CBTS and KCTCS Align to Deliver Future-Ready Higher Education with Next-Gen AI Networking

CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CBTS announced that its longstanding partnership with the Kentucky Community & Technical College System (KCTCS) has entered a new era with the rollout of Juniper’s AI-native networking solutions across more than 80 campuses. This comprehensive technology enhancement — featuring Juniper Mist access points and the Marvis Virtual Network Assistant (VNA) — is upgrading the student experience by delivering enhanced automation, dependability, and network performance.

“As we serve a digitally connected and ever-expanding community of learners across 16 colleges and more than 80 campuses, we have an opportunity to meet the evolving demands of students who expect seamless, secure, and high-performance digital experiences,” said Kenneth Burdine, Deputy CIO of KCTCS. “Leveraging advanced AI technologies enables us to deliver intelligent, responsive infrastructure that not only empowers our students and communities but keeps pace with the rapid growth and connectivity needs of today’s academic environment.”

The Juniper Mist platform enables proactive issue resolution, self-healing network functions, and seamless user experiences. Since January 2025, KCTCS has reported a vast reduction in access point-related tickets, and the solution has provided a significant decrease in support incidents, which allows their team to focus on the institution’s strategic initiatives. The institution also expects substantial efficiency gains: Juniper’s dynamic provisioning reduces deployment time and is projected to increase infrastructure usage time from 62% to 90% over the 5-year lease, ensuring that the system delivers more value over its full lifecycle and maximizes the return on investment in networking equipment.

By investing the time to fully understand KCTCS’s distinct challenges and aspirations, CBTS ensures that its recommendations are both relevant and effective, with a consultative approach that aligns recommended technical solutions with client objectives. CBTS modernized the institution’s infrastructure by focusing on customized AI strategies — reducing disruptions, enhancing performance and availability, and ultimately enriching the student experience.

“At CBTS, we believe technology should empower people, but only when it’s aligned with purpose,” said Kristin Russell, CEO of CBTS. “That’s why we began by listening with intent to KCTCS’ goals before recommending a specific solution. We took time to understand their mission first and then identified the AI-powered tools that support smarter, more responsive campuses and put students at the center of the digital experience.”

Integrating AI into managed services has become a transformative force for leading enterprise and government organizations, fundamentally reshaping how technology delivers value. With advanced AI capabilities embedded into their operational frameworks, enterprises benefit from proactive issue detection, automated workflows, and intelligent decision support — all of which drive unprecedented efficiency and resiliency. This not only accelerates the resolution of incidents but also empowers teams to focus on higher-value initiatives.

Since 2002, CBTS has been a trusted managed services partner to KCTCS, delivering voice, data, and networking expertise and navigating the challenges of legacy systems, increased digital engagement, and a rapidly evolving regulatory climate.

About CBTS

CBTS (#43 CRN Solution Provider 500) serves enterprise and midmarket clients in all industries across the United States and Canada. CBTS combines deep technical expertise with a full suite of flexible technology solutions—including AI-enabled Services, Application Modernization, Managed Hybrid Cloud, Cybersecurity, Digital Workplace, and Infrastructure solutions. From developing and deploying modern applications and the secure, scalable platforms on which they run, to managing, monitoring, and optimizing their operations, CBTS delivers comprehensive technology solutions for its clients’ transformative business initiatives. For more information, please visit www.cbts.com.