NERCOMP 2004 Where the Rubber Meets the Road: Two Years After Startup Joanne Kossuth, CIO Pedro Perez, Assoc Dir IT Olin College of Engineering

NERCOMP 2004NERCOMP 2004

Where the Rubber Where the Rubber Meets the Road: Two Meets the Road: Two Years After StartupYears After Startup

Joanne Kossuth, CIOJoanne Kossuth, CIO

Pedro Perez, Assoc Dir ITPedro Perez, Assoc Dir IT

Olin College of EngineeringOlin College of Engineering


CopyrightCopyright

Copyright Joanne Kossuth and Pedro Perez Copyright Joanne Kossuth and Pedro Perez 2004. 2004.

This work is the intellectual property of the This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.requires written permission from the author.


Year in reviewYear in review

Over the last two years a number Over the last two years a number of projects have achieved of projects have achieved expected and better results while expected and better results while others have been and continue to others have been and continue to be learning experiencesbe learning experiences

Seemingly “no brainer” best Seemingly “no brainer” best practices all of a sudden have not practices all of a sudden have not been so easy to implementbeen so easy to implement


Years in Review, Cont.Years in Review, Cont.

This presentation will highlight This presentation will highlight some of these experiences some of these experiences including;including;

Standards implementationStandards implementation Growth estimationGrowth estimation ERP, AV, Web Design, Course ERP, AV, Web Design, Course

management, Knowledge management, Knowledge management practices, VOipmanagement practices, VOip


Years in Review, Cont.Years in Review, Cont.

As well as the ongoing challenges As well as the ongoing challenges ofof

Leadership, growing pains, Leadership, growing pains, staffing, strategic planning, staffing, strategic planning, network security, network device network security, network device proliferation, wireless implications proliferation, wireless implications and collaborationand collaboration


The BeginningThe Beginning


The MiddleThe Middle


The PresentThe Present


The OngoingThe Ongoing


StandardsStandards

Standards that work(ed):Standards that work(ed):– Wiring closetsWiring closets– Inter and intra building communicationsInter and intra building communications– Building accessBuilding access– ServersServers– Network equipmentNetwork equipment– Exchange calendaringExchange calendaring– Web mailWeb mail– Student laptop programStudent laptop program


StandardsStandards

Standards that did not “take”:Standards that did not “take”:– Desktop computersDesktop computers– Laptop computersLaptop computers– PrintersPrinters– PDAsPDAs– Cell phonesCell phones


StandardsStandards

The grey areas:The grey areas:– One off applications One off applications – Linux buildsLinux builds– E-mail aliasesE-mail aliases

Required Required [email protected]@olin.edu for for faculty and stafffaculty and staff

Required Required [email protected]@students.olin.edu for studentsfor students

One alias per personOne alias per person

– ListservsListservs


Estimating GrowthEstimating Growth

Underestimation seems to be the ruleUnderestimation seems to be the rule– Mail system and the temporary Netscape Mail system and the temporary Netscape

system aka the daily crashsystem aka the daily crash– Modular units that have a bad habit of Modular units that have a bad habit of

returningreturning– Olin.edu space and maintenance e.g. a Olin.edu space and maintenance e.g. a

founding faculty member requiring founding faculty member requiring ownership of ece.olin.eduownership of ece.olin.edu

– Server proliferation and lack of limitations Server proliferation and lack of limitations in promoting “innovation”in promoting “innovation”


Estimating Growth Estimating Growth Cont.Cont. Capacity planningCapacity planning Peak loadsPeak loads Bandwidth and managementBandwidth and management Can you define mission critical?Can you define mission critical?


VOIPVOIP

A good decisionA good decision Cost effective, stable, scalableCost effective, stable, scalable Easy ROI when starting from scratch, harder Easy ROI when starting from scratch, harder

when convertingwhen converting Don’t forget network hardware requirements Don’t forget network hardware requirements

such as QOSsuch as QOS Even better news, local telco offices are Even better news, local telco offices are

starting the switch to ip based services e.g. starting the switch to ip based services e.g. Nortel and VerizonNortel and Verizon

Next up…multimedia presence and follow me Next up…multimedia presence and follow me but don’t forget the bandwidth requirements but don’t forget the bandwidth requirements and ability of network hardware to handle and ability of network hardware to handle multicast as well as unicastmulticast as well as unicast


Knowledge Knowledge ManagementManagement Issue of losing older documents in Issue of losing older documents in

clean up e.g. curricular planningclean up e.g. curricular planning Dependence on e-mail for Dependence on e-mail for

communication …cc’s, attachments, communication …cc’s, attachments, etc.etc.

We’re small, we all Have to Know We’re small, we all Have to Know EverythingEverything

Defining good communications…why Defining good communications…why are certain people ALWAYS left out?are certain people ALWAYS left out?

Rounding up the startup cowboysRounding up the startup cowboys


WirelessWireless

Addiction of freshmanAddiction of freshman Recovery of sophomoresRecovery of sophomores

– CAD, registrationCAD, registration Designed as an complimentary Designed as an complimentary

network to wired accessnetwork to wired access Visitors, neighbors and other Visitors, neighbors and other

complicating factorscomplicating factors


Network Device Network Device ProliferationProliferation The possibility of registration of The possibility of registration of

systemssystems Challenges of multi platform e.g. Challenges of multi platform e.g.

Linux, MAC, PC, Xboxes, APs etcLinux, MAC, PC, Xboxes, APs etc Leading the way in convergence Leading the way in convergence

means leading the way on the number means leading the way on the number of networked devicesof networked devices

The challenge of management, The challenge of management, identification and authorization in a identification and authorization in a collaborative work environmentcollaborative work environment


AVAV

Video over ipVideo over ip Leading edge appsLeading edge apps Faculty don’t need any stinking AVFaculty don’t need any stinking AV Oops, faculty need AV and how Oops, faculty need AV and how

about by tomorrowabout by tomorrow What happens when your vendor What happens when your vendor

goes chapter 11 mid project?goes chapter 11 mid project?


ERPERP

StartupStartup– What do we have to have nowWhat do we have to have now– Implications on out of order and Implications on out of order and

partial implementationspartial implementations– Scope expansionScope expansion– Current stateCurrent state


Web DesignWeb Design

Evolution from outsourced to insourcedEvolution from outsourced to insourced Co-sourced redesignCo-sourced redesign From focus groups to web design From focus groups to web design

committeecommittee Ongoing design and redesignOngoing design and redesign Shared governance with Communications Shared governance with Communications

OfficeOffice Never ending processNever ending process Olin College WebsiteOlin College Website

/


Course Management Course Management SystemSystem Interim use as KM toolInterim use as KM tool

– IssuesIssues– RedesignRedesign– CommunicationCommunication– AlternativesAlternatives

In ProgressIn Progress– Syllabi in one placeSyllabi in one place– Course catalogCourse catalog– Links to portal project and other toolsLinks to portal project and other tools– Student useStudent use– DevelopmentDevelopment



IntranetIntranet

Another interim solution Another interim solution – Part communication Part communication – Part documentationPart documentation– Migration to course management Migration to course management

system and web sitessystem and web sites– But what about those special But what about those special

applications that were just made for applications that were just made for us???us???





VendorsVendors

Relationships and partnershipsRelationships and partnerships Who gets whatWho gets what Care and feeding on an ongoing Care and feeding on an ongoing

basisbasis Talking the talk and walking the Talking the talk and walking the

walkwalk Keeping everyone honestKeeping everyone honest


Vendor PartnersVendor Partners

Nortel NetworksNortel Networks Voice and Data Network hardwareVoice and Data Network hardware Integrated Partners CorpIntegrated Partners Corp Nortel integrator/resellerNortel integrator/reseller SymbolSymbol Wireless access point vendor and Nortel Wireless access point vendor and Nortel

partnerpartner TAC CenterTAC Center Voice over IP maintenance Voice over IP maintenance

providerprovider MTS ServicesMTS Services Cabling contractor Cabling contractor

(voice/data/AV/controls/security)(voice/data/AV/controls/security) NORDX/CDTNORDX/CDT Cabling and connectivity product Cabling and connectivity product

manufacturer/suppliermanufacturer/supplier APCAPC UPS vendorUPS vendor HPHP Server vendor, network printer manufacturer, and Server vendor, network printer manufacturer, and

staff/faculty laptop optionstaff/faculty laptop option MicronMicron Desktop vendorDesktop vendor DellDell Student Laptop program and Student Laptop program and

staff/faculty laptop optionstaff/faculty laptop option RicohRicoh Leased high speed multi function Leased high speed multi function

copier/printer/scannercopier/printer/scanner ImageTechImageTech Maintenance of Ricoh equipmentMaintenance of Ricoh equipment


SecuritySecurity

Closed versus openClosed versus open The role of researchThe role of research What the faculty bring with themWhat the faculty bring with them An interim solutionAn interim solution Why the let them stick their finger Why the let them stick their finger

in the light socket approach can in the light socket approach can workwork


Contingency PlanningContingency Planning

RedundancyRedundancy Fail overFail over Defining mission criticalDefining mission critical


LeadershipLeadership

VPs and President never held VPs and President never held their positions beforetheir positions before

Education processEducation process Multiple reporting relationships Multiple reporting relationships

for CIO…good or badfor CIO…good or bad Having a voiceHaving a voice

– Details versus issuesDetails versus issues– Why the politics mattersWhy the politics matters


CollaborationCollaboration

SuccessesSuccesses FailuresFailures Looking ahead…challenges such Looking ahead…challenges such

as half of our student population as half of our student population cross registering for courses at cross registering for courses at other institutionsother institutions


Strategic PlanningStrategic Planning

Where is the planWhere is the plan How do we get a planHow do we get a plan What about an IT planWhat about an IT plan What about an inter-institutional What about an inter-institutional

IT planIT plan


AdolescenceAdolescence

The impact of a small community The impact of a small community on relationships and governanceon relationships and governance

Family versus businessFamily versus business From one voice per person to one From one voice per person to one

voice per group e.g. voice per group e.g. representationrepresentation

Consensus versus my way or the Consensus versus my way or the highwayhighway


StaffingStaffing

The challenges of staffing at a The challenges of staffing at a very small institution that also very small institution that also wants to provide lots of services, wants to provide lots of services, especially to studentsespecially to students

Benchmarking projectBenchmarking project The expectation gamesThe expectation games


The Olin Top PicksThe Olin Top Picks

Converged networkConverged network VOipVOip Vendor partnerships and Vendor partnerships and

relationshipsrelationships Student IT Working GroupStudent IT Working Group Laptop ProgramLaptop Program The IT Web page (still in progress)The IT Web page (still in progress)


The Olin Top The Olin Top ChallengesChallenges Support expectations and growthSupport expectations and growth Network device proliferationNetwork device proliferation Identification, Authentication and Identification, Authentication and

Authorization across campus Authorization across campus collaborationscollaborations

Guest and community accessGuest and community access Ongoing education of leadershipOngoing education of leadership The rate of technological changeThe rate of technological change


Contact InformationContact Information

Joanne KossuthJoanne Kossuth [email protected]@olin.edu or 781- or 781-

292-2431292-2431 Pedro PerezPedro Perez [email protected]@olin.edu or 781-292- or 781-292-

24352435

Documents

NERCOMP 2004 Where the Rubber Meets the Road: Two Years After Startup Joanne Kossuth, CIO Pedro Perez, Assoc Dir IT Olin College of Engineering