R. Helmke - Spvsr Mtg - 11/19/2002 1

LEPP Computer Group (LCG)Resource/Policy Initiative

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LEPP Computer Group (LCG) Mission Statement:

• “Within available resources, provide the best possible information technology support for LEPP’s scientific mission and its members’ productivity."

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Problem: More things to do – same people to do them:• Increase over time in:

– Number of nodes– Number of different platforms to support– Applications– Users – Extent and intensity of use

• Constant LCG staff level and $$$

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More things – same people

• LCG swamped with too many individual service requests– Too large a fraction of effort spent responding to

immediate problems, not enough spent on infrastructure, longer term projects, and new technology introduction

– Too often we can not give fast enough response to important service requests

– Partly LCG’s fault - “Positive Feedback” syndrome - the more responsive we are to individual requests, the more requests we get

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More things– same people• At the same time we want to make

improvements in:– Network infrastructure

– LEPP Web capability (XML, etc.)

– Server reliability (RAID)

– Security (PKI, etc.)

– Email (antiSpam, antiVirus, etc.)

– High density compute farms (Blade, etc.)

– Videoconferencing (VRVS, GAN support)

– ….

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More things– same people

• …as well as improvements in:– communicating in a more timely manner and

more effectively with users:

• progress of service response

• better user feedback to LCG

– Resolving inconsistent operating system and application versions

– Other service improvements

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Solutions:

• Prioritization

• Policies

• Realistic Expectations

• Shared Resources

• Communication

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Prioritization

• LEPP must carefully consider every request for a new workstation or upgrade– On-going support costs are greater than

purchase price of hardware– Support staff cost of upgrading a workstation is

usually greater than new install

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• LCG needs to provide a limited set of standard offerings (platforms, workstations, applications, versions)– Economies of scale– Exception policy has to be restrictive

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• Restrict Mac deployment and support – New installs and upgrades will be PCs (not Macs)

wherever possible– Keep/support Macs only where necessary– Move all remaining Macs to OS X (March ’03)– Vigorously restrict application versions– Promote (require) greater self-reliance for Mac users

• CU Help Desk

• Baka

– Printing from a MAC will go only through queues, etc.

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Policies

– Need to enforce “return to pool” policy after temporary use of workstation (e.g. REU)

• Too often workstations get “incorporated” without consideration of other needs and costs

• Request to keep temporary workstation should bear the same scrutiny as a new request

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• Persuade/prevent users from adding non-essential software to their workstations– These are “workstations” not “personal

computers”– Integrity and security of LEPP network must be

protected– Considerable time spent cleaning up after

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• Educate/prohibit use of workstations local disk for anything but “temp” use; – Adhere to “no local disk backup” policy– Prevent users from losing needed files– Reduce LCG time spent “restoring” bookmarks,

etc.

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• LCG must take an assertive stance on policies– (goes against our naturally “helpful” nature)

– “We support this (these) version(s) – and that’s it!”

– “Fit within these standards or it does NOT go on our net!”

– Synchronized upgrade to <version> of <application> on <date> - whether or not it’s most convenient for individual users.

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Realistic Expectations

• Communicate to users reasonable expectations for: – Response time– Budget restrictions– Scope of support

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• LCG must limit amount of application support provided – Supervisors must include application support in

their project planning– Users need to have reasonable expectations

for support– LEPP must explore alternate application

support options:• Baka, CU Help Desk, etc.

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Training• LCG to actively promote, advise, and facilitate

training options

• Computer Based Training – Available free from CIT

• CIT training courses, TC3, etc.

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Shared Resources

• Trying to create a Public Workstation Facility– Needed to provide for:

• Infrequently used, expensive applications

• Low duty factor (e.g. student) access/use of workstations

• Overflow demands (CLEO meetings, Summer students)

• Special devices (e.g. scanner)

– ~6 nodes

• 4 – 5 Windows PCs (1 with scanner)

• 1 Linux PC?

• (1 Mac?)

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– Applications (distributed among nodes):

• MS Office 2000 Professional

• AutoCAD

• ANSYSAdobe

• Illustrator

• Adobe Acrobat

• Matlab

• Mathematica

• ORCAD

• Altera

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– Applications (cont.):

• Igor pro

• Ghostview/Ghostscript

• WinTeX2000, MikTeX

• Cygwin

• Visual Studio

• Frontpage 2002 (?), Dreamweaver (?)

• MathCad

• …….

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• Selectively shared laptops to reduce need for desktops– E.G. shared within group for:

• Infrequent use

• Low duty-factor locations

• Infrequent/Special software needs

– More formalized loaner program

• Published policy

• Formal (Web based) signout (and return) procedure

– However, there are problems with Laptops

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Communication

• Improve LCG <-> Supervisor communication– Make sure supervisors understand our policies– Make sure users get supervisor approval before request

• Identify “computer contact person” within LEPP groups– Communicate group needs to LCG– Coordinate and facilitate LCG support to group– Will get special training and focused support from LCG– First point of contact for group support needs– Especially important for Newman groups

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• Considering a Computing Advisory Board– Forum for policy discussion, creation – Provide user-group communication to LCG– Provide LCG cover for unpopular policies– Infrequent regular plus ad hoc meetings, plus

email – Broad representation

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• Improve current service request and problem tracking model:– Currently using Keystone tracking tool

• We’re looking at a replacement/improvement

– Email to service@lns.cornell.edu for request submission

– Will emphasize Web-based request submission– Every LCG member sees every request– Automatic Keystone reply– Goal: <1 day response from human being