123NET Customer Spotlight: Baker College

At-a-Glance:

Founded in 1911, Baker College is Michigan’s largest private not-for-profit college while also being the state’s top private transfer school. They also have multiple campuses across the state offering 70+ degree programs while also providing an online global campus with 40+ academic program options for undergraduate and graduate degrees. Baker College strives to cultivate an environment that encourages positive action, critical thought along with providing the knowledge that students need to improve their lives and careers.

Future Endeavors:

As Baker College continues to expand its online offerings and physical campuses, 123NET remains a steadfast partner. The robust, scalable solutions offered by 123NET are designed to grow alongside the college, allowing for seamless integration of new technologies and increased connectivity requirements. As the world of education evolves, especially in the digital realm, Baker College is confident that with 123NET, they have a reliable and innovative technology partner to navigate this journey.

Customer:

Baker College

Industry:

Education

Services:

123NET Data Center & Network Services

Employee Number:

1,500+

Identifying Baker College’s Challenges

Baker College was grappling with several critical issues that needed immediate attention. The institution was determined to strengthen its infrastructure by transitioning to a managed data center. Additionally, the college was contending with unsatisfactory service from a national ISP and was in dire need of a dependable and cost-effective service provider. The urgency to incorporate new technologies for enhancing collaboration among teams, faculty, and students was further accelerated last year.

Tailored Solution by 123NET

In response to Baker College’s multifaceted needs, 123NET stepped in with a comprehensive solution. The college was provided with seven multipoint fiber connections, coupled with redundant high-speed internet, all routed back to a carrier-neutral data center. To further enhance the online experience across its Michigan campuses, Baker College also became a part of the Detroit Internet Exchange. This strategic move was aimed at significantly boosting the speed and quality of the user experience.

The Impactful Results

The collaboration with 123NET transformed Baker College’s network infrastructure, resulting in faster and more reliable connectivity across all campuses, all while keeping costs in check. By opting for a managed colocation solution at 123NET’s Data Center, the college now benefits from robust physical security, redundancy, and the flexibility to scale as needed. This revamped network infrastructure has not only enabled each campus to handle high-traffic loads efficiently but has also ensured continuous network availability for the college’s global campus and remote learning initiatives. The partnership with 123NET has, therefore, not just solved immediate connectivity and infrastructure issues but has also positioned Baker College for future technological advancements and growth.

“When compared with our previous national provider, 123NET has met or exceeded our expectations in every area with one major difference—their level of personalized customer support is beyond anything we’ve experienced with other service providers.”

Scott Wood
Scott Wood, Sr. Director of Infrastructure Security & Support , Baker College