We have state-of-the-art labs available for the exclusive use of our students.

Multimedia and Website and Special Effects Development

The Multimedia, Website and Special Effects Development studios have recently been refurbished with high specification machines; they include DVD writers and full multimedia development kit. Macromedia and Avid software is available for special effects and sound processing.

 

Computer Games

The Computer Games Software Development and Games Design labs each provides 25 PCs with high-specification graphics cards. One lab has a dozen Sony PlayStation development kits and twenty five PS2 development kits.

 

Computer Networking

Three network labs are available. One is designed to enable students to work with real networks, i.e. the cabling, infrastructure and the switch components that make up most modern networks. Two more are equipped with desktop PCs providing a wide range of Windows, Unix, and Linux operating systems and a comprehensive set of network design and analysis software.

 

Server Farm and Technical Support

This facility houses a number of different types of systems principally to support the networks teaching. A dedicated system can be assigned to a student for the duration of a module or a project or even for the duration of an entire course at the university. Students interface with this equipment remotely, either from University computers or externally via a VPN connection.

Other systems support modules on a more specific basis, e.g. web content delivery management systems, database systems, network systems. The farm also supports specialist system administration courses including disk management clustering, LVM (logical volume management) and the enterprise systems course, which includes high end system management, normally associated with larger computer installations.

There are a number of institutions in the US that provide this sort of facility, but this is the only one in the UK for student use. A couple of places in the UK have such a facility but they tend to be for a specific experimental or project work and are not available to students individually.

 

Sound Engineering and Design

The Department provides professional sound processing software in its digital media studio facilities. In additional state of the art recording studios are available to students via our academic partners at the School of Sound Recording|.

 

Remote Computer Access

The department is at the forefront of providing remote access to its computing facilities and associated software. Developed initially for its online distance learning postgraduate courses, this facility is now increasing being deployed for undergraduate work. Students are able to access software anywhere on campus, in the halls of residence and on home PCs in the UK or abroad.