Information Technology at SFU

Information Technology at SFU : 

Information Technology at SFU July 25, 2002

Agenda : 

Agenda Information Technology at Simon Fraser University Comprehensive IT Services to Students Administrative Systems Support to Research e-Learning Issues From an IT Perspective

IT Reporting Relationship : 

IT Reporting Relationship President VP – F&A VP Academic Library Systems CIO VP Research Chief Librarian Deans Depts IT Support Groups VP Development

CIO Mandate : 

CIO Mandate Management & Administration Responsible for ACS/OTS/ASG/SSS Delivery of Core Systems & Infrastructure Strategic Planning of common IT services Campus Wide Influencing, coordination role IT Governance, Policy & Standards Advocacy Role for IT Practical Innovation “Last resort” support to Faculty/Staff

Stats : 

Active Accounts High Speed Connections Stats Internet Traffic E-mail Messages By Quarter

“Central” IT Budget(ACS/OTS/SSS/ASG) : 

“Central” IT Budget(ACS/OTS/SSS/ASG)

IT Across SFU : 

IT Across SFU Central IT Distributed IT Coordinated IT Specific Research Specialized Teaching Local Research Networks Desktop Support Departmental Applications Shared Research Core Admin Systems Library SFU Services - e-mail - accounts - top portal Network Standards, Training, Interaction

Excessive Diversity : 

Excessive Diversity Balance: Technical Simplification vs. User Diversity Can’t stretch too far. Inhibits ability to progress Potential Eliminations?

Key Issues from CIO Perspective : 

Key Issues from CIO Perspective Replacement of Core Systems – Student, HR/Pay, Finance Unacceptable risk – people, equipment, big $$$ IT Staffing Retirements (15% eligible) Hiring, retention, training, career path Salary levels in very competitive market Introduction/Support of Learning Technology - eLearning Potentially bigger than conventional IT Equipment Renewal Policy Need for annual investment, not one-time funding Eliminate “Boom then Bust” cycle

Key Issues from CIO Perspective … 2 : 

Key Issues from CIO Perspective … 2 Increasing reliance on IT Strategic service, Constant innovation, Increasing cost How do we keep up? How does CIO convince Community? Inefficient Delivery of Basic IT – desktop support May be effective but costly? Decentralization a “cultural issue” Security – virus, hacking Questions & Answers

Comprehensive Services for Students : 

Comprehensive Services for Students e-Mail 2 MB attachment limit -> 15MB virus scanned, can restrict by packet type (DVD, mp3) more and bigger equipment - 2 x Sun V880 servers – Fall 02 Workstations in Computer Labs 1500 + computers (PC’s, Mac’s, Linux, Sun) available to students specialized software, depending upon course Safe, secure, shared data storage 50 MB Space – need to expand Special programs @ Surrey campus students 9 GB Personal Web space increasingly web-centric community

Comprehensive Services for Students … 2 : 

Comprehensive Services for Students … 2 Collaborative Tools Mail Lists, Caucus, WebCT Printing services central queues, printing pay cards UNIX services Statistical , mathematical software usage declined dramatically Wireless & Wired Connections on Campus seamless, wired corridor – Fall 02 changes how we manage our network

Comprehensive Services for Students … 3 : 

Comprehensive Services for Students … 3 Modem, High Speed (DSL, Cable) access from off campus new security demands with High Speed connections seamless work environment Student Administration Admissions, Registration, Records – IVR, Web comprehensive legacy system implementing PeopleSoft – Fall ’03 Departments many departments offer specific facilities to students GIS, Computer Science, Engineering, Math, Chemistry, etc

Student “e-Business” Services : 

Student “e-Business” Services Online Inquiry Registered courses, Books, Exam schedule, Tutorial/lab times A/R statement, News/events, Clubs & organizations, Calendar Online Payments Library fines, Tuition refunds, Enrollment applications Parking renewal/fines, Conference registration/payment, Modem time Residence application/payment Online Forms Advancement Online Donation, Campus Orientation Registration Parking Change of Registration, Parking Lottery Entry Professional Designation Course Registration (HC) Science Store Requisition Form Writing & Publishing Program Course Registration (HC)

SFU Online Library Services ‘Our Library is where YOU are’ : 

Full support for off-campus, multi-campus, distance users, online courses Fully integrated online services: Over 200 index/abstracts Over 8,000 journals Online library catalogue (1.5 mill. print, 8,000 eBooks) Many partner library catalogues; Interlibrary loan form dbWiz searches across indexes, catalogues, web pages Citation Manager stores search results for later use GODOT sends request for item to identified library Online reference service; (LSSI - Version of eGain call centre sw) Email reference+help service SFU Online Library Services ‘Our Library is where YOU are’

SFU Library Technology Infrastructure : 

SFU Library Technology Infrastructure SFU Library SW links: Search, location finder, full text online, request to branch/other institutions reduces staff, delivery time 400% increase in ILL over 5 years w. 1 new staff (fulfilled an unmet demand) SFU Library dev. SW for West Cdn. Univ, BC Postsec. libraries Charge for installation/maintenance Use/contribute to Open Source software, standards: Z39.50, XML, OAI, jake, perl, linux 175 public, 150 staff PC’s, variety of servers, software

Integrated Account ManagementAMAINT : 

Integrated Account ManagementAMAINT Obtains student information from student system Generates and Maintains Student Accounts 42,000 accounts, 28,000 active, 6 different account types sets directories, quotas, access rights by policy Passes student/account information to various systems Unix NIS database – permits access to Unix hosts WebCT – e-Learning, e-Mail, Mail Lists (course), Corporate Time (scheduling), Active Directory (Windows) Information passed to Departments, Library, groups, ad hoc requests Controls e-Business services

Integrated Account Management … 2 : 

Integrated Account Management … 2 Automatic “maintenance” driven by student status, courses registrations, password changes Basis for Single Sign-On policy issues to be resolved Essential Tool manual account administration not an option 1 – 2 FTE + inquiry staff manage all accounts

IT Services For StudentsConclusions : 

IT Services For StudentsConclusions There is never enough equipment Integral part of student life at SFU assignment submission, e-mail if you lose computer access you would probably fail Abuse, Security Always a Problem … but Manageable full time security role, extensive log collection/analysis Diligence: students know we are watching for abuse Three year computer lab lease renewal policy Trying to encourage use of Student owned computers connectivity vs. SFU supplied equipment - $$ savings problem with specialized software – too expensive for students Questions & Answers about IT Student Services

Administrative SystemsStudent Administration, HR/Payroll, Finance, Facilities, Small Departmental Applications (e.g. Parking, Health, Residence) : 

Administrative SystemsStudent Administration, HR/Payroll, Finance, Facilities, Small Departmental Applications (e.g. Parking, Health, Residence) Core Systems (Student, HR/Pay, Finance) Need Replacing Custom developed early ’80’s – now obsolete technology Highly tailored to SFU’s unique business practices Common “look and feel” and technology Inflexible, risk of failure to respond to changes Replacement Approach Custom developed systems -> Package Solutions PeopleSoft ERP (Student, HR/Pay, Finance) selected maintain advantages of Common “look and feel” and technology 3 – 4 year effort, very expensive, big impact on all CIO’s IT resources

Administrative System Strategies at SFU : 

Administrative System Strategies at SFU From Client/Server to Web Systems broader deployment, lower maintenance $$, improved security Standard Three Tier Architectural Approach Web server, Application Server, Database Server Typically physically as well as logically distinct CITRIX\Terminal Services Easier deployment and maintenance of client/server applications, easier to secure (?) Less Custom Development ... More Packages, More System Integration/Interfaces Wider use of vLan’s, VPN’s, Switched Networks for Security adds complexity greater burden on IT staff

Administrative System Conclusions : 

Administrative System Conclusions Because our systems are highly “tuned” to our current business processes, there will be a big change impact and some initial productivity loss difficult to justify spend $$ while losing functionality Implement smaller systems in similar architecture Windows Servers need to be managed like Unix Environment separate Application group from O/S, Network and Infrastructure Security Data security difficult in a Student centric environment common backbone Questions and Answers

Research Computing at SFU : 

Research Computing at SFU Changes in Research Computing Increasingly decentralized, “individual” systems, since M/F Now, moving to much larger, shared equipment Recent Research Computing Events at SFU Beowulf Cluster Beowulf cluster – uses inexpensive, common parts connected by low costs LAN 192 CPU, parallel processing machine built at SFU for $US 200,000 Performance 145 Gflops in comparison a 1 GHZ PC ~ Currently 465 on worlds fastest list – very impressive price/performance used to capacity within 3 weeks of availability Grid Computing 5 Participating Universities in Western Canada Distributed components : e.g, storage at SFU, CPU in Alberta connected by very high speed network

Supporting Research ComputingSome Challenges : 

Supporting Research ComputingSome Challenges Cultural change Independent to shared defining common policies and procedures “Scale Up” Issues decentralized management practices won’t work increasing complexity: monitoring, backup/recovery, security, network, system admin, account admin facilities – UPS, Air Conditioning Ongoing Equipment Operations and Maintenance who pays when research grant runs out?

e-Learning Issues From an IT Perspective : 

e-Learning Issues From an IT Perspective Pray for an evolution, not a revolution huge potential impact on networks pilot systems may not scale very well how to support a truly collaborative community? Managing Diversity expensive and difficult to run numerous different systems how can a diverse university agree on 1 or 2 systems? Integration with Administrative Systems need interfaces automate account changes System Availability, Reliability Essential immature products Roles faculty vs instructional support vs IT

Thank You! : 

Thank You!

Jim Cranston – CIO Simon Fraser University : 

Jim Cranston – CIO Simon Fraser University Engineer, MBA by academic background Joined SFU – September 2001 Previously Management Consultant specializing in IT Worked in Indonesia on projects from 1987 – 1995 University environment different from other organizations, but the IT issues are essentially the same

Indonesian Projects : 

Indonesian Projects 1997 – 88 – Medium Term Marine and Coastal Planning – KLH Management and IT Specialist 1998 – 94 – Environmental Management and Development Indonesia (EMDI) Information Technology Advisor to KLH 1993 - 94 – Master Training Plan Agency for Industrial Research and Development – Department of Industry IT/Environmental Training Needs Balai Basar dan Balai Industri