Who We Are

The Network Services / Telephone Services Department is responsible for providing the communications infrastructure to support the educational, research, and business goals of the University. Our team includes fifteen full time and eleven part time staff members.

What We Do

With the present technology trend towards the convergence of video, telephone, and data traffic into a single IP network, the Network Services Department is responsible for providing the underlying network infrastructure to support multiple services and technologies across the campus network and beyond. The Department manages the University’s high speed network encompassing the main campus and several remote locations, the campus wide single sign-on wireless network, and the University’s high speed Internet connection along with the equipment and infrastructure required to support them. The Department is also responsible for the reliable delivery of telephone service across campus. We support the main PBX along with several building gateways and all related equipment and infrastructure required to deliver service.

Our Services

• Network design, testing, build-out, and maintenance (wired and wireless)
• Fiber and copper cabling across campus (both network and telephone)
• Campus construction support for telecommunications infrastructure
• Commodity Internet and Internet2 connectivity
• Support for the University of Texas System Network in the Valley
• Analog, digital, and VoIP telephone services
• Voicemail, caller ID, expanded local calling area services
• Call Center setup and support

FUTURE PROJECTS

• Partnership with VTXC to build Edinburg Metro fiber ring serving all Edinburg UTPA sites
• Partnership with VTXC to access CUDI (Mexico's Internet) network
• Network Access Control in collaboration with the Information Security Office
• Support Information Security in VPN deployment
• Build high-speed network for research projects
• Core network redundancy
• Performing Arts Center telecom support
• Single telephone prefix
• Starr County Upper Level Center telecommunications support
• Multicasting and IPv6 support
• VoIP capacity increase
• Communication Manager 5.0 upgrade
• Modular Messaging 4.0 upgrade

PROJECTS

Current Project List

• Arlington Data Center networking project (layer 2 and layer 3 implementation)
• Expand campus wireless coverage to encompass the entire campus
• DHCP service consolidation
• Redline wireless bridge installation between main campus and Haggar
• Building
• Campus wide fiber optic and copper cable plant installation and infrastructure upgrades
• Academic Services Building Communication Room (2.136) Remodel
• Library building network re-design
• Support Information Security Office in upgrade of enterprise campus firewall

Current Project List

• Building network port mapping
• Network equipment infrastructure upgrade to gigabit uplink speeds
• Core router upgrades
• RADIUS accounting server
• Coastal Studies Lab router upgrade
• Redline wireless bridge temporary installation at Rio Grande City campus
• Redline wireless bridge temporary installation between campus and Region One to support concurrent enrollment classes to local ISD’s
• Re-cabling labs in the Physical Science building
• Support video services in providing video conferencing at the Edinburg RAHC building

Current Project List

• VoIP telephone service deployment
• Campus phone book
• Telephone call accounting system migration to Oracle Financials
• Name Connector upgrade to new platform and digital ports
• Old Computer Center construction telecommunications support including removing old cabling and re-cabling fiber and copper runs at the building’s machine rooms
• Expand Packeteer’s bandwidth capacity to keep up with client bandwidth requirements; increase role in bandwidth  shaping and control
• Old Computer Center Communication Room (111) Remodel
• Wireless network upgrade

One important aspect of our Department’s efforts and one of its main goals over the last couple of years has been its collaboration efforts with other entities.  Our work with The University of Texas System Office of Telecommunication Services created the South Texas Lambda ring with the capacity to provide over 160 times the bandwidth of the previous ring serving South Texas’ UT & A&M institutions.  Its deployment has propelled us to our latest project, a partnership with VTXC, to establish a direct link into Mexico’s research and education network CUDI (Corporación Universitaria para el Desarollo de Internet).  Our goal is to foster research collaborations between UTPA and Mexican universities and research centers.  We are also working with VTXC for the development of an Edinburg Metro fiber ring to link the main UTPA  campus with remote buildings in the area and the South Texas Lambda ring.  Additionally, we are members of the Lone Star Education and Research Network which provides direct connectivity to other research and educational institutions in the state, the nation, the world.

NETWORK SERVICES DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT TEAM

Jesús Ríos, Director, Network Services
Nick Morales, Network Manager
Jonathan Cooksey, Network Manager
Ricardo Reyna, Network Specialist
Kelly Smith, Network Manager
Éfraín Molina, Network Specialist
Raymundo Díaz, Wireless Network Manager
Nino Avila, Wireless Network Specialist
Rick Ramírez, Wire Crew Manager
Juan Betancourt, Network Specialist
Herberto Castillo, Telephone Services Manager
Betty González, Telephone Services Office Supervisor
Efraín Treviño, Telephone Technician
Alex Atilano, Telephone Technician
Vacant, Telephone Operator

CONTACT INFORMATION

Our main offices are located at the Academic Services Building (ASB) room 1.126.
Our main telephone number is 956-381-3300.

To report network problems, including wireless network issues, please call the HELP DESK at 956-381-2020.
To request new network connections, please contact the HELP DESK at 956-381-2020.

For assistance setting up your laptop’s wireless connection, please stop by the IT Service Desk located at ASB 1.102.

For additional information, please visit our website at http://www.utpa.edu/networks