Network Redesign Network Redesign and and

Palette 2.0Palette 2.0

The Mission of GCIS*The Mission of GCIS*

Provide all of our users optimal access Provide all of our users optimal access to GCC’s technology resources.to GCC’s technology resources.

*(GCC Information Services: The Innovation *(GCC Information Services: The Innovation Center, Center,

Instructional Computing, Office of Information Instructional Computing, Office of Information Technology, and Training and Employee Technology, and Training and Employee

Development)Development)

Objectives for todayObjectives for today

• Bring you up to speed on the status Bring you up to speed on the status of the Overall (Academic and Staff) of the Overall (Academic and Staff) Network Redesign and the creation Network Redesign and the creation of the new Instructional Palette of the new Instructional Palette (Palette 2.0)(Palette 2.0)

• Solicit your input at various levelsSolicit your input at various levels

• Reach consensus on moving aheadReach consensus on moving ahead

Issues being addressed by Issues being addressed by redesign project:redesign project:

• Network availabilityNetwork availability

• Server connectivityServer connectivity

• Lengthy login timesLengthy login times

• Complexity of network structureComplexity of network structure

• Limited flexibility issuesLimited flexibility issues

• Change Management issuesChange Management issues

• Re-imaging issuesRe-imaging issues• Others? Others? (CTC 12/05: none noted)(CTC 12/05: none noted)

Goals of the Network Redesign Goals of the Network Redesign ProjectProject• Provide a network that is available Provide a network that is available

99.9% exclusive of scheduled down time.99.9% exclusive of scheduled down time.

• Establish processes & procedures that Establish processes & procedures that assure the delivery of network services assure the delivery of network services including:including:– Change controlChange control– Release managementRelease management– Incident responseIncident response– Problem ManagementProblem Management– Configuration ManagementConfiguration Management– Capacity planningCapacity planning– Availability planningAvailability planning

- Security at every point within the project- Security at every point within the project- Ensure processes and procedures are in a - Ensure processes and procedures are in a

written formatwritten format- Performance measurement tools- Performance measurement tools- Documentation managementDocumentation management- Maintenance planning participation Maintenance planning participation

through the CTC (to include faculty and through the CTC (to include faculty and students)students)

- Implement Service Level Agreement (SLA)Implement Service Level Agreement (SLA)

Additional Goals and Comments from 12/05 CTC Meeting

CTC 12/05:CTC 12/05:

Design CriteriaDesign Criteria• Services should haveServices should have

– Flexibility to meet changing needs Flexibility to meet changing needs – StabilityStability– Mutually agreed upon maintenance Mutually agreed upon maintenance

windowswindows– Efficiency of managementEfficiency of management– Others? Others? (CTC 12/05: “accountability measurements” and (CTC 12/05: “accountability measurements” and

“maintenance planning” were also suggested by attendees, but “maintenance planning” were also suggested by attendees, but these items were previously addressed by the Goals/Comments these items were previously addressed by the Goals/Comments listed on slide 6.)listed on slide 6.)

Palette 2.0 Design Palette 2.0 Design AssumptionsAssumptions• Any user can log into any workstation Any user can log into any workstation

they have access to and perform the they have access to and perform the tasks the workstation is configured to tasks the workstation is configured to perform.perform.

• On logout the Palette workstation On logout the Palette workstation reverts to a configuration that allows reverts to a configuration that allows the next user to perform their tasks. the next user to perform their tasks.

• Others? Others? (CTC12/05: Comments from attendees suggested (CTC12/05: Comments from attendees suggested that similar usability could be obtained with “thin clients”; such as that similar usability could be obtained with “thin clients”; such as Softricity. Remote access of Palette resources (from home and Softricity. Remote access of Palette resources (from home and elsewhere) for students and faculty was mentioned as a design elsewhere) for students and faculty was mentioned as a design possibility for Palette 3.0)possibility for Palette 3.0)

Palette 2.0 Design GoalsPalette 2.0 Design Goals

• Workstation imaging should be:Workstation imaging should be:– Inline with change control and release Inline with change control and release

mgt.mgt.– accomplished remotely and/or accomplished remotely and/or

automatically—when desiredautomatically—when desired– Classrooms can be re-imaged and ready Classrooms can be re-imaged and ready

for use in 60 minutes.for use in 60 minutes.

• No current functionality will be lostNo current functionality will be lost

Design Decisions to dateDesign Decisions to date• Novell Netware will be phased out.Novell Netware will be phased out.

• Microsoft Windows will provide Active Microsoft Windows will provide Active Directory and File services for the Directory and File services for the network. network.

• A new Windows Palette image/design A new Windows Palette image/design will be created from the workstation OS will be created from the workstation OS up.up.

CTC 12/05: Note to attendees, please be active CTC 12/05: Note to attendees, please be active

and vocal in CTC planning process!and vocal in CTC planning process!

Palette 2.0 Implementation Palette 2.0 Implementation goalgoal• July 01 06 Palette 2.0 ready for testing July 01 06 Palette 2.0 ready for testing

by faculty, selected students and staff. by faculty, selected students and staff. 2.0 will target implementing the new 2.0 will target implementing the new Microsoft network core using a new build Microsoft network core using a new build of the current image for the Palette.of the current image for the Palette.

• June 01 07 Palette 3.0 ready for testing June 01 07 Palette 3.0 ready for testing by faculty, selected students and staff. by faculty, selected students and staff.

Testing Protocol/parametersTesting Protocol/parameters• Virtual machine servers for initial setup and Virtual machine servers for initial setup and

testingtesting

• Dedicated VLAN, and connected servers Dedicated VLAN, and connected servers and workstations for “real world testing”and workstations for “real world testing”

• Use Packet traces to monitor and track each Use Packet traces to monitor and track each network related changenetwork related change

• Monitor and track effects of changes on Monitor and track effects of changes on workstation CPU and Memory usageworkstation CPU and Memory usage

• Others? Others? (CTC 12/05: Attendees were assured that load and (CTC 12/05: Attendees were assured that load and regression testing would be addressed; however, other metrics - regression testing would be addressed; however, other metrics - designated by attendees - would be helpful, such as acceptable designated by attendees - would be helpful, such as acceptable login times. Attendees requested the testing plan be distributed to login times. Attendees requested the testing plan be distributed to the campus in “lay-terms”.)the campus in “lay-terms”.)

Current Palette Current Palette Resources/FeaturesResources/Features• Automatically created, registration related, password Automatically created, registration related, password

protected multiple accounts that appear as one account to protected multiple accounts that appear as one account to the user.the user.

• Standard suite of software tools that includes Microsoft Standard suite of software tools that includes Microsoft OfficeOffice

• Registration related access to specialized softwareRegistration related access to specialized software

• Network Storage Space (H drive), Animation VolumeNetwork Storage Space (H drive), Animation Volume

• Shared Drives (S drive)Shared Drives (S drive)

• Drop BoxesDrop Boxes

• Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) e-mailInternet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) e-mail

• Roaming desktopsRoaming desktops

• Internet accessInternet access

• Wireless accessWireless access

• User created web pagesUser created web pages

• Off-campus access to some features.Off-campus access to some features.

• ForumsForums

• Secure browser and ftp based file accessSecure browser and ftp based file access

Additional Features for Palette Additional Features for Palette 2.02.0

• Automated Faculty Resources Self-Automated Faculty Resources Self-Service SiteService Site

• Common “Start” page for all online Common “Start” page for all online coursescourses

Additional Features for Palette Additional Features for Palette 3.03.0

• Plan is to distribute list of current features Plan is to distribute list of current features and software to you at the start of Spring and software to you at the start of Spring semester.semester.

• Please review and make suggestions for the Please review and make suggestions for the 3.0 image.3.0 image.

• Please review and let us know what is longer Please review and let us know what is longer needed.needed.

We will collect and discuss these during Spring We will collect and discuss these during Spring Semester 06.Semester 06.

Moving ForwardMoving Forward

We are creating technical groups for each of the We are creating technical groups for each of the major project areas, which include:major project areas, which include:

• Academic ImageAcademic Image– Palette ImagePalette Image– Script conversionScript conversion– Server OS deployment/Active DirectoryServer OS deployment/Active Directory

• Administrative MachinesAdministrative Machines– Create conversion processCreate conversion process

• Genesis OverhaulGenesis Overhaul• Data MigrationData Migration• Back up/disaster recoveryBack up/disaster recovery

Review of Objectives for Review of Objectives for todaytoday

• Bring you up to speed on Network Bring you up to speed on Network Redesign and the creation of the new Redesign and the creation of the new Instructional Palette (Palette 2.0)Instructional Palette (Palette 2.0)

• Solicit your input at various levelsSolicit your input at various levels

• Reach consensus on moving aheadReach consensus on moving ahead

(CTC 12/05: The group reached a consensus to proceed with these (CTC 12/05: The group reached a consensus to proceed with these plans for the Network Redesign and Palette 2.0.)plans for the Network Redesign and Palette 2.0.)