Many IT leaders know what it’s like to walk the tightrope between urgency and budget.
You’re staring down aging infrastructure, rising costs, and mounting cybersecurity risks, all while funding gets tighter and expectations stay high.
That was the reality for one leading post-secondary institution in British Columbia. With legacy network gear nearing end-of-life and only half the budget of the previous year, the college needed to refresh its network quickly, affordably, and without the red tape of a new RFP. What they needed wasn’t just a vendor. They needed a partner and Technology Ally who could help them move fast and make every dollar count.
The Challenge
At the start of our collaboration, this leading education institution i in British Columbia was operating with an aging Aruba network infrastructure. andt equipment that was more than three years old, making it increasingly vulnerable to cyber threats. Budget constraints from the prior year had delayed the full refresh, leaving portions of the campus network outdated and difficult to manage. With provincial funding tightening and internal budgets cut by half from 2024 levels, the institution needed a way to upgrade critical networking infrastructure without triggering a time-consuming public RFP process or overspending on inflated hardware costs.
The Opportunity
When BCNET renewed its seven-year Infrastructure Value Added Reseller (IVAR) agreement with Compugen, the institution saw an opening. The IVAR contract allows BCNET Members to bypass the $75,000 RFP threshold, enabling faster, more cost-effective procurement across networking, backup, server, and storage solutions. This framework gave the institution the confidence and flexibility to move quickly on a $1.1M Aruba network order while avoiding RFP delays that could have jeopardized their March 31, 2026, installation deadline. It was the right moment to act and the right partnership to make it happen.
The Solution
Compugen implemented an integrated enterprise technology solution built on Microsoft 365, allowing the firm to bring its IT infrastructure into a single, cohesive platform. This change reduced dependency on multiple vendors, simplified communication and collaboration, and provided a unified security approach to meet compliance needs across the organization.
To meet specific security and compliance needs, Compugen rolled out a set of Microsoft Security solutions tailored to the organization’s unique requirements. This included Microsoft Defender, Data Loss Prevention (DLP), Microsoft Cloud App Security (MCAS), Migrate SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, and Exchange Online Protection. Together, these tools created a secure and continuously protected digital space for the organization.
The Outcome
The collaboration between Compugen, Aruba, and the institution delivered measurable and immediate results:
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$100K in direct savings on the 2025 Aruba order
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$200K in savings from the 2024 Wi-Fi 6 project
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$30K in additional funding through Aruba’s Access Point trade-in program
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Zero RFP delays, ensuring the project met its March 31, 2026, installation timeline
The refreshed network has given students, faculty, and staff faster, more reliable connectivity and strengthened cybersecurity, all while protecting limited operating budgets.
The Future
As BCNET Members face ongoing financial pressure and shifting enrolment patterns, this success highlights how strategic agreements can drive progress even in lean times. With Compugen as their long-term Technology Ally, BCNET continues to deliver sector-wide value through faster procurement, fixed margins, and trusted infrastructure expertise.
This education institution is now positioned to continue its modernization journey, with a future-ready network that supports its expanding digital campus and the flexibility to evolve as needs grow.
The Relationship
For the institution, the partnership with Compugen and BCNET proved that trusted relationships can outperform traditional procurement models. Compugen’s advocacy, speed, and strategic guidance turned what could have been a delayed, costly process into a model for efficiency and value.
As BCNET’s long-standing Infrastructure Value Added Reseller, now under a renewed seven-year term, Compugen continues to support every Member institution through a concierge model that includes regional account executives, centralized support, and proactive engagement. This isn’t just about contracts; it’s about connection, consistency, and confidence.
When timing, trust, and technology align, great things happen.
See how Compugen’s Technology Ally approach can help your institution modernize faster, stretch budgets further, and realize new possibilities. Connect with our Higher Education experts to start your journey.
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