to require and seek out networking service. These people have greater needs for service and support. The real action at ResNet is in our attempts to revolutionize our service and support models.

The first thing that became apparent when we attempted to engineer a support model for ResNet was that the vast majority of service requests come at the very beginning of the school year. Obviously, most people want their machines hooked up when they move in, during the week before fall classes start, or as soon after that as possible. There's a second peak at the start of the spring semester, because some people move or get new computers over the holidays, but basically users' needs all clump up in a three-to-four-week period at the beginning of the school year.

This presents a host of challenges. First is the issue of staffing. There are a limited number of students available for training before move-in week. Even with training, the period of greatest need coincides with the period when our staff is the most raw and inexperienced.

Another challenge is the volume of questions. In the chaotic atmosphere that prevails during this peak time, it can be easy to lose track of individual service requests when so many are made in such a short time.

To meet these challenges, we have changed almost every aspect of the way we support our users. The ResNet project has become a part of ACF's User Services division. This fall, we have already begun to reap the benefits of greater integration with the resources of User Services. For instance, an ongoing resource for ResNet is NYU's system of computer labs. Labs provide access to online support materials and are a visible and accessible location for users to look for answers.

The ACF HelpCenter (998-3333) is now much more integrated into the process of supporting ResNet users. By routing the lion's share of information and service request calls through the HelpCenter, our staff is free to go out and provide on-site support. ResNet is also part of an emerging ACF-wide trouble ticket system, which will foster greater efficiency in resolving trouble cases by coordinating the resources of the HelpCenter, the ResNet staff and other parts of ACF.

Next, we have adopted a two-tier strategy for ResTech staffing. The first tier consists of ResNet Aides who were hired for the fall rush period and were trained to provide information on ResNet and basic assistance in system configuration. We dispatched them to the residence halls and at the NYU Computer Store. By proactively putting our staff around campus, we hope to shorten a confused student's search for information and support.

If a ResNet Aide cannot resolve a student's technical problem, he or she creates a trouble ticket to route the problem to the second tier, our staff of more experienced ResTechs. These are student employees, selected on an ongoing basis from the pool of ResNet Aides, who have demonstrated superior troubleshooting ability. ResTechs, in turn, are able to send stubborn problem cases to full-time staff. This chain of command should help ensure both that simple problems get addressed quickly and that full-time staff are used to maximum effect.

This year, ACF has introduced an automated online registration process. More information about this can be found at www.nyu.edu/its/resnet. This has been a big help to students, getting many more of them online than ever before.

We have put ResNet information cards into the packages that students receive when they move in. And this fall, we are also offering ResNet classes as part of ACF's free class series. By projecting our resources on so many fronts, we hope to cast a net that will catch every student in need of service or support.

Because of ResNet's youth and rapid growth, each year is an experiment. We hope that with a growing pool of experience and greater integration into ACF processes, ResNet's latest growth spurt will take us beyond a gangly adolescence into an effective maturity. For the first time, ResNet will be able to serve the majority of NYU's undergraduate campus residents. As faculty and staff work to integrate electronic communications into the learning process, we are working hard to provide students with avenues to join in.

Posted October 5,1998