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Juggling 10,000 Pounds:

Juggling 10,000 Pounds:. Managing Computer Labs and Classrooms at Brandeis University. Anne Livermore Computer Classroom Facilities Manager anne@brandeis.edu 781-736-2080 http://www.brandeis.edu/~anne/nercomp. Talk Overview. Quick Tour of the Labs and Classrooms

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Juggling 10,000 Pounds:

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  1. Juggling 10,000 Pounds: Managing Computer Labs and Classrooms at Brandeis University Anne Livermore Computer Classroom Facilities Manager anne@brandeis.edu 781-736-2080 http://www.brandeis.edu/~anne/nercomp Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  2. Talk Overview • Quick Tour of the Labs and Classrooms • Four Phases of the Upgrade Project 1) Discovering the Problems 2) Building Infrastructure 3) Consequences of Rapid Change 4) Reaping the Benefits • New Policies, Better Practices • Principles, Mistakes, and Lessons • The Powers of Fours Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  3. Classrooms Tour Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  4. What do I do? • Computer Classroom Facilities Manager • Work for Information Technology Services • Part of the Academic Technology group • Duties: • Manage the computer labs and classrooms • Help faculty implement courseware in the classrooms and on the academic file servers • Weekly seven hour shift in CIMTech Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  5. Vital Statistics • ITS maintains 4 labs, 4 classrooms • 140 computers, 8 spaces, 5 buildings • 4 staffed, 4 unattended • Hours: 9 a.m. to 12 midnight, longer during finals and shorter during breaks • One FTE • Two student staff Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  6. Classrooms and Labs Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  7. Classrooms and Labs Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  8. PC’s versus Macs Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  9. Feldberg 123 Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  10. Goldfarb Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  11. Hughes Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  12. Farber Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  13. Feldberg Main Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  14. GSIEF Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  15. Language Media Center (LMC) Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  16. CIMTech Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  17. Classroom Usage S2001 Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  18. Four Phases of the Upgrade Project Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  19. Phase One: Discovering the Problems Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  20. Five Big Problems 1) Institutional problems 2) PC problems 3) Windows network problems 4) Macintosh problems 5) Print system problems Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  21. Institutional Problems • Classrooms not a high priority • No overall policy • Sketchy paper trail • Initially, no money set aside for upgrades Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  22. PC Problems • Aging, mismatched PC’s • Restrictive permissions • Slow imaging software • Infrequent maintenance • No central storage for PC Ghost images Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  23. Windows Network Problems • Feldberg domain • Woodstock the Old (Feldberg PDC and Courseware file server) Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  24. Macintosh Problems • Aging Macs • Old Macintosh Fileserver Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  25. Print System Problems • Vended printing • Different cards from campus photocopiers and library printers • Card reader connected directly to printer Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  26. On My Side • Great team • Supportive supervisor • Strong advocate in the CIO • Good departmental communication Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  27. First steps toward a solution Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  28. Philosophy “Clusters” Are these rooms classrooms or labs? Why does it matter? Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  29. Phase One Timeline Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  30. Phase One Results • Clearer domain structure • New computers, single image in Feldberg 123 • Storage space for PC Ghost images • Improved printing system Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  31. Phase Two: Building Infrastructure Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  32. Renovations! Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  33. Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  34. Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  35. Phase Two Timeline Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  36. Money Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  37. Phase Two Results • New computers, new image in Farber • New computers, single image in Goldfarb • Newer computers, new image, platform switch in Hughes • Newer PC’s in Feldberg Main • Current, faster version of Ghost (6.0) Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  38. Phase Three: Consequences of Rapid Change Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  39. Phase Three Timeline Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  40. Phase Three Results • New Mac fileserver resolves most Mac classroom issues • New Windows academic fileserver relieves space crunch • Inherited CIMTech and GSIEF • Migrated to Ghost 6.5 Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  41. Phase Four: Reaping the Benefits Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  42. Phase Four Timeline Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  43. Where we are now • Consistently meeting basic requirements • Fulfilling faculty requests in a timely way • Classroom computers are all working and regularly maintained • Robust servers and network • Spending more time on academic technology Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  44. New Policies, Better Practices Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  45. Hardware • Standardize computer hardware within classrooms • Buy swappers • Replace hardware every three years Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  46. Routine Maintenance • Post weekly room schedules • Ghost the PC’s weekly • Assimilate the Macs daily • Reboot computers twice weekly • Daily walk-throughs • Maintain current hard drive images • Avoid individual troubleshooting Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  47. Documentation • Archive old images • Tasking and documentation in one step • Write mini-docs as needed • Put it on the Web http//www.brandeis.edu/its/resources/facilities/classrooms.html • Be organized; put things away Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  48. Security Policy • Did away with local security • Installed lockdown kits • For Windows 2000, cluster guest login is local admin. Risky? Not really. • Local admin only, can’t administer domain • Clusters is untrusted domain • Switched network • Servers require SSL connections • Frequent and unadvertised refreshes Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  49. Security Problems • Disable Assimilator • The Porn Fiend • Exploit hidden C$ share in Windows 2000 • Relatively little theft Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

  50. Principles, Mistakes, and Lessons Anne Livermore - NERCOMP 2001

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