Case Studies Creating a Self-Help Telecommunications Application at Carnegie Mellon University

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	Creating a Self-Help Telecommunications Application at Carnegie Mellon University

Creating a Self-Help Telecommunications Application at Carnegie Mellon University

Technology Category	Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Visualization Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems
Applicable Industries	Education
Applicable Functions	Business Operation Facility Management
Use Cases	Building Automation & Control Digital Twin Remote Asset Management
Services	System Integration Training
Challenge	Carnegie Mellon University faced the challenge of updating and replacing outdated Rich Text drawings for all campus buildings. The goal was to enable users to view updated CAD drawings for various purposes such as maintenance, networking, scheduling, or business reasons. The existing telecommunications standards were cluttered and lengthy, making it difficult to manage and access information efficiently. The university needed a solution to streamline the process, improve accuracy, and make the data easily accessible to the university community. Read More
About Customer	Carnegie Mellon University, founded in 1900 in Pittsburgh by industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, is a pioneer in the use of computing in education. The university's Andrew computing network is among the most advanced on any campus, supporting the school's growing computing demands. The university's Computer Aided Facilities Management (CAFM) staff, led by Kevin Ford, developed a web-based, self-help telecommunications application using ARCHIBUS to support these demands. The university spans approximately 4,000,000 square feet and is recognized for its innovative approach to integrating technology into its operations. Read More
Solution	The solution involved developing a web-based, self-help telecommunications application using ARCHIBUS. The project began with surveying approximately 4,200 faceplates within the dormitory, fraternity, and sorority buildings across campus. The team used laptops loaded with ARCHIBUS to capture data and update CAD drawings in the field, significantly speeding up the process. A new color-coded system was developed to standardize telecommunications information, using hatch marks to signify voice and data combinations. The university's Telecom Division of Computing Services department utilized ARCHIBUS Telecommunications & Cable Management and ARCHIBUS Overlay for AutoCAD® with Design Management applications to document telecommunications faceplate and jack information. This information was uploaded to ARCHIBUS for data reporting and made accessible via the ARCHIBUS Web Central access solution. The CAFM project staff provided training and technical support to university personnel to streamline and automate the process. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Visualization

Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems

Applicable Industries

Education

Applicable Functions

Business Operation

Facility Management

Use Cases

Building Automation & Control

Digital Twin

Remote Asset Management

Services

System Integration

Training

Challenge

Carnegie Mellon University faced the challenge of updating and replacing outdated Rich Text drawings for all campus buildings. The goal was to enable users to view updated CAD drawings for various purposes such as maintenance, networking, scheduling, or business reasons. The existing telecommunications standards were cluttered and lengthy, making it difficult to manage and access information efficiently. The university needed a solution to streamline the process, improve accuracy, and make the data easily accessible to the university community.

About Customer

Carnegie Mellon University, founded in 1900 in Pittsburgh by industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, is a pioneer in the use of computing in education. The university's Andrew computing network is among the most advanced on any campus, supporting the school's growing computing demands. The university's Computer Aided Facilities Management (CAFM) staff, led by Kevin Ford, developed a web-based, self-help telecommunications application using ARCHIBUS to support these demands. The university spans approximately 4,000,000 square feet and is recognized for its innovative approach to integrating technology into its operations.

Solution

The solution involved developing a web-based, self-help telecommunications application using ARCHIBUS. The project began with surveying approximately 4,200 faceplates within the dormitory, fraternity, and sorority buildings across campus. The team used laptops loaded with ARCHIBUS to capture data and update CAD drawings in the field, significantly speeding up the process. A new color-coded system was developed to standardize telecommunications information, using hatch marks to signify voice and data combinations. The university's Telecom Division of Computing Services department utilized ARCHIBUS Telecommunications & Cable Management and ARCHIBUS Overlay for AutoCAD® with Design Management applications to document telecommunications faceplate and jack information. This information was uploaded to ARCHIBUS for data reporting and made accessible via the ARCHIBUS Web Central access solution. The CAFM project staff provided training and technical support to university personnel to streamline and automate the process.

Impact #1	Users can now access updated drawings in an industry-standard format via the university's Property and Accounting Web page, a significant improvement over the previous manual method.
Impact #2	Drawings are published in DWF format and posted to the Web, allowing users to click on faceplate symbols to review related data.
Impact #3	The system helps staff relate their existing AutoCAD skills to the ARCHIBUS applications, encouraging users to maintain their own data.

Impact #1

Users can now access updated drawings in an industry-standard format via the university's Property and Accounting Web page, a significant improvement over the previous manual method.

Impact #2

Drawings are published in DWF format and posted to the Web, allowing users to click on faceplate symbols to review related data.

Impact #3

The system helps staff relate their existing AutoCAD skills to the ARCHIBUS applications, encouraging users to maintain their own data.

Benefit #1	Surveying approximately 4,200 faceplates was completed in a few hours per floor.
Benefit #2	The project covered approximately 4,000,000 square feet of campus space.

Benefit #1

Surveying approximately 4,200 faceplates was completed in a few hours per floor.

Benefit #2

The project covered approximately 4,000,000 square feet of campus space.

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Overview

Creating a Self-Help Telecommunications Application at Carnegie Mellon University

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit