The Brilliant Basics
Working Stronger Together across colleges, departments, and campuses, three “brilliant basics”—One Network, One Identity, and One Security and Support Model—create a unified digital foundation.
One Network
Ohio State is creating a consistent, high-quality experience everywhere and a scalable, future-ready foundation by building a unified enterprise network architecture designed for research-scale demand, AI workloads and consistent connectivity across campuses. The effort will improve user experience, lower operational costs, simplify operations and provide secure support for clinical environments.
Ohio Stadium Wi-Fi / Network Upgrade
Begin Date: October 2025
End Date: September 2026
Short Description: We will ensure a reliable, high-capacity game day experience through the modernization and expansion of Wi-Fi and network infrastructure at Ohio Stadium to improve fan connectivity, operations and event-day performance.
Status (Green/Yellow/Red): Green
Next 60-Day Action Items:
- Complete replacements of majority existing Wi-Fi access points and switches.
- Perform core drilling and wiring installation to support additional Wi-Fi access points for expanded Wi-Fi coverage
- Partner with HPE and Verizon to certify HPE Juniper Mist Wi-Fi for use with Passpoint, the auto-connect network for users with Verizon smartphones.
Measurable Outcome(s): Numbers of Access Points and switches installed and number of simultaneous connections on new Wi-Fi infrastructure
Verizon Stadium / Campus Connectivity Upgrade
Begin Date: October 2025
End Date: April 2027
Short Description: Ohio State will deliver stronger, more reliable cellular coverage at scale by also expanding its distributed antenna system and cellular infrastructure through its Verizon partnership at Ohio Stadium.
Status (Green/Yellow/Red): Yellow
Next 60-Day Action Items:
- Verizon focus on telecommunication room readiness, reviewing and increasing available power
- Planning is underway to target installation of radios and antennas post 2026 football season.
Measurable Outcome(s): Add one measurable outcome for leadership reporting, such as percentage of sites migrated, reduction in service complexity, or readiness for AI-enabled workloads.
Network Alignment Across Colleges and Units
Begin Date: October 2025
End Date: June 2028
Short Description: Ohio State is ensuring a simpler, more consistent network across the university by transitioning distributed college and unit networks into shared enterprise standards and managed services.
Status (Green/Yellow/Red): Yellow
Next 60-Day Action Items:
- Complete physical infrastructure transition for Enterprise for Research, Innovation and Knowledge (ERIK) and begin migration of endpoints into new IP networks.
- Begin planning phase for College of Pharmacy’s transition to Managed Network Services.
- Continue knowledge transfer with College of Engineering around existing network environment and Managed Network Services.
Measurable Outcome(s): Numbers of switches installed to support physical transition; Number of network infrastructure elements decommissioned; Partners migrated into Managed Network Services; Realignment of staff.
One Identity
Ohio State’s One Identity is focused on delivering a simpler, more seamless experience for every user and a stronger security with less complexity by creating one digital identity for every person. The initiative will enable seamless access across institutional boundaries, strengthen security and protection, reduce user friction and administrative overhead, and improve governance and compliance.
One Active Directory
Begin Date: February 2021
End Date: April 2027 (For in-flight scope of existing Managed IT Support (MITS) Units, Libraries, Enterprise for Research, Innovation and Knowledge (ERIK), College of Education and Human Ecology and College of Pharmacy)
Short Description: The Shared Directory and Endpoint Services (SDES) initiative will provide a consistent and secure device experience across the university by consolidating Active Directory environments into a unified enterprise directory.
Status (Green/Yellow/Red): Green
Next 60-Day Action Items:
- Begin final MITS customer migrations to One Active Directory (AD)/Shared Directory and Endpoint Services (SDES) with a goal of having 98% of endpoints on One AD/SDES
- Begin College of Arts and Sciences endpoint migrations
- Complete University Libraries migrations to OneAD/SDES with a goal of having 98% of endpoints migrated
- Complete re-imaging of lab and classroom environment for new MITS partners College of Education and Human Ecology and College of Pharmacy before start of fall semester
Measurable Outcome(s): The Shared Directory and Endpoint Services (SDES) project enables user devices to be joined to the enterprise directory via Managed IT Support (MITS) or with a partnership with their departmental IT support, allowing for the opportunity of standardization of the user experience in using their Ohio State owned device or within lab and classroom and research spaces. It enables Windows Hello for Business and biometric authentication and provides the opportunity to reduce duplication of effort for patching and software/application deployment by introducing shared patching and packages for SDES participants.
Student Email Simplification
Begin Date: January 2026
End Date: December 2026
Short Description: Ohio State is making email simpler, clearer and more secure for everyone. Beginning in summer 2026, all students will move to a single primary email address: lastname.#@osu.edu. This means fewer logins, less confusion and a more consistent experience.
Status (Green/Yellow/Red): Green
Next 60-Day Action Items:
- IdM Business Logic Changes Go-Live – early June 2026
- Communications to pre-fall migration groups – June 17 – July 2026
- Communications to post-fall migration groups – June 17 – September 2026
- Technical/Partner Pre-Migration Planning – April 2026 – June 2026
- Migrations Begin - June 30th 2026 – September 2026
Measurable Outcome(s): This change gives students a simpler, more modern Ohio State identity aligned with the broader university experience and brand. It also allows the university to retire legacy platforms, reduce support complexity, strengthen brand consistency and lower long-term operating costs. The project involves migrating more than 170,000 mailboxes and transferring 175 terabytes of data.
One Security and Support Model
The university’s One Security & Support Model is designed to create the highest and most consistent protection across academic and clinical environments. It emphasizes unified threat intelligence and monitoring, enterprise detection and response through aligned teams, improved resilience, and stronger incident response capabilities.
One Identity and Access Management System
Begin Date: April 2026
End Date: December 2027
Short Description: Ohio State is creating a stronger, more consistent protection across the university and faster, more reliable support and response by modernizing foundational Identity and Access Management (IAM) systems, processes and tools.
Status (Green/Yellow/Red): Green
Next 60-Day Action Items:
- Validate the target identity governance model
- Develop project roadmap and rollout plans for Identity Governance Administration (IGA), new guest processes, the Buckeye Digital Identity Vault, and the unified login experience
- Publish Request for Proposal (RFP) for implementation consultant team and complete software purchases
Measurable Outcome(s): The One IAM project improves user experience by introducing unified login, improves security through advanced user identification features, and decreases business continuity risks by moving Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions from aging and deprecating solutions to new, modern solutions.
One Help / AI Concierge
Begin Date: November 2025
End Date: June 2027
Short Description: Ohio State will deliver a faster, 24/7 support experience by launching an AI-enabled Connection Center that will transform the contact call center into a unified, multi-channel support experience for students, faculty, staff and other stakeholders.
Status (Green/Yellow/Red): Green
Next 60-Day Action Items:
- June: Select the optimal vendor solution and secure leadership alignment
- June: Complete procurement and contract preparations with the selected vendor, ensuring all compliance, legal and risk requirements are addressed
- June/July: Kick off IT Service Desk implementation planning with chosen vendor and internal teams, focusing on phased rollout that addresses scalability, integration and risk mitigation. Establish the blueprint for execution and early successes to build momentum
Measurable Outcome(s): Enhanced student, faculty, and stakeholder satisfaction by providing faster, 24/7 support across voice & digital channels, leading to improved service quality. Improved operational efficiency & productivity by automating routine inquiries and optimizing workflows to speed up service delivery. Scalable, resilient service that maintains responsiveness during peak demand periods (e.g. enrollment, registration) without performance degradation. Consistent, high-quality service across all channels and departments, with standardized knowledge and accurate information delivered to users.
From Many Systems to One Digital Ecosystem
Begin Date: February 2026
End Date: June 2027
Short Description: Ohio State is creating a more connected, efficient digital experience by moving from many disconnected systems to one digital ecosystem — a system that better serves the university’s missions of teaching, research, clinical care and service.
Status (Green/Yellow/Red): Green
Next 60-Day Action Items:
Define the target-state digital ecosystem roadmap, including priority systems, integration needs, governance structure and sequencing for the first implementation wave.
Identify pilot opportunities and stakeholder groups to validate the future-state user experience, reduce duplication and establish standards for a more connected digital environment