Network Redesign and Palette 2.0

The Mission of GCIS* Provide all of our users optimal access to GCC’s technology resources. *(GCC Information Services: The Innovation Center, Instructional Computing, Office of Information Technology, and Training and Employee Development)

Objectives for today Bring you up to speed on the status of the Overall (Academic and Staff) Network Redesign and the creation of the new Instructional Palette (Palette 2.0) Bring you up to speed on the status of the Overall (Academic and Staff) Network Redesign and the creation of the new Instructional Palette (Palette 2.0) Solicit your input at various levels Solicit your input at various levels Reach consensus on moving ahead Reach consensus on moving ahead

Issues being addressed by redesign project: Network availability Network availability Server connectivity Server connectivity Lengthy login times Lengthy login times Complexity of network structure Complexity of network structure Limited flexibility issues Limited flexibility issues Change Management issues Change Management issues Re-imaging issues Re-imaging issues Others? (CTC 12/05: none noted) Others? (CTC 12/05: none noted)

Goals of the Network Redesign Project Provide a network that is available 99.9% exclusive of scheduled down time. Provide a network that is available 99.9% exclusive of scheduled down time. Establish processes & procedures that assure the delivery of network services including: Establish processes & procedures that assure the delivery of network services including: –Change control –Release management –Incident response –Problem Management –Configuration Management –Capacity planning –Availability planning

- Security at every point within the project - Ensure processes and procedures are in a written format - Performance measurement tools -Documentation management -Maintenance planning participation through the CTC (to include faculty and students) -Implement Service Level Agreement (SLA) Additional Goals and Comments from 12/05 CTC Meeting CTC 12/05:

Design Criteria Services should have Services should have –Flexibility to meet changing needs –Stability –Mutually agreed upon maintenance windows –Efficiency of management –Others? (CTC 12/05: “accountability measurements” and “maintenance planning” were also suggested by attendees, but these items were previously addressed by the Goals/Comments listed on slide 6.)

Palette 2.0 Design Assumptions Any user can log into any workstation they have access to and perform the tasks the workstation is configured to perform. Any user can log into any workstation they have access to and perform the tasks the workstation is configured to perform. On logout the Palette workstation reverts to a configuration that allows the next user to perform their tasks. On logout the Palette workstation reverts to a configuration that allows the next user to perform their tasks. Others? (CTC12/05: Comments from attendees suggested that similar usability could be obtained with “thin clients”; such as Softricity. Remote access of Palette resources (from home and elsewhere) for students and faculty was mentioned as a design possibility for Palette 3.0) Others? (CTC12/05: Comments from attendees suggested that similar usability could be obtained with “thin clients”; such as Softricity. Remote access of Palette resources (from home and elsewhere) for students and faculty was mentioned as a design possibility for Palette 3.0)

Palette 2.0 Design Goals Workstation imaging should be: Workstation imaging should be: –Inline with change control and release mgt. –accomplished remotely and/or automatically— when desired –Classrooms can be re-imaged and ready for use in 60 minutes. No current functionality will be lost No current functionality will be lost

Design Decisions to date Novell Netware will be phased out. Novell Netware will be phased out. Microsoft Windows will provide Active Directory and File services for the network. Microsoft Windows will provide Active Directory and File services for the network. A new Windows Palette image/design will be created from the workstation OS up. A new Windows Palette image/design will be created from the workstation OS up. CTC 12/05: Note to attendees, please be active and vocal in CTC planning process!

Palette 2.0 Implementation goal July Palette 2.0 ready for testing by faculty, selected students and staff. 2.0 will target implementing the new Microsoft network core using a new build of the current image for the Palette. July Palette 2.0 ready for testing by faculty, selected students and staff. 2.0 will target implementing the new Microsoft network core using a new build of the current image for the Palette. June Palette 3.0 ready for testing by faculty, selected students and staff. June Palette 3.0 ready for testing by faculty, selected students and staff.

Testing Protocol/parameters Virtual machine servers for initial setup and testing Virtual machine servers for initial setup and testing Dedicated VLAN, and connected servers and workstations for “real world testing” Dedicated VLAN, and connected servers and workstations for “real world testing” Use Packet traces to monitor and track each network related change Use Packet traces to monitor and track each network related change Monitor and track effects of changes on workstation CPU and Memory usage Monitor and track effects of changes on workstation CPU and Memory usage Others? (CTC 12/05: Attendees were assured that load and regression testing would be addressed; however, other metrics - designated by attendees - would be helpful, such as acceptable login times. Attendees requested the testing plan be distributed to the campus in “lay-terms”.) Others? (CTC 12/05: Attendees were assured that load and regression testing would be addressed; however, other metrics - designated by attendees - would be helpful, such as acceptable login times. Attendees requested the testing plan be distributed to the campus in “lay-terms”.)

Current Palette Resources/Features Automatically created, registration related, password protected multiple accounts that appear as one account to the user. Automatically created, registration related, password protected multiple accounts that appear as one account to the user. Standard suite of software tools that includes Microsoft Office Standard suite of software tools that includes Microsoft Office Registration related access to specialized software Registration related access to specialized software Network Storage Space (H drive), Animation Volume Network Storage Space (H drive), Animation Volume Shared Drives (S drive) Shared Drives (S drive) Drop Boxes Drop Boxes Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) Roaming desktops Roaming desktops Internet access Internet access Wireless access Wireless access User created web pages User created web pages Off-campus access to some features. Off-campus access to some features. Forums Forums Secure browser and ftp based file access Secure browser and ftp based file access

Additional Features for Palette 2.0 Automated Faculty Resources Self-Service Site Automated Faculty Resources Self-Service Site Common “Start” page for all online courses Common “Start” page for all online courses

Additional Features for Palette 3.0 Plan is to distribute list of current features and software to you at the start of Spring semester. Plan is to distribute list of current features and software to you at the start of Spring semester. Please review and make suggestions for the 3.0 image. Please review and make suggestions for the 3.0 image. Please review and let us know what is longer needed. Please review and let us know what is longer needed. We will collect and discuss these during Spring Semester 06.

Moving Forward We are creating technical groups for each of the major project areas, which include: Academic Image Academic Image –Palette Image –Script conversion –Server OS deployment/Active Directory Administrative Machines Administrative Machines –Create conversion process Genesis Overhaul Genesis Overhaul Data Migration Data Migration Back up/disaster recovery Back up/disaster recovery

Review of Objectives for today Bring you up to speed on Network Redesign and the creation of the new Instructional Palette (Palette 2.0) Bring you up to speed on Network Redesign and the creation of the new Instructional Palette (Palette 2.0) Solicit your input at various levels Solicit your input at various levels Reach consensus on moving ahead Reach consensus on moving ahead (CTC 12/05: The group reached a consensus to proceed with these plans for the Network Redesign and Palette 2.0.)