American Heritage School
Modernizing Independent School's IT Infrastructure Results in 10x Speeds, Zero Downtime, and Secure Network for the Future
Summary
A Strategic Partner for the Future of the School
American Heritage School (AHS) in Utah was struggling with an outdated, poorly scaled IT infrastructure that was hindering educational technology implementation. By partnering with iTernal Networks, the school completely transformed its technological capabilities, reducing daily internet complaints from 20-30 to virtually zero, increasing internet speeds tenfold, and creating a robust, secure network infrastructure that supports their 1-to-1 device program.
Zero
Internet complaints reduced from 20-30 per day to essentially zero
10x
Internet speed increased by 10x
$200k
Over $200,000 saved on equipment costs
- 900 new MacBooks and 85 new Apple TVs deployed across campus
- 300 cameras installed with 100% uptime
“Our relationship with iTernal Networks has gone from us hiring them to fix a problem to us having a strategic partner for the future of the school.”
Levi Crockett
Education Technology Director
American Heritage Schools
Background and Challenges
American Heritage School was experiencing significant technological limitations:
- Poorly organized and unscaled IT infrastructure
- Extremely slow device load times (10-15 minutes)
- Unreliable internet connectivity
- Inability to effectively use digital learning platforms
- Cybersecurity vulnerabilities
- Inconsistent campus security systems
The school’s IT infrastructure had been managed by the same company for years, but as the school grew, the infrastructure was not properly scaled. This led to a lack of organization, slow internet speeds, and outdated devices that took a long time to load. The school’s principal was even using textbooks to prop up his malfunctioning laptop—a symbolic representation of the school’s technology struggles.
The IT director implemented a 1-to-1 device program, leasing new MacBooks for students and faculty. However, this exposed issues with the underlying network infrastructure, which was unable to support the increased demand and usage.
“When we went in to try to fix a lot of that stuff, things just kept getting worse and worse. [There were] probably between 20 and 30 complaints a day about internet service on campus. Students couldn’t do anything; teachers couldn’t even browse the web half the time. It was just a disaster. And we were drowning during that process. We agreed that we needed to do a reevaluation of our service provider for all those contracted services.”
Why iTernal Networks
The IT director reached out to about 20 managed service providers (MSPs) to evaluate options for improving the school’s IT services. After interviewing 10 of them, he chose iTernal Networks for tier 3 support and a large, multinational corporation for the infrastructure overhaul. However, the larger corporation did not meet expectations, leading him to pivot and select iTernal for the full scope of work, saving AHS over $200,000 on equipment alone. He cited iTernal Neworks’ and founder Michael Kanet’s
- Proactive and responsive leadership
- Deep technical expertise
- Willingness to understand the school’s specific needs
- Ability to design a cost-effective solution
- Personal approach compared to large, impersonal corporations
“[iTernal Networks] has been such a blessing; it’s been life changing. [They have] been so good for us, because we were at the point where everybody was getting burnt out, we were getting hated on, we were hating everybody just because things weren’t working, and now all of our new devices are working swimmingly. They’re fast.
“[The iTernal Networks] team is responsive. They are totally customer focused. If I were to go back and do the whole process again, I would have never signed with the other corporation. I would have gone with [iTernal Networks] from the beginning for everything.”
Levi Crockett
Education Technology Director
American Heritage Schools
Deliverables
iTernal Networks took over the school’s IT infrastructure project, providing a comprehensive overhaul along with detailed documentation and daily updates. Deliverables included:
- Complete network redesign
- New network switches and infrastructure
- Robust cybersecurity protocols
- Multi-factor authentication implementation
- Comprehensive monitoring systems
- Detailed documentation of all systems
- Strategic technology planning
Results
Building a Future-Ready IT Environment
The infrastructure overhaul was complete by the start of the school year, resulting in a dramatic improvement—internet complaints dropped from 20-30 per day to virtually none, internet speeds increased by 10x, and critical systems like Canvas, the school’s digital learning platform, and online College Board testing worked seamlessly. This had a positive impact on classroom outcomes, security, and overall technology experiences for students and staff. The transformation was dramatic and multifaceted:
Technology Performance
- Internet speeds increased tenfold
- Daily internet complaints dropped from 20-30 to virtually zero
- Seamless digital learning platform performance
- Ability to stream video and use collaborative tools effortlessly
Security Improvements
- 100% camera uptime
- Locked campus security systems
- Multi-factor authentication
- Comprehensive cybersecurity protocols
Educational Impact
- Faster device performance
- Smooth standardized testing experiences
- Enhanced digital learning capabilities
- Improved classroom technology integration
“From a cybersecurity perspective, we had an old plan, essentially old protection, and with Mike’s expertise and his team’s expertise, they’ve taken us to where I can actually go to the Board and present that we have a very clear set of protections and protocols for any kind of cybersecurity threat. [The iTernal Networks] team is doing monitoring for us; we have multi-factor authentication enabled across the board.
“Overall, we’re faster, we feel more secure, and—essentially, what [the iTernal Networks] team has enabled us to do—the tools of technology have become invisible. The backend has become [invisible to] people who are going to school, which is what we want.”
Levi Crockett
Educational Technology Director
American Heritage Schools
Strategic Partnership
Transforming Education Through Technology Solutions
Beyond solving immediate technical challenges, iTernal Networks positioned itself as a strategic technology partner for AHS, demonstrating a commitment to ongoing support and future-focused technological planning.
The school’s IT director summarized the transformation perfectly: “Our relationship with iTernal Networks has gone from us hiring them to fix a problem to us having a strategic partner for the future of the school.”
“That’s the biggest thing for me, how well they’ve done. I have complete confidence that as technology continues to change, as we continue to see more threats, as we continue to see more advancements, instead of it just being, ‘Hey, we’ve hired you to do this for us and we want you to stay in your lane,’ we have a partner who is proactive in being a strategic partner, planning for the future of the school.”
About iTernal Networks
Founded by Michael Kanet, iTernal Networks specializes in providing comprehensive, strategic IT solutions for educational institutions, focusing on creating robust, future-proof technological ecosystems.