Projects
Note
This page lists Computing Services Projects. When next updated it will contain all IT Services projects (i.e. CIS Projects will be included too).
December 2007
Overall Schedule
The overall projects list is regularly updated at https://internal.lboro.ac.uk/diss/cc/uniwide/Projects/Latest%20project%20list/.
E-mail Development Projects
Around 60% of staff had moved onto the new e-mail system by the end of 2007, with migration well under way in most departments and sections. As at September 2008, 4,959 members of staff have now moved over to the new e-mail system (about 84%).
We are working through the following issues, involving the suppliers as required, who are being very responsive.
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Outlook is perceived to be slow in some circumstances by some users and the full Webmail skin is found to be slow by some users, from certain browsers. We continue to work with the suppliers on this. It is very important that any such cases are reported via the Service Desk system in as much detail as possible, with information about the operation being undertaken, the configuration of the PC, etc., so that each case can be followed up in depth and any underlying patterns brought to light. Local IT staff should be consulted too to help with the diagnosis and reporting.
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We have not yet rolled out the option to use the calendar for "resources" such as room bookings. A promised new release of the software will make this something that can be provided more effectively. We are hoping to have another round of training and awareness raising on shared use of the calendar in the Spring, once most staff have been migrated, and hope to make resource booking available at about the same time.
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The e-mail storage options (archive, two-year store, etc.) are not always understood, and some users are experiencing problems because they are going over quota. It is always possible to come to an arrangement to sort these issues out if the problems are reported, as we will work with the individuals to design specific solutions for them. The archiving feature is felt to be the biggest change - this feature is improving working practices where used, but take-up is not uniform across departments. IT staff or administrators can undertake the role of archive administrator, using the simple Web interface provided, and we will be undertaking further training in this area.
You can view various documents relating to the project from the links from the e-mail projects web site (https://internal.lboro.ac.uk/it/uniwide/info/ep/index.html).
Student E-mail Upgrade
You will see from the minutes of the most recent meeting of the E-mail Advisory Group that its remit has been expanded to also oversee the project to upgrade student e-mail, which is as yet in its very early stages. There are some interesting issues to consider, such as whether or not to outsource the provision of student e-mail, or indeed whether we need to run our own e-mail servers for student e-mail at all in these days when they all have their own e-mail addresses already! The project terms of reference will be produced soon to define the scope of the project, and we will also soon be starting the process of student consultation.
Internet Explorer 7
Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) has now been available to staff as an optional download for some weeks, and work will start in January on rolling it out as a normal upgrade. IE7 is a fairly major change from IE6 from the user point of view and a range of documentation has been prepared to help with the transition:
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Internet Explorer 7 Tabbed Browsing - Movie Demonstration at www.lboro.ac.uk/it/desktop/xp/tabs.html.
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What's New in Internet Explorer 7 - List of new Features at www.lboro.ac.uk/it/desktop/xp/ie7-newfeatures.html.
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Internet Explorer 7 Frequently Asked Questions at www.lboro.ac.uk/it/desktop/xp/ie7-faq.html.
Vista Staff Desktop Service
The project is aiming to complete stage one of the project plan by Christmas; the main deliverable will be an initial build of a Vista machine with agreed configuration. The project is currently investigating the best method of backing up user files without having to invoke disk quotaing.
SMS service pack 3 has been successfully applied to the test SMS servers, the project can now begin testing the new SMS client and the deployment of applications to a Vista machine.
https://internal.lboro.ac.uk/diss/cc/uniwide/Projects/Vista%20Combined%20Desktop%20Service/
Microsoft Office 2007
Office 2007 will be provided on the student labs service in October 2008, and in order to allow teaching staff can gain familiarity with the new interface, it will be made available as an optional upgrade on the XP Staff Desktop service around March 2008, on a best endeavours support basis. The installation will include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access. Outlook 2007 will not be included; Outlook is not provided for students on labs computers, so staff should not need to gain familiarity with it, and at present we recommend that staff stay with the current version of Outlook on the XP service so that we can provide the highest level of support.
Work continues to determine the various components to be installed and the configuration and default settings and to test the configuration and the delivery method. Initial versions of support pages have been created at http://office2007.lboro.ac.uk. This includes 'emulators' so that users can 'run' a command on Word 2003 (or PowerPoint, Excel, or Access) and see how to do the same in Office 2007.
Office 2007 will be installed as standard on the new Vista service when available.
https://internal.lboro.ac.uk/diss/cc/uniwide/Projects/Office%202007%20Project/
Filestore Upgrade
This is now almost complete. Estates shared filestore has been moved to the SAN and a time for moving the Y: drives will be negotiated imminently with the intention to move the Y: drives during January.
Remote access via VPN
User feedback has indicated strong levels of demand for a remote access service that provides additional functionality beyond that offered by the Web File Access system. Thus a project has been created to develop a fully supported VPN service. This will be using a pair of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances as the VPN concentrators.
The Cisco system provides both a client based IPSEC VPN facility, and a "clientless" facility similar to the OpenVPN system which was also evaluated for the VPN service role. Benefits of the Cisco solution include more widespread platform support, potentially including Windows Mobile and Nokia smartphones, and support for "posture checking" of clients before they are granted access. There is also the possibility of offering remote desktop access to end user PCs, mediated by the VPN concentrators.
Initial project work has centered on developing role based access controls using Active Directory group membership, and conducting a comparative analysis of the IPSEC and clientless VPN access methods. Additional licence keys are to be purchased shortly to enable load testing of the remote desktop module - required in order to determine whether this is a viable option for us.
We aim to have the system available for a limited trial initially followed by rollout of a full service later in the Spring.Voice over IP (VoIP)
VoIP means using the computer network to provide telephone services.Work on gaining experience of the pilot system continues, and the next stage will be rollout to IT Services. Consultants are being engaged for the full rollout phase.
See https://internal.lboro.ac.uk/diss/cc/uniwide/Projects/VOIP/.
Identity Management
The Identity Management project continues to make progress on implementing various improvements to the relevant systems, and respond to changes needed because of the implementation of other systems. Password strengthening work is now complete, and our thanks to users and IT staff for their co-operation in changing their passwords.
Labs project 2008
This is a project that runs annually to upgrade the centrally run IT labs and to upgrade the "labs model" - a method made available for lab providers in departments to set up their student IT labs. The lab model was successfully redeveloped for the start of term and rolled out to all labs.
https://internal.lboro.ac.uk/diss/cc/uniwide/Projects/Labs-Projects/LA701-labs/
UPS and standby generator for Haslegrave Computer Room
The aim of this project is to improve system availability in the event of power failure in Haslegrave. Work continues, and should be completed in January.
High Performance Computing
The new nodes have been installed and the temperature in the machine room has been monitored. The temperature has not increased greatly and so the new nodes have been brought into service. A configuration is being worked on to ensure that the research group which funded the new nodes are given priority on them but that they will be available to other HPC users the rest of the time.
A considerable amount of documentation is now available at www.lboro.ac.uk/it/hpc/. The documentation is not yet complete but will be added to and improved over the coming period.
Security Projects
Work continues on a series of projects to improve security.
University Projects
IT Services teams have also actively been providing staffing resource to progress systems being run by (what was) corporate information systems and elsewhere in the University, including:
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LUSI VLE - The pilot enhanced Learn system using the Moodle platform is now running for three full departments plus individual modules.
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University Finance System implementation project.
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Alumni Office.
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Estates.
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Student Accommodation Service.
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CAA (Computer Assisted Assessment) Upgrade.
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Web Content Management System.
E-mail archive - needs analysis
Completed and publicised on the JISC archive web site www.webarchive.org.uk/pan/13514/20070302/www.lboro.ac.uk/computing/irm/.
Further Information
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List of Projects (restricted) https://internal.lboro.ac.uk/diss/cc/uniwide/Projects/Latest%20project%20list/.
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Completed Projects (restricted) https://internal.lboro.ac.uk/diss/cc/uniwide/Projects/Projects%20-%20Completed%20and%20Inactive/.