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Systems Support Users
Group Minutes |
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Systems Support Users
Group Minutes |
*Systems Support (SS) staff who rotate attending Users Group meetings.
Data Storage
The new hardware has arrived (both Dell’s new 2 terabyte array and the IBM 1.2 terabyte array). All data storage will be on the mainframe with IBM support and will provide nearly five times the storage space we have currently. In addition, pieces of information will be stored on more than one drive so, if one drive fails, the data will exist on another.
Server 14 will be the front-end production storage server, located in Julian Hall, and will be installed for end users during the next couple of months. Server 14 includes 3 storage areas of 420GB, one each for University Advancement, Finance & Planning, and University Marketing & Communications, and a 1GB link through SYSSRV14 to the network and on to individual PCs. SS will be relocating its files off of the Finance & Planning drive and onto a separate drive, thus leaving more room for VPFP areas to grow.
Server 15, located in the John Green Food Service facility, will consist of 4 storage units of 420GB each; three of these units will provide “live mirror” backup for Server 14. Should a catastrophic failiure occur on the primary server, it will be possible to switch all end users from Server 14 to Server 15 in very short order, if needed.
This is the best possible scenario to ensure backup of data and it will be virtually transparent to the end user, i.e., this is about “as good as it gets” (to quote Eric—and maybe even Jack Nicholson!).
Installation of New Equipment
Weekend outages will be required to install each server and installation will probably not be done until after the holidays. SS has a lot of work to do between now and then to prepare for the installation. Towards the end of the project, the Comptroller’s server in Hovey Hall will be decommissioned and the data migrated to the new arrays.
AIS and SS Reorganization
In pursuit of more consistent programming processes and better use of resources, several staff changes have been made. Pam Beach is now heading the development portion of AIS, with Ari Turetzky and Brian Hamrin now a part of that office. Kriss Davis is now working with Bill Cummins, partly on the Social Security Number issue and as a vendor liaison and project manager. Pam Beach will replace Erin Dwyer as a member of the Users Group. Erin Dwyer and Chris Ahillen are both now part of SS and the Redbird Card system is now the responsibility of SS.
The assignments and responsibilities within Systems Support are as follows:
| LAN | User Support | Hardware Support |
| Dudley Roach | Ballard McCleskey | Bart Lytel |
| Erin Dwyer | Tim Szerlong | Chris Ahillen |
| Doug Wood (1/2 time) | Students—110 hrs | Doug Wood (1/2 time) |
| Students—30 hrs |
OUTLOOK Training Sessions Part II
By this time, staff have a good grasp of the basics of OUTLOOK, but many are not yet aware—or not proficient in—the many functions available. SS will be conducting second-level training sessions that will offer a broadened approach to OUTLOOK and present what is available. They may also provide tutorial software and web page instructions if the need is indicated.
Members of the Users Group are to survey their department/division staff members and relay to Eric the questions, requests, concerns, and problems that they would like to have addressed in these new intermediate sessions. This input is critical in structuring the sessions, which will be 1.5 hours each.
1) 1,000 spams per day are now being stopped by SS; CISS is filtering mail through additional measures
2) Last week the SS Help Line had 82 calls, 71% of which were resolved on first contact
3) A conduit is now available for IPACs and SS is doing testing on it. VP Kern will be the first to try it out. SS believes that Pocket PCs, because they have the Windows Operating System on them, work well with our system—better than Palm Pilot.
Meeting brief prepared by
Cheryl Young
10-30-03