Apogee Partner Details ResNet Outsourcing Decision and Process in EDUCAUSE Quarterly

AUSTIN, TX and ODESSA, TX--(Marketwire - Jul 6, 2011) - Apogee, the nation's largest provider of managed residential network (ResNet) services to higher education, today announced that partner school The University of Texas of the Permian Basin (UTPB) has been featured in the summer edition of EDUCAUSE Quarterly.

The article, written by J. Keith Yarbrough, Associate VP for Information Resources at UTPB, describes the internal deliberations and decision to outsource, and details the process of choosing a partner capable of meeting the diverse needs of their campus.

"First, we considered the pros and cons of expanding our resources in-house versus outsourcing to a proven ResNet provider," said Yarbrough. "We quickly realized that the outsourcing model offered a number of advantages that we could not replicate with in-house resources, including technological expertise, [a] dedicated ResNet team and 24 × 7 support, [as well as additional] cost savings."

After making the decision to outsource the student ResNet, the University began reviewing the comparative advantages of several potential network partners.

"Once we recognized the benefits of outsourcing the ResNet, we issued an RFP and received three responses," said Yarbrough. "We carefully reviewed and compared each provider's offerings against our requirements and ultimately made the decision to award UTPB's ResNet contract to Austin-based Apogee. Apogee had demonstrated successful ResNet deployments at many universities across the nation and, most importantly, could provide the strategic vision to meet our needs well into the future because their solution incorporated a built-in plan for continued growth."

According to Yarbrough, the value added by Apogee, combined with significant cost savings to the school, convinced them that outsourcing was the right decision.

"Our calculations on the cost savings derived from ResNet outsourcing convinced us unequivocally that managed service was the right fit for our campus," said Yarbrough. "By partnering with Apogee to manage, expand, and support the residential network instead of attempting to provide the same services in-house, UTPB expects to save approximately $800,000 over the next five years. We're also able to provide our students with comprehensive 24 × 7 network support, guarantee bandwidth growth as our needs expand, ensure regular technology refreshes, and avoid the costs of ongoing equipment maintenance, repair, and replacement."

Following a successful deployment across their residential community, Yarbrough noted that in addition to greater satisfaction reported by student residents, the IT department at UTPB had also been impacted.

"By rethinking our approach to managing the student ResNet, UTPB was able to dramatically expand services, focus on other mission-critical goals, and ensure a strategic plan for future growth -- all at a significant cost savings to the university," said Yarbrough. "For us, the choice was clear. Partnering with Apogee for managed ResNet service has been a successful approach for IT, UTPB, and our student residents."

To view the full article in the summer edition of EDUCAUSE Quarterly, visit www.apogeenet.net/features/utpb.

About Apogee

Apogee is the largest, most innovative provider of on-campus residential networks (ResNet) in higher education. Partnering with Apogee for ResNet services allows colleges and universities to enhance their network infrastructure while offloading the growing volume of administrative responsibilities associated with managing a student network. This partnership allows IT to focus on the mission-critical tasks of the university, such as growing the enterprise network and facilitating the development and use of e-learning tools and content. For more information about Apogee and its services, visit www.apogeenet.net.

About the University of Texas of the Permian Basin

The University of Texas of the Permian Basin is a dynamic, growing campus of 3,600 students with a third ranked business school and nationally accredited social work program. Opened in 1973 students have benefited from small classes and instruction from professors who hold the highest credentials in their fields. For more information about UTPB, visit www.utpb.edu.