Arizona State University

Challenge:

Arizona State University (ASU) faced the challenge of maintaining cutting-edge technology in video conferencing to support its diverse and extensive educational and research programs. Initially relying on traditional, on-premise video conferencing infrastructure, the university needed to transition to a more flexible, cloud-based solution. This was essential to support applications such as virtual office hours, meetings, distance learning programs, and the Doctorate of Behavioral Health program, where students are spread across the country and even internationally.

Solution:

IDS collaborated with ASU to develop a new cloud-based video conferencing service called Flame, using Vidyo as the backbone and partnering with Internet2. This transition from legacy hardware to a desktop cloud-based service was seamless for end users. Seth Levine, Manager of Video Conferencing and Collaboration, noted, “Behind the scenes, of course, there were significant changes in the equipment room, but for the end user the transition was seamless.” The Flame service was adopted for various uses, including virtual classroom programs in the School of Life Sciences, connecting students with researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and Smithsonian headquarters. The number of users increased significantly, with desktop users doubling in one year. The system's accessibility and ease of use contributed to this growth, allowing most university departments to handle their own configurations and usage requirements independently.