Everything Runs on the Network
AV support use to mean that what we installed and configured usually was on an island. We were not connected via the network at all. Life has changed, though. We now have devices that more often than not come with an Ethernet port or even two ports. This gives the equipment access to a whole new world of monitoring, control, apps, and everything in between. Ignoring the benefit of being connected is just not plausible these days. Security needs to be considered but the benefits outweigh the negatives by a long shot. I hope to give everyone a bit of an introduction to what is possible with this new world of being connected.
This opportunity gives us a host of different options that we did not have before. The main obstacle that we have to get past is being okay with learning something new and that has not normally been in our wheelhouse. Something like AVoIP can transform our spaces but it is different than the AV that is normally used. This transport relies completely on the network. We need to know what switch to buy and how to configure the devices and how to work with the people that need to help support us. We need to go into these conversations with good information so that our network team is willing to work with us. Developing that relationship is key since if we are not able to grow that partnership having our AV on the network is just going to be a frustrating experience. This especially holds true at a Higher Ed campus where they need to set policies so that things are secure and organized. It is all about partnering with others and helping them understand your vision instead of them thinking your request is a burden and something that no one cares about.
The gains for doing this are well worth it, though. This gives us the chance to send a signal to any location that has a network drop. Which opens up the design process and allows us to think about each space in a much different way. Plus this should allow you to plan for the future if you need to. I personally have not had the chance to use AVoIP yet but we have a Dining Hall renovation that is coming down the pike that this solution will be great for. It will give us the flexibility that we will need in this venue since we will want a normal day-to-day configuration but then also a banquet setup.
The ability to support from a remote location is also key. The more devices that we have on the network the more we can do from afar in terms of changes, updates, and monitoring. It gives us the flexibility of not always having to have the whole team on campus all day every day. It also allows us to fix equipment that goes offline before maybe these issues are even reported since at least on our campus people don’t always report things as soon as it happens so our timeline to get rooms working again gets slowed down. This data also allows us to do better reporting and then we can analyze how a space is being used and can make strategic choices the next time this equipment gets refreshed.
POE is another reason this tech is worth getting into. This allows you to power your device via the network switch and at the same time puts the equipment on the network. This is very convenient for installing although you will want to make sure you have enough switch ports and enough power on your switch for all the device draw that you get.
If you have not yet considered AVoIP, I would strongly suggest it based on the points I have shared. Talk to the manufacturers, talk to your network team, and educate yourself about the possibilities. This will allow you to see what can be done and then you can see how this design might be able to fit into your current classroom plans and refresh cycle. Even if you are not quite ready to start installing AVoIP, the benefit of putting as much of your rack on the network is a no-brainer. Please share with others how you are making the network help you out in these days of a different-looking AV landscape!