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MSDN-AA with e-Academy use at Cambridge
Graham Titmus
University of CambridgeComputer Laboratoryhttp://www.cl.cam.ac.uk
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Department Overview
100 undergraduates per year First year 50% time in department Projects in second and final years
Several small postgraduate courses Diploma conversion course Speech and Natural Language Processing
120 research staff and PhD students
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Undergraduate teaching
Contract out our workstation provision PWF – provided by Computing Service
Windows 2000 Linux
Software for teaching Plan one full year ahead
Widely available access Colleges and bedrooms
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Delivering software
Use from servers Limited set on restricted access servers
Use by staff and researchers Licence servers access for other code
flexlm managed in main
Distributed CDs or download areas
Freeware only Distribution of boxed sets
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MSDN-AA
Software on CD Rapid changes in content for some products
Keeping it online is maintenance issue Offline makes it harder to use
Licence key distribution Internal – to support staff Internal – to researchers External – to undergraduates
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e-Academy
Web site to issue licences
Customisable to some degree Who is in control? Spam filtering by users
Distribution points Disc space required Bandwidth used Updating
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Starting to use it
Customising Logo Contact information Structuring users
Years for Undergraduates – one bulk change per year
Research and Staff – small constant change load
Familiarising Controlling licences or selling them?
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Adding packages
Selection of ones to add Too many to manage all of them
Workload level Demand level
Distribution methods CD loan/issue Network download (http) Network share
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Packaging for download
Number of pre-packaged suites XP, VS.Net, ….
Special tool to manage download Take software from MSDNAA
distribution Store on own website
Small downloader at e-Academy Most data over local link
No checksums on image
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Adding users
Stability of classes at start of year Don’t want to leave it too late!
Notification methods Official email first
Email form e-Academy looks like spam
Web site in department as well Backup contact/fault system Tied to http distribution point Internal contact area
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Becoming a salesman
Site is a sales point Issue refunds for $0.00
If you choose download then want to borrow CDs then you have to be refunded and choose again
Administration can be split System Administrator CD issue
View waiting list Issue return and cancel requests
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Maintenance issues
Email list [email protected]
Aim for good coverage at weekends during term Reinstalls
Low level of activity Run out of disk space Reformat machine
Extra activation codes XP intolerance to new hardware
Monitor easily via website All codes issued are displayed
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CD loans
No weekends! Leads to overlong
loan periods Where to collect
Recruit literate students
What is a loan?
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Experience to date
Simple to configure and use Lack of ‘identity’ with Department Email messages need tailoring
Maintenance level low Need another devolved role
issue reinstalls/keys Updating user lists
Scriptable route needed using ssh access