Network keeps students mobile: University of Georgia project uses authentication servers for security

Networked computers have become as much a part of the university experience as desks and chalkboards, and wireless network access is one of the ways universities keep score of who is best serving the needs of faculty and students. In this environment, the University of Georgia's PAWS Project (Personal Access Wireless/ Walkup System) is a major step toward keeping UGA, with its 33,000 student body, at the forefront of major institutions of higher learning.

The PAWS Project began as a single-site experiment that has grown to encompass the majority of more than 420 access points scattered across the university's Athens, Ga., campus. As the project grew from experiment to deployed infrastructure, administrators realized that several key user interface and security considerations had become requirements.

Security was key, as administrators wanted to be sure that network users were legitimate students and faculty who could authenticate their log-in names against a central database. A consistent user interface was a secondary consideration, as administrators knew that they could not so inconvenience users that they sought ways to circumvent the secure installation.