| Campus Attendance & Entrance Control System |
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Colleges and universities are well
suited for the installation of serial device servers. This
is due to the fact that a school's existing Ethernet network
can be used for campus-wide device
connectivity. In fact, most campuses consist of an even
mixture of dormitories, laboratories, and shared office
space, all of which must provide students and faculty with
network access. Most areas of campus also require some
type of
access control to restricted areas, and must provide round-the-clock
security. Other applications include setting up centralized
control of computers located
in computer rooms across campus, providing network connectivity
to various types of lab equipment, and giving maintenance
personnel remote management
capability of the school's heating and air conditioning
systems.
The benefits of using device server technology in a campus environment
include centralized management and control of campus serial devices, more
accurate record keeping, and improved safety for faculty and students.
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| As a concrete example, let's consider the
task of maintaining accurate attendance and facility-use
records. In this scenario, each classroom, laboratory,
dorm entrance, and library is outfitted with a card reader
that connects to the campus network through a serial device
server. This particular application
would be configured as the TCP Client Mode of operation,
allowing the card readers to connect to networked hosts.
Magnetic stripped student ID
cards have been in use for many years, so that students are
already geared up to participate. A student's entrance into
a classroom or facility is recorded automatically when their
ID card is inserted into the card reader, giving instructors
and administrative personnel valuable information concerning
classroom attendance, as well as the rate at which students
use various oncampus
facilities. |
