AIs effect on connectivity in HigherEd

1. AI’s Impact on Connectivity Speed
Vistasp M Karbhari
Higher Education: The Connected Campus
August 31, 2023

2. The Evolving Campus
Physical Infrastructure Computer Labs Classroom IT “Zoom” Teaching
Network Servers / “Cloud” BYOD
Networks not only link and connect but enable the functioning of a campus
Transactions (Reg, Fees)
Advising
Wellness
Connections
Academic Support
Immersive Education

3. Engagement & Connectivity
The Knowledge
Enterprise
Formal Learning
Connectivity
Sociological
Connectivity
Connectivity for
Holistic Student
Enablement
Connectivity for
Learning & the
Workplace
Business
Connectivity
Research
Connectivity

4. Data & Information Is Everywhere
• Need to decide what is important & what
needs analysis
• Processing massive swarms of data in real
time
• Integration of IoT
• Integration of data sources including from
external entities
• Integration across repositories
• Real-time analysis at location
• Cost

5. Credit: John Klossner

6. Challenges & Opportunities
• Performance degradation
• Layers and types of systems in an enterprise
• Institutional, unit & vendor systems
• Cybersecurity
• Number and type of devices
• Capacity / Bandwidth, connectivity speed
• Monitoring & maintenance (downtime)
• Need for high quality, high speed 24/7/365
• Cost

7. AI Options
Autonomous
Knowledge
Intensive
Multi-Agent
Intent Driven
Decision making without
human intervention.
Adapts to unforeseen
situations
Response based on
formal specifications,
objectives &
constraints
Response based on
ML and inferred domain
models
Response based on
a range of tools aimed
towards continuous
optimization

8. AI: Faculty & Students
• Use of multiple mobile and connected devices
• Expectation of seamless connectivity
• Access to a wide range of applications & services
• Use of video & simulations
• Increasing use of AR/VR/XR
• 24/7/365 connectivity

9. AI Enabled Areas of Opportunity
Besides T, L & R
• Recruitment, admissions & registration
• Communications
• Scheduling & occupancy optimization
• Building/plant operations & energy
utilization
• Security (cyber and physical)
• Finance
• Compliance

10. AI & Telemetry
• Monitor network & device health
• Analyze use data to predict & meet
needs
• Identify anomalies
• Eliminate false positives
• Prioritize resources (including
bandwidth)
• Determine remediation actions

11. Machine Reasoning & Predictive
Analytics
• Anticipate events
• Assess vulnerabilities & predict areas of
concern
• Warn of increases in load/use
• Assess network congestion & check
correlations
• Assess potential outcomes towards an
optimal solution
• Analyze flows & define policies based on
groups of users, devices & applications
• Life-cycle management

12. Bandwidth Requirements
0-5 Mbps 5-40 Mbps 40-100 Mbps 100-500 Mbps 500-1000+ Mbps
Streaming music
on 1 device
Streaming video
on one device
Streaming HD
video on 2-3
devices
Streaming UHD
video on multiple
screens
Fully Immersive
learning
Checking email Basic video calls Video calls with
real time file
sharing
Fast file
download
Google search Online gaming –
single player
Multiple player
online gaming
Online gaming
for multiple
players
Downloading
large files

13. Providing Adequate
Bandwidth / Performance
• Faculty computing at location of choice
• Two-way steaming and immersive options
• Student learning – anytime, anywhere
• Student teleconferencing & virtual meetings
• Core applications on site and remote
• Convergence of voice, data, video,
multimedia

14. Cybersecurity
• Internal & external users
• Integration of outsourced services (blending
into an enterprise wide system with security)
• Enabling complex, multi-protocol, multi-
application integrated system
• Adding new networks on legacy systems
• Integrating legacy devices with cloud and IoT
• Ensuring a “big picture” analysis

15. Current & Future Pain Points / Strains
• Mix of legacy and new devices
• Layers of networks
• Need for 24/7/365 seamless connectivity with no downtime
• Secure access to a wide range of online resources (institutional,
cloud, vendor)
• Outsourced services which need to be blended into an
enterprise wide system
• Disjointed support and distributed authority
• “Open” network
• Access and equity issues
• Privacy Issues
• Decisions on bandwidth – who, how much, for what & where….

16. GIGO and Unintended Consequences….
https://xkcd.com/1838/ www.teachprivacy.com

17. Questions
vkarbhari@uta.edu
Vistaspmkarbhari
@VistaspKarbhari