Events
Internet2 Technology Exchange
Dec 8-12, 2025
Denver, CO
Notre Dame’s Pioneering Wi-Fi 6E Standard Power Upgrade
Notre Dame Stadium is leading the way as the first university stadium to implement Wi-Fi 6E Standard Power, offering fans an unparalleled experience that merges tradition with cutting-edge technology. Brought to life by PIER Group’s expertise, this transformative upgrade enhances seamless connectivity for fans while supporting academic, operational, and event functions across the entire University of Notre Dame campus. With robust wireless performance and future-ready infrastructure, Notre Dame is setting a new benchmark for innovation in higher education and collegiate sports.
We’ve been entrenched in the R&E market for over 30 years, so we speak the same language you do. Our partnerships provide us a unique ability to assist with design, acquisition and deployment of the latest technology solutions for Research and Education advancement across the country.
At PIER Group, we consider ourselves as “partners” on our customers journey to create a competitive advantage, or leadership position, in areas that matter most to them. It is our mission for you to feel confident in the foundation and support of the entire PIER Group team and our partners.
PIER Group has long partnered exclusively within the research and education community—supporting the institutions and networks that drive discovery and innovation.
At PIER Group, we make sure you have a seat at the table with the vendors that support your mission. Our work with Research and Education Networks (RENs) ensures that from your R&E institutions to your R&E networks, you have a trusted partner dedicated to strengthening the foundation of your infrastructure.
Each REN is unique, but all share one mission: to serve the research and education community. That mission is ours, too—and it’s been at the heart of everything we do for more than 30 years.
About
Proud Woman-Owned Business
PIER Group is a certified Women's Business Enterprise, helping Research and Education universities meet their diversity goals.
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Why the Pier?
It is our mission for you to feel confident in the foundation and support of the entire PIER Group team and our partners.
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We Speak the Same Language as You
Partners
Relationships Built on Responsiveness and Trust
A Unique Partnership Dedicated to Delivering Innovative, Reliable Technology Solutions in the Research and Education Space
Hewlett Packard
As a trusted partner, PIER Group collaborates with Fortinet to deliver security without compromise that address the most critical security challenges, whether in networked, application, cloud, or mobile environments.
Fortinet
An Aruba Platinum partnership that spans over 25 years' experience
Aruba
Working together to assist institutions in connecting users to their
Effecientip
Together bringing remarkable drive and expertise to advancing AI in the Research and Education Space.
NVIDIA
A partnership dedicated to innovation, commitment and creativity that delivers transforming network experiences.
Juniper Networks
Working together to empower the Research & Education community
Ciena
A Unique Partnership Dedicated to Delivering Innovative, Reliable Technology Solutions in the Research and Education Space
Hewlett Packard
As a trusted partner, PIER Group collaborates with Fortinet to deliver security without compromise that address the most critical security challenges, whether in networked, application, cloud, or mobile environments.
Fortinet
An Aruba Platinum partnership that spans over 25 years' experience
Aruba
Working together to assist institutions in connecting users to their
Effecientip
Together bringing remarkable drive and expertise to advancing AI in the Research and Education Space.
NVIDIA
A partnership dedicated to innovation, commitment and creativity that delivers transforming network experiences.
Juniper Networks
Working together to empower the Research & Education community
Ciena
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Proven Impact
Our dedicated focus on higher education helps our clients meet their technology goals
90%
% R&E Customers
95%
Repeat Customers
2.5:1
Ratio of Engineers to Sales
“At this point, if we can imagine it, we can find a way to do it. Working with PIER Group has been instrumental in achieving our vision. We’re committed to being a wireless-first campus, and with 6E Standard Power, we now have one of the most advanced wireless infrastructures in college athletics.”
— John Buysse, Sr. Director University Network & Telephony Services at University of Notre Dame
It’s been fantastic engaging and working with the PIER Group Team who embodies everything a customer would ever want in a partner. Experience, knowledge, collaboration, and just all around good people. If you’re in higher ed and looking for a partner, look no further.
— Bill Gill, Territory Manager at Aruba Networks
We’re very multidisciplinary… being able to respond to the heterogeneity that is inherent now in our business is something that PIER Group has done a good job at. They get it. They really understand the university environment.
— Jim Wilgenbusch, Director of Research Computing, UMN
We appreciate PIER Group so much for its commitment to our community. Our keynote speaker Scott Shackleford said something that I think applies so well to PIER Group, he said “trust is your greatest resource”. We can always “trust” the PIER Group to do whatever it takes to provide the highest level of support and commitment to their clients.
— Marianne Chitwood, Executive Director, GlobalNOC Client Services, Executive Director, I-Light Network, Executive Director, Indiana GigaPOP
We have great engineers at IU, we rely on the great engineers at PIER to make our services even better. Using PIER ensures that we have best product, the most current product, and the most timely delivery of these services. PIER has been a partner of IU for decades, and the relationship ends up being a true partnership, more than a vendor/client relationship.
— Dave Jent, Associate Vice President of Networking, Indiana University
What we really liked about working with PIER Group is that they paid really close attention, and not only understand our technical requirements but they understood our culture and the way we work. It’s really satisfying seeing everything come together and you end up with the resources benefiting everyone at the university. Without a doubt, MSI and the university as a whole is in a better place today as a result of this project.
— Graham Allan, Director of Development and Operations, Minnesota SuperComputing Institute
Networking today is really like a utility, and because it’s such a critical, relied upon service, you have to have good partners to help you keep that service running in a top notch way. PIER is one of those partners. The “P” in their name, Partners, we really think of them as a partner for us here at IU because they’re really interested in our success and facilitating the mission of the university for faculty, staff, and students. A company like PIER can come in and provide their expertise, look at the facility and come up with a decision that would be able to utilize wireless in a efficient way, which would be very different than what we typically do on any other build.
— Mark Spencer, Director of Telecom Infrastructure, Indiana University
By working with PIER Group, we were able to combine systems from HPE and DDN, to provide this system that has this wonderful capacity. It was great to have a partner to help us deliver the most powerful GPU system in the NSF portfolio today.
— William Gropp, Director, NCSA, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
PIER Group’s guidance was invaluable for streamlining the implementation process, making it easier for the university to make the much-needed system improvement. Furthermore, PIER Group’s relationship with other vendors continues to help the university to stay ahead of other beneficial technologies and their roadmaps.
— Dan Schumacher, VP of Infrastructure, University of South Carolina
I cannot overstate the critical role that our dedicated contributors play in the success of the SCinet network at SC23, notably this year’s Diamond contributors, Cisco and PIER Group. Their expertise, innovation, and unwavering commitment are the very backbone of this network, and together, we transform the impossible into reality, ensuring that SC remains a beacon of technological advancement and collaboration.
— Hans Addleman, 2023 Scinet Chair