The World of Tomorrow: An update on the UT Web Infrastructure and the Mobile Strategy Task Force...

Jenn CoastWeb Strategist

Information Technology Services | Applications

THEWORLD

OFTOMORROWAn update on the UT Web Infrastructure

and the Mobile Strategy Task Force Projects

22013-03-29

Topics

1. UT Web Infrastructure Project:Sense Corp’s High-level Architecture Design & Next Steps

2. Mobile Strategy Task Force: Recommendations, Processes and Projects

3. How Both Projects Impact Web Publishing on Campus

1. The World of Today

2. The World of Tomorrow

4. Getting From Here to There

5. What Can You Do to Prepare?

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The University of Texas AustinWeb Hosting Architecture Assessment

Steering Committee Presentation for Deliverable 1

Version 0.4March 21, 2013

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Project Objective: Modernize and improve the web hosting architecture for the Web Central Platform.

Presentation Objective: Review the process of evaluation, the findings, and recommendations. Obtain the Steering Committee’s high-level buy-in.

Steps Completed to Date: Review & Analyze Requirements Review & Analyze Current State Determine Gaps Propose Solution & Solution Location Deliver High-Level Architecture Design Propose High-Level Adoption & Change Management Plan

Overview

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High-Level GoalsStraightforward Administration

• Admin panel• Self-service panel• Automated CMS

installs• Clear ownership

Secure Environment

• Category-I compliant• Security monitoring• Encrypted connections

Clearly Defined Processes & Branding

• Site request workflow• SSL cert. requests• DNS changes• UT branded templates

and interfaces

Reporting

• Master site list• Site access stats• Bandwidth tracking• Server load stats• Panel activity logging

High Availability

• Service interruptions localized and minimized

• Emergency presence support

Centralized Authentication

• EID-based authentication

• Group-based authorization

• LDAP support

High Performance

• Accelerator support• Response time SLA• Caching and

compression mechanisms

Scalable

• Load balancing• Global traffic

management• Horizontal and vertical

growth strategies

Cost-Effective Solution

• Utilization of University's existing investments

• VMWare compatibility• Software licensing

conducive to large-scale environments

Technology Independent

• Support for popular scripting technologies

• Support for recent versions of apps

• Support for popular CMSs

• Shared namespace (reverse proxy)

Quality Assurance

• Dev/Test environments• Controlled promotions• Prod replication to

non-prod environments

Disaster Recovery

• System backups• Self-service backup

and restore• Limited timeframe

needed to recover

APPROVED

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High-Level Gaps

High Availability

• Service interruptions localized and minimized

• Emergency presence support

Centralized Authentication

• EID-based authentication

• Group-based authorization

• LDAP support

High Performance

• Accelerator support• Response time SLA• Caching and

compression mechanisms

Scalable

• Load balancing• Global traffic

management• Horizontal and vertical

growth strategies

Cost-Effective Solution

• Utilization of University's existing investments

• VMWare compatibility• Software licensing

conducive to large-scale environments

Technology Independent

• Support for popular scripting technologies

• Support for recent versions of apps

• Support for popular CMSs

• Shared namespace (reverse Proxy)

Quality Assurance

• Dev/Test environments

• Controlled promotions• Prod replication to

non-prod environments

Disaster Recovery

• System backups• Self-service backup

and restore• Limited timeframe to

recover

Straightforward Administration

• Admin panel• Self-service panel• Automated CMS

installs• Clear ownership

Secure Environment

• Category-I compliant• Security monitoring• Encrypted connections

Clearly Defined Processes & Branding

• Site request workflow• SSL cert. requests• DNS changes• UT branded templates

and interfaces

Reporting

• Master site list• Site access stats• Bandwidth tracking• Server load stats• Panel activity logging

APPROVED

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The service offerings range from standardized to customized. It is expected that the service offerings would be used by the following types of users:

Solution: Features

Service Offering Used By

Managed CMS

• Users who need UT-branded sites to share static or dynamic content without programming skills

• Users who would like to leverage ITS integration into key systems, such as Databases and UT EID

• Current users with Static Content Sites• Current Supported CMS Users (with minimal CMS

customizations)

Shared Virtual Hosting

• Users who need moderately customized CMS installations

• Users who need moderately customized web applications

Dedicated VM

• Current users of the dedicated VM platform• Users who need highly customized web applications • Users whose current Web Central usage expands

beyond the LAMP platform

1

2

3

Cust

omiz

edSt

anda

rdiz

e d

APPROVED

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Current State – Highly customized causing administrative challenges

Solution: Adoption & Change Management

Dedicated VMsShared Virtual HostingManaged CMS

• Solution usage are estimates, as provisioning does not track

• Shared Virtual Hosting is currently time sharing system (not locked-down)

• Managed CMS = UTCMS and blogs.utexas.edu only

APPROVED

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Solution: Adoption & Change Management

• Provides better tracking of usage, due to enhanced provisioning• Enhanced offering of Managed CMS and push to dedicated VMs

should allow many users to move from Shared Virtual Hosting• Possible future state may result in an increase in Dedicated VMs

or Shared Virtual Hosting

Future State – Easing administrative challenges by improved offerings

Dedicated VMsShared Virtual HostingManaged CMS

Dedicated VMsShared Virtual HostingManaged CMS

Dedicated VMsShared Virtual HostingManaged CMS

APPROVED

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Proposed High-Level Architecture: Diagram APPROVED

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• Detailed design that will include an implementation plan for deployment of architecture proposed using internal virtualization

• Present detailed design and implementation plan at the May customer steering committee meeting

• Explore building a Web hosting infrastructure in the public cloud for limited initial trial and potential future expansion

Next Steps

Mobile Strategy Task Force: from Vision to Implementation

Spring 2013

04/10/2023

Vision

We will create a leading, next generation digital experience for

the University of Texas community.

This experience will be optimized for mobile devices, personalized to our users, and socially engaging.

And we will provide a shared technology platform and resources that will be accessible to the entire

UT campus.

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APPROVED

Goals

– 1 –SIMPLIFY

Design clean and simple navigation and content, so users can easily move between content types and access tools throughout the site.

– 2 –STANDARDIZE

Provide interface systems that are consistent throughout the web experience.

– 3 –PERSONALIZE

Supply users with an experience that allows them to highlight the information that they are most interested in.

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APPROVED

04/10/2023

Strategic Recommendations and Process

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Conduct an RFP for an interactive design agency for creative design and content strategy, along with prototype development

Invest in improvements to the iPhone app to add personalization and a low cost Android option while maintaining the one app model for academic functions

Build out a new modern web infrastructure and content management system

Redesign the “core” web to be responsive, personalized, and socially connected

Build a new digital student experience to provide easy access to online tools on any device along with a shared social experience

Create a permanent, fully dedicated shared services team to build, manage, and promote the new opt-in web publishing system while providing governance over standards and guidance for content strategy

APPROVED

04/10/2023

ProjectsFY 2012 FY2013 FY2014

Brand Discovery Develop and Deploy Core Ongoing Support

Present Mobile StrategyUpdate iPhone app / Create Android app

Beyond the Core and Key Sites

RFP for Design Agency Design Key Sites APIs and Framework for Templates and Guidelines

Design CoreCreate Templates, Guidelines, Shared Service

Develop Content for Core Develop and Deploy Key Sites

Build Infrastructure and CMS, Prototype Core

Create New Emergency Operations Site

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APPROVED

04/10/2023

Core & Key Definitions

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Core (Phase I): UC/ITS Supported

Key (Phase II): High coordination/user experience requirement

HomepageEmergency Bus ScheduleKnow ParkingAbout UT TemplatesAcademics Student ExperienceCampus Life RegistrationCommunity Course ScheduleResearch Bevo BucksStudents BlackboardFaculty CanvasStaff Financial AidAlumni Pay My BillDirectory What I OweOffices Housing Maps FoodCalendar AdmissionsEvents AthleticsSearch

APPROVED

UT WebInfrastructure Project

Mobile Strategy Task Force Project

User Experience

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How it all fits together

Pan

els

&

Wiz

ard

s

PlatformsCMS | Shared Hosting

Infrastructure

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THEWORLD

OFTOMORROW

Let us return to…

…and how both projectsimpact Web publishing on campus

04/10/2023 21

But first…

04/10/2023 22

The World of Today…

(this is not a button)

There is no button, so you…

• Ask around about publishing options.

• Find out about the Web Team.

• Request hosting for a site….

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The World of Today…

A new website, after work by…

ITS Applications…

and Systems…

and Networking…

and User Services(plus a lot of coding and

content work on your part)

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The World of Today:

(click here)

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The World of Tomorrow…

A new website, with the click of a

button.

(plus a lot of content work on your part, and coding work but only if

you want)262013-03-29

The World of Tomorrow:

Managed CMSShared

Virtual Hosting

Ded-icate

d VMs

UT Web Future State

How do we get from here to there?

UT Web Infrastructure & Responsive Redesign Projects

University Communications & ITS+ every single Web Publisher at UT

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It feels like a battle…

… but we have a plan.

• Do Now – Document all sites and technologies in use– Design infrastructure and services – Create and publish RFP for responsive design– Identify and port administrative informational sites into UT CMS, the current Core Drupal

service (now-ish) - “Pre-order” the new responsive redesign!

• Do Next (summer)– Design new site – Build infrastructure– Build shared hosting environment– Build managed CMSs

• Do Later (fall and beyond)– Update iPhone app and create new Android app– Build core and key sites with new design – Move (some) websites and Drupal sites to Managed Drupal– Move (some) websites and WordPress sites to managed WordPress– Move custom sites to shared hosting or VMs

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How do we get from here to there?

What can you do to prepare?

It’s aboutto get real!

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If you are planning… • to upgrade your CMS• to move to a CMS• to redesign your site

talk to us*!where “us” equals: University Communications and ITS

and “talk” equals: stay connected, stay informed…and talk to us

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Questions?coreweb@utlists.utexas.edu

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