ExtremeCloud IQ CoPilot and Other AIOps Software Ruled E-Rate Eligible as MIBS

Ask any teenager what happens when “the Internet goes out” at school and their response will give you a clear picture of how important the wired and wireless network is for education in today’s K-12 environment. Ask any network administrator or IT Director to list the top 5 things they never want to hear from the Superintendent and “we are getting consistent reports that the wireless is bad” will probably make every list. The pressure on IT organizations for the network to function with the same level of reliability as water and electricity is higher than ever in history.

Artificial Intelligence for IT Operations (“AIOps) software applications, including ExtremeCloud IQ CoPilot, are cloud-based software supporting the E-Rate eligible components that are relied upon to distribute high-speed broadband throughout school buildings and libraries. These software applications enable customers to optimize the full functionality of their E-Rate eligible hardware by providing constant attention to maintain the operation of the devices and ensure uninterrupted services.

ExtremeCloud IQ CoPilot provides intuitive dashboards and alerts to proactively detect anomalies on the wired and wireless network that might impact operations. The data includes explanations on how each detected anomaly could impact the user experience as well as recommendations for remediation. The goal is to fix problems before they occur! CoPilot also includes our Digital Twin technology that enables IT teams to virtually clone devices and test configurations or network changes to reduce the risk of a bad deployment that can harm network performance.

Because AIOps software is newer in the market for networking, Extreme Networks took proactive steps to seek clarification from the FCC Wireline Competition Bureau regarding the E-Rate eligibility for AIOps software. We are pleased to report that, in the recently released final eligible services list (ESL) for 2023, the FCC responded directly to our question. In short, the FCC said that software such as CoPilot can be eligible under the Managed Internal Broadband Services (MIBS) section of C2 E-rate Services.

Extreme Networks is pleased to offer separate CoPilot subscription SKUs to support this finding, enabling our customers to take advantage of this innovative approach to network management and troubleshooting.