SMB Computers, corporate solutions provider of Information Technology (IT) products and services, has signed a one million Emirati dirham ($272,000) deal with Sharjah College to upgrade its complete networking and IT infrastructure.
Sharjah College is going in for a complete network revamp, from a hub based network to a switched network enabling transfer speeds of 100 Megabits per second (Mbps) or higher through a Gigabit backbone using 3Com Gigabit switches.
The network will be protected from the outside environment using a Cisco Pix Firewall solution. This prevents intrusion from the outside world (via the Internet) and also controls the Internet usage by students and others within the college.
The infrastructure solution provided by SMB includes the structured cabling of the new computer laboratory using CAT5 Enhanced network cabling. It has installed over 160 PCs including new desktop computer systems and replacing some of the existing systems, to provide the latest Pentium 4 based computer systems from Acer. Networked printers from Epson will also be installed at various locations throughout the college.
On the software side, Microsoft Windows 2000 Server is being implemented across the network. This will provide the platform for all applications. Microsoft Windows 2000 Active Directory Services deployed on a state-of-the-art Fujitsu Siemens' PDC Server will allow each student to have his/her own roaming profile, and enable them to access this profile from any PC within the college campus.
This server will also be the file server where all information required by both students and staff members will be stored for daily retrieval. In addition, a database server and a Linux Server are being installed to enable students to learn related applications. All the servers will be integrated in a Fujitsu Siemens Data centre Rack, making it a complete rack-based solution.
The SMB Group is headquartered in Dubai. Its core business activities include distribution and retail of hardware products and providing software and networking solutions and services. The SMB Group comprises of six divisions: SMB Distribution L.L.C, Peripherals Gulf Limited, SMB Computers L.L.C (Retail Stores), SMB Computers LLC (Corporate Sales), SMB Customer Care, SMB Networking and Communications.
Sharjah College established the American model transfer program at the undergraduate level in September 1990 in affiliation with the University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL), Texas. The Inter-institutional Agreement with UHCL was revised in November 2001.
The inter-disciplinary approach to study, which is a distinctive mark of the academic program of the American University system, is retained in full in courses offered by the institutions. Sharjah College moved to a modern building, with modern lecture halls and laboratories. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
