Enabling a Hybrid Work Environment
with a Truly Universal Docking Solution

Saxion University
Netherlands

Saxion University, one of the largest institutions ofhigher education in the Netherlands, was looking
for a one size fits all docking solution to suit its
wide range of users with diverse connectivity
needs. StarTech.com was able to step in with auniversally compatible and flexible product that
could be delivered on time and in the quantity
they needed.
Saxion University is one of the largest higher education
institutions in the Netherlands, consisting of 14
different academies and over 35,000 students.

There was only one product that suited us and met
all our demands, that was the StarTech.com dock.

With approximately over 3,500 employees and a large
student body, Armin Tangelder, the Manager of Service
Desk and Support, and his team manage an average of
4,000 support tickets every month.
In June of 2022, Saxion University was named Best Hybrid
Employer in the province of Overijssel, so when it cametime to upgrade Saxion’s hot desk and flexible workstation
docking stations, Armin knew he needed a solution thatwould be easy for his team to manage while also providing
the best hybrid working environment for his users. Havingsuch a large user base with unique needs meant seeking
out a one size fits all solution, capable of fulfilling theWith programs and academies ranging from Digital

requirements of programs with high technical demands

Arts to International Finance and Accounting, thelike connections to multiple monitors and 3D printers,

technology needs and requirements for students andas well being suitable for the most basic applications

staff varies on a large scale.

featuring just a monitor and keyboard.

A Rigorous Evaluation & Testing
Process to Find the Right SolutionAs a government funded institution with strict budgets andguidelines, Saxion University developed a rigorous evaluationand testing process to ensure they were selecting a productthat would last and work with their assortment of workstations.

Requirements included:• Universal compatibility and the ability to work with multiple
operating systems including Windows and MacOS• Diverse port options to enable connections to a number of 		
peripheral devices• Multiple monitor connections and flexibility in video output
with DisplayPort and HDMI, as well as support for 4K video• A compact design and mounting option to save desk space• Longevity, reliability, and performance

DK30C2DPPD (North America)
DK30C2DPPDUE (Europe)

DK30C2DPEP (North America)
DK30C2DPEPUE (Europe)
Hybrid Universal Laptop Docking
Station with 100W Power Delivery

The docks were then tested and evaluated based on
their performance when connected to the several
workstation solutions designed to mimic those of
Saxion’s various departments and programs. These
workstation setups included a range of devices,
operating systems, attachments, and monitors.

 60W

 100WTo find the right product, the IT Service Desk and Support team requested dockingstation samples from multiple vendors, including two from StarTech.com:
DK30C2DPPD (North America)
DK30C2DPPDUE (Europe)
Hybrid Universal Laptop Docking
Station with 60W Power Delivery“We had about the size of a basketball court,
long tables with setups and we put out most of
the products that we have. We only want to use[equipment] that we can run for 5, 7, 10 years before
we have to change them again, so we actually
brought out everything and just started testing.”

When it came time to finalize on the best and most versatile product, Armin explains:

It needed to be manageable, uniform and to look good. And above all, availability
must be guaranteed. We've got some very technical academies and they havevery big demands. There was only one product that suited us and met all ourdemands, that was the StarTech dock.

A Universal Docking Solution
Offering Flexible Compatibility
The USB-C and USB-A Hybrid Universal Laptop Docking
Station holds true to StarTech.com’s commitment
to IT pro performance, offering the reliability andcompatibility IT professionals like Armin and his teamdepend on. Backed by leading industry certifications
including USB-IF (USB 3.1 Gen 1, USB Type-C andPower Delivery), VESA DisplayPort and DisplayLink,
this dock offered Saxion University a universal solutionthat would support employees and students using
the latest USB-C and Thunderbolt™ 3 laptops, while
also being compatible with older USB-A devices. The
wide range of academic programs offered by Saxion

University also meant that employees and students were
not standardized on one device. This dock helped enable
a truly hybrid environment, supporting any operating
system Saxion’s academic programs and users preferred,including macOS, Windows®, and Chrome OS™.For users working on-the-go, having a reliable powersource available, capable of charging laptops to fullpower, was a must-have, while a diverse I/O profile, andflexible monitor configurations (single or dual monitor
output, 4K, 5K, HDMI, and DisplayPort) meant all
workstations could be fully equipped with the necessary
peripherals. Support for multiple displays when using

Apple M1 or M2 MacBooks also ensures all users anddevices can access the full features of the workstations
Armin and his team setup. To top it off, the Hybrid
Universal Laptop dock also offers enhanced security,
featuring VESA pattern mounting holes providing theoption to mount the dock and secure it to a monitor ordesk, critical in a hot desking environment.

Immediate Availability
for Smooth Deployments
After finding the perfect solution, the next obstacle wastrying to fill a nearly 2,000 unit docking station orderduring a period where there was an industry-wide
shortage of docks due to global supply chain issues

The market was kind of empty,”
explains Armin. “[StarTech.com]
pulled through delivering theproducts we needed and couldn’tget anywhere else.

StarTech.com works to ensure that IT professionals havethe products they need, where and when they needthem, for a reliable solution fast. This meant Saxion
University’s order could be filled and delivered on time,so that workstations could be built, and students andemployees could remain productive while on campus.

Offering an Easy and Reliable Solution
to Meet the Rigorous Performance
Requirements of an IT Pro
Hard-to-find made easy is not just a slogan, it’sa principle StarTech.com operates by. It meansdeveloping products that make the lives of ITprofessionals easy, whether that’s through making
it easy to find the product you need, providing theright information to make it easy to implement, ormaking the product easy to use so that IT professionals
and their teams aren’t bogged down with support
requests. For Saxion University, the Hybrid Universal
Laptop Docking Station checked all the boxes.

For a team of seven that averages 4,000 support desktickets a month, having a product that just simply
works and is easy for users to understand is critical tomanaging and limiting IT support. “If you give them one
little connector and say, just put it in your laptop, it will
work and it works, people are happy to see that. And
that’s what StarTech.com’s dock did,” explains Armin.

This creates happy people, andhappy people means happy supportpeople. So that's good for me.

Since implementing the StarTech.com Hybrid Universal
Laptop Docking Station into Saxion University’s hot
desks and flexible workstations, the Saxion Support
Desk has not experienced the influx of tickets that
can at times be expected after a mass deployment.
Today, employees and students are able to workand remain productive while on campus at fully
equipped workstations, and Saxion University canconfidently trust that they’ve deployed a product thatis reliable and backed by industry certifications, anaward-winning support team, and a lifetime supportguarantee.

It's just an honest product. It delivers
what it says, and that for us is key.
– Armin Tangelder
Manager of Service Desk and Support at Saxion University
DK30C2DPEP (North America)
DK30C2DPEPUE (Europe)

StarTech.com was able to deliver a docking station that met the compatibility, power, flexibility,and timeline requirements of Saxion University. With the support of channel partner Dustin andStarTech.com’s Sales and Product teams, Armin Tangelder and his team were able to design asolution that will fit the needs of Saxion University’s 14 academies for years to come.

Learn more about StarTech.com Laptop Dockings Stations:www.startech.com/docking-stations

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