Tools for Managing & Deploying Public Computing Environments

1. Tools for Managing & Deploying Public Computing Environments Nick Brown Instructional Technology Computer Specialist Information Technology Assistance Center Kansas State University

2. Overview of Central Computing Labs at K-State • Total of 414 Computers • 212 in Library Infocommons • 174 PCs • 16 PCs in the Media Development Center • 22 Mac • 202 divided among 12 computer labs throughout campus • Additional 60 Laptops for Checkout • Mac and PC

3. Technology Classrooms and Studios • 281 Computers • 10 PC studio classrooms • 2 Mac studio classrooms • 48 Podium computers – Mac and PC

4. Computer Management • Lifecycle • Inventory Management • Hardware Maintenance • Support • Access Control • Imaging Process • Image Maintenance • Managing Printing • Auditing • Power Management • Current Initiatives

5. Lifecycle • 3 year rollover cycle for computers • 1/3 of computers replaced per year • Old computers given away to needy departments when replaced • Classrooms replaced in December, Labs in August

6. Hardware Maintenance • 2 Dell certified technicians • Warranty parts received by noon next day • Minimizes downtime • Apple certified shop in department • 10 student hours per week dedicated to cleaning labs

7. Support • Staffed 7am-10pm Mon-Thur. 7-5 Fri. • 24/7 cell phone support for major issues and all classroom calls • Helpdesk staffed 8am-midnight and weekends • Checks twice per day to fill paper • HP Webjet monitor allows monitor of paper and toner levels • Printers set to email when issues occur • Remedy used to track issues

8. Inventory Management • Custom designed Access Database • Showing it’s age • Proposal to buy real inventory management system for all of ITS • Barcodes for all PCs, printers, and desks • Allows for easy association of PC/Monitor to a location • Barcode scanner reads into an excel spreadsheet which can be imported into the database

9. Access Management • Active Directory handles Authentication • Infocommons, Classrooms, and Studios autologin • Ease of use • Public access • Macs in Infocommonsautologon to a Mac Server • 2 Macs in Union that use AD for authentication

10. Imaging • Over 200 pieces of software • Over 50 different images • Over 1 TB of compressed image files per semester • Image both Macs and PCs in labs every semester • Image creation begins in April for Summer Deployment • Most deployments happen in August due to software release cycles • Winter releases are mostly updates and patches

11. Image Creation Tools • Wiki • Contains list of all images and software for each image • List of contacts for each piece of software • Installation instructions for all software • License keys in a central place • File server hosting .iso files of all software on CD • MagicDisk – free .isomounter

12. PC Image Deployment • PCs are imaged using Symantec Ghost • Multi-cast enabled in most environments • Ghost client retains computers’ old information and restores it after imaging • Computers in areas that are not multicast capable are usually brought back and imaged on the bench • 1 – 16 Port USB KVM • 1 – 8 Port KVM • 2 – 24 Port Gigabit switches • 5TB Imaging Server

13. Mac Image Deployment • Macs are imaged using Deploy Studio • Can handle both Mac and PC images • Only have Unicast working, multicast capable • We do not dual boot any Macs

14. Image Maintenance • FaronicsDeepFreeze • Mac and Windows compatible • Computers are reset to the base state after rebooting • Special partition for Antivirus updates to be installed while frozen • Maintenance mode • Allows computers to be thawed to install Windows updates - 2am Saturday mornings • Ability to specify WSUS server to get updates from • Console allows remote management of clients • Thaw/Freeze • Update configurations/maintenance windows

15. Image Maintenance Continued • Active Directory Group Policy • Lock down user actions • Restrict software installation • Restrict changing background images • UltraVNC • Provide User assistance in Technology Classrooms • Log into computers remotely to perform installs from network or internet • Apple Remote Desktop • Remote management and software installs for Mac

16. Print Management • Printing is controlled by Pharos print services • $10 free printing per semester • $.10/page or $.18/double-sided page b&w • Color printing available in Media Development Center • Printing defaults to double-sided • Saves approximately 50,000 sheets of paper per month

17. Auditing • Sassafras K2 • Mac and PC compatible • Client on each computer reports what software is installed and how often it’s run • Tracks user logons • Aid in police investigations • Inform users that have used compromised computers • Allows “keying” of applications to maintain license restrictions • Ability to generate software usage reports • 65% Browser • 26% Commodity software (Office suites)

18. Power Management • FY10 – Set monitors in Library to sleep after 5 minutes • Saved approximately $8,000* in energy costs in a year • No adverse impacts reported *Calculated by Energy Star Savings Calculator – Displays found at http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=bulk_purchasing.bus_purchasing

19. FaronicsPowerSave • Purchasing for FY11 • Allows very granular control of PC power settings • Different power settings based on time and day • Different settings based on what group the computer is in • Integrates with DeepFreeze to wakeup computers for maintenance • Remote wakeup/sleep/shutdown of computers • Managed from a central console

20. Windows 7 • Pros • Increased security with UAC • Stable • Support Life-cycle • Better Power Management • Sidebar Gadgets for information display • Cons • Incompatible with some older programs • UAC causes installation problems • Old “tricks” from XP no longer work

21. Microsoft System Center • Software deployment • Patch management • Hardware and software auditing • Remote support

22. Unsolved Mysteries • Active Desktop Crash • Used to display information • Special notices from Central IT • Library RSS Feed • Trend Micro disconnecting internet access

23. QUESTIONS?