Overview
The Providence College Research Network provides a dedicated environment for research technology. It is intended to support faculty research needs while allowing IT and faculty to work together to define appropriate connectivity, security, and operational requirements for specialized devices. The FAQ below explains what the Research Network is, when it should be used, and how faculty can request access for eligible research equipment.
How do I add a device to the Research Network?
Faculty can submit a request to have devices added to the network by clicking the "Request Access" button and completing the request form. You may be asked for additional information about the devices including make, model, MAC address, network communication requirements, or other details needed to configure the device appropriately.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Research Network?
The PC Research Network is a segmented computer network specifically designed to accommodate research scenarios which require non-standard technology with network requirements, or dedicated workstations which cannot comply with the college’s standard endpoint baselines.
What can it be used for?
Examples of appropriate use cases include specialized scientific instruments which require network connectivity, dedicated research computers in an on-campus research lab, vendor-provided computers for running scientific instruments or specialized software.
Faculty members’ primary college provided laptop/desktop are not supported for use on the Research Network. Only dedicated research technology can be configured on this network. Any device configured for this network cannot be used on other networks on campus including PC-Secure, PC-Devices, eduroam, etc.
What happens after I submit this request?
Once submitted, your request gets routed to members of the IT and Academic Affairs teams. These teams review the request, clarify any technical requirements, and determine next steps for implementation. You may receive questions or comments from representatives from IT about the technical aspects of your request to ensure that the devices are configured appropriately.
I have specific connectivity requirements for devices on this network. How can I ensure that devices on the network can communicate with one another?
PC IT can work with faculty to support required network communication between devices on the network if needed. Please include any device-to-device communication requirements between devices on the network in your request.
Will the equipment on this network get security updates and other policy changes that I need to be aware of?
Equipment on this network will not be subject to the same update or baseline configurations that apply to college-provided faculty and staff endpoints. Faculty are responsible for patching, configuring, and maintaining devices connected to this network. PC IT reserves the right to disable network access for any device that poses a security risk due to outdated software or otherwise vulnerable configurations. Faculty will be notified if access is disabled and, where applicable, will be provided instructions for resolving the issue.
Will I be able to remotely access the equipment in my lab that is on this network?
Faculty users may be able to access equipment remotely through college-provided remote access platforms. Personal screen sharing or remote support tools, including Google Remote Desktop, TeamViewer, and AnyDesk, are not supported on this network. If you require remote access to a device on this network, please include those requirements in your request for network access.