OneNet’s Senior Network Architect Inspired to Serve Oklahoma’s Schools, Colleges, Hospitals and Government Agencies

OneNet would not be what it is today without our dedicated, knowledgeable staff. One member of our team who is critical to our success is Drew Graham, our senior network architect. He is responsible for implementing and managing OneNet’s high-speed network and ensuring we stay ahead of the curve with our services.

He shares his leadership and knowledge with our network engineers who work in our network operations center and collaborates with them to ensure OneNet’s subscribers receive top-notch, reliable service.

Rural Oklahoma

Graham comes from a rural background, where OneNet served the high school he attended.

“Growing up in a more rural Oklahoma town, OneNet provided the school district I attended with high-speed internet service—something that contributed greatly to my education,” Graham said.

His IT career began in the second half of his senior year of high school. The school’s IT director left for a new position, and the school needed temporary help while they looked for a new director. Graham was swiftly hired to provide temporary assistance to the school.

While managing the school’s IT, he worked alongside OneNet, which helped him learn more about what we do to serve communities around the state and inspired him to work in this field and provide service for more Oklahomans in the future.

What motivates him to do what he does stems back to that temporary position he had in high school. He wants to provide fast and reliable networks to educational institutions, libraries, hospitals, and government agencies to give everyone the same opportunities he had growing up.

Fulfilling Career

“Public K-12 education, state government, and higher education—I find being able to do my part to support these organizations to be a very fulfilling career,” Graham said.

Graham enjoys hearing feedback from OneNet’s subscribers. Feedback helps him better understand what works for OneNet’s subscribers and what can be improved.

“Feedback from our subscribers (both positive and negative) is essential to help determine the value of existing services, develop new services, and improve our processes,” Graham said.

Network Upgrade

Currently Graham is working on a critical project to upgrade OneNet’s network to 400G. This upgrade will enable faster connectivity and allow more traffic to go back and forth across OneNet’s network. Graham plans and designs the layout for the equipment that will be installed throughout the state.

“The upgrade will increase connectivity for more than 30 higher education campuses in Oklahoma, providing them safer, faster and more efficient connectivity to assist in their research and educational advancements,” Graham said. “In addition, all OneNet subscribers will benefit from the increased capacity on the network, both in speed and reliability.”

Work-Life Balance

For Graham, working and experimenting with technology extends to more than just the workplace. Graham has been fascinated with technology and networking for as long as he can remember. Building computers, putting together small networks, and eventually learning to program has been part of his life since he was young.

He also enjoys music and playing instruments such as the guitar, piano, bass guitar and drums. Whenever he has free time, he spends it practicing his instruments. Quality time with family is also important for his work-life balance.

OneNet is fortunate to have Graham on our team. Our leadership team appreciates the intelligence, expertise and dedication he brings to his position.

Read about what fuels passion for OneNet’s provisioning manager.