NetMAX Customer Stories

NetMAX Powers Information Distribution to University Students via Common Area Plasma Screen TVs

Summary:

An increasingly mobile society has spawned the creation of new communication networks that target specific on-the-go audiences. The success of these networks is dependent on hardware and software that is easy to troubleshoot and that, hopefully, experiences little or no downtime. This case study examines how systems integrator S-troniX, Inc. (SX) used Cybernet Systems’ NetMAX™ Professional Suite server software to power a network of plasma screen televisions located in high-traffic areas on college campuses across the U.S.

Company Background: S-troniX, Inc. and The University Network

Based in Memphis, TN, The University Network is a leader in campus communications, offering a Web-based plasma screen messaging system to reach students at educational institutions. The narrowcast communication systems are placed in high traffic areas such as student unions, recreation centers and dining facilities. A large-format plasma screen displays university information and commercial messages, utilizing advanced Internet technology to communicate with this very mobile and hard-to-reach audience. The University Network currently has more than 100 installations across the contiguous U.S.

S-troniX, Inc., a company specializing in legacy computer integrations, was tasked in 2003 with developing the hardware and software infrastructure for operating The University Network (TUN). TUN has 12 full-time staff members and hundreds of outside users accessing its network at any given time, via both PC and Mac platforms. As a result, S-troniX needed to build a network server system that experienced minimum downtime, had relatively high security and could service multi-platform users across a distributed computer network.

“It just keeps working”

According to Spence Roberts, president of SX and under sub-contract to The University Network as its director of systems development, NetMAX software saved $7,000 right out of the gate.

“Two years ago, I had just ordered a complete server solution from a leading U.S. manufacturer for servicing The University Network at a cost of over $7,000,” he explained. “One of my technical support people recommended that we try NetMAX software instead. We did…and I returned the recently purchased equipment. Additionally, we no longer had to worry about licensing issues and saved the cost of hiring a systems person to administer what was originally planned to be a Windows® based network.”

The NetMAX Professional Suite includes proven applications such as the popular Apache web server and Sendmail. It offers the full power of a Linux operating system with a simplified setup for obtaining a fully functioning web, email and FTP server that is platform agnostic. NetMAX also enables users to host multiple domains on a single IP address – and this was an important feature for The University Network, since it helps keep their operating costs as low as possible.

“The NetMAX user interface is especially good,” Roberts added. “Basically, we just plugged in the hardware, installed the software and started building the interfaces to meet our needs. IP addresses were easy to assign.”

Roberts also liked the fact that the NetMAX Professional Suite included the NetMAX Firewall, since security was a major concern.

Linux OS not problematic

The NetMAX software was originally designed to demystify Linux for the average computer user. However, SX technicians were already familiar with Linux and knew that the Linux OS would be a good platform for The University Network. According to Roberts, it’s one of the reasons he decided to try NetMAX.

“We were already sold on Linux,” he said. “Ultimately, we knew it would deliver the reliability we needed for the system.”

Bottom line: NetMAX is easy to use with few maintenance requirements

“You plug in NetMAX and away you go – it’s as easy as that,” said Roberts, describing the time it takes from software installation to server startup. “Best of all, it can reside on a really compact piece of hardware. The small footprint means that, for us, NetMAX can literally sit in a corner and continue to work day in and day out with very little maintenance. In our business, that’s a huge advantage.”

About NetMAX

NetMAX Professional Suite is a Red Hat compatible enterprise Linux server software distribution that supports PC/Mac/Unix file sharing, e-commerce, e-mail, web traffic, desktop applications, security, network gateways and wireless access. NetMAX simplifies network setup and reduces the cost of administration with easy-to-use browser-based configuration management. With NetMAX 5.01, customers can simplify network, mail and storefront servers without sacrificing upgrades, features or security. NetMAX Professional and the entire line of NetMAX solutions are now available for download and as boxed products through Cybernet’s online store at www.netmax.com/. NetMAX pricing starts as low as $231.

www.s-tronix.com
www.theuniversitynetwork.net
www.netmax.com

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