NCDesk
Technical Notes - Bandwidth and Network Usage
Before testing, please ensure that the local network operates without problems such as intermittent loss of connectivity, and that bandwidth intensive applications such as daily backups, network virus scans, etc. will NOT be scheduled to run during the test.
Steps should be taken by the school/system to make technology staff and Internet service providers aware of the testing schedule, so that they are supplying sufficient bandwidth to the school/system to accommodate the test.
The Technical Outreach for Public Schools (TOPS), based at North Carolina State University ensures that adequate bandwidth is available to handle all the inbound traffic generated during the test.
The Computer Skills Online test bandwidth requirements are greater than many other Internet applications due to the necessity of transfers of application sourced files during the course of the test. Student work is saved back to the testing server as they move through the test which creates a more symectical bandwidth profile (about the same amount of data has to go out as comes in). This is a result of design change requests received from local test coordinators, local technology coordinators, and NCDPI.
The bandwidth level needed will not preclude performance of the test over a dialup (28.8 kbps) line for a single student. In situations where there is minimal bandwidth for the test, administrators should prepare for the test interface to respond more slowly when moving between questions and therefore students may need more time to complete the test.
For a very responsive testing environment, we recommend that you allot 56kbps of bandwidth to accommodate both upstream and downstream traffic per participant.
Bandwidth usage may be compared to water flow in a pipe. Below is a scenario that is similar to a scenario encountered in at least one school system in North Carolina during the fall of 2004. Bandwidth demand is additive. If both schools fully utilize their network connections, the central office won't have the bandwidth to the service provider to fully service both schools, leading to poor test performance.
The link from the central office to the Internet service provider is generally the last link the system can directly specify the bandwidth.
This file was modified on Wednesday, August 29, 2007; at 1:36:41 PM