Network Capacity (Bandwidth) Priorities Policy

 

Background:

Internet bandwidth is a finite, expensive resource.

As such, the university needs to clearly establish the priority uses of that bandwidth for Faculty, Staff, and Students. The following priorities are in effect whenever classes are in session, and when the University business offices are open. As stated in the University’s "Internet, Electronic Communications and Computer Resources Acceptable Use Policy, when faced with unexpected circumstances the University will take what ever steps are necessary, including curtailing non-educational services, to maintain educational services.

Overall:

1.      University Video Conferencing is exempt from the bandwidth prioritization listed below.

2.      The following prioritization only goes into effect when the University's bandwidth demand exceeds capacity.

3.      Peer-to-Peer (P2P) applications are blocked per University Policy on P2P. 

4.      The prioritization below only affects 1) on-campus access of off campus servers & services, and 2) off-campus access of SVSU servers & services.

 

The Internet service priorities for the University are:

 

The following applies to Wireless, ResNet, Offices, Open labs, etc.

Classrooms include classroom podiums, and teaching computer labs.


Tier-5 (top Priority)

  • On-Campus web access to outside hosted business applications such as PeopleAdmin, NaceLink, etc.
  • Off-Campus access to M: Drive, Offices Shares etc.
  • Off-Campus web access to SVSU servers & services such as VSpace, Vmail, R/25

Tier-4

  • Classroom and Office web access to off-campus servers and services
  • Classroom Streaming Media

Tier-3 (default)

Includes but is not limited to:

  • IM (instant messengers)
  • Skype, WI-FI VOIP
  • Gaming
  • ResNet web access to off-campus servers and services

Tier-2

  • Athletics Game videos
  • Office Streaming Media

Tier-1 (lowest Priority)

This low priority does not include network traffic from Offices, Podiums and Teaching Labs, but does include Wireless, ResNet, and Open Labs.

  • Personal audio/video streaming like: iTunes, flash, Google video, mpeg-4 streaming, mpeg-audito, pandora, winampstream, winmedia, YouTube, ppstream, and includes but is not limited to: internet radio, Hulu, FoxNews, ABCNews, CNN-News
  • Social Media such as Facebook, Myspace, twitter, flickr, etc.