North Dakota University System System Information Technology Services Annual Report

Transcription

1 NorthDakotaUniversitySystem SystemInformationTechnologyServices AnnualReport PresentedBy: RandallThursby ChiefInformationOfficer

2 TableofContents EXECUTIVESUMMARY...3 SYSTEMINFORMATIONTECHNOLOGYSERVICES(SITS) ORGANIZATION... 4 Background...4 OfficeoftheCIO...4 Academic,ResearchandLearningTechnology(ARLT)...4 ConnectND...5 SYSTEMINFORMATIONTECHNOLOGYSERVICES STRATEGICARCHITECTURE EVERYTHINGISCONNECTED...5 StrategicArchitecture...5 EverythingIsConnected...7 SYSTEMINFORMATIONTECHNOLOGYSERVICES GOALS...8 Goal1 ImproveNorthDakotaUniversitySysteminformationtechnology enabled businessprocessesandserviceswhileprovidingandmanagingresourcestoalign withstrategicgoals...8 Goal2 SupportNorthDakotaUniversitySysteminfrastructureneeds...8 Goal 3 Improve and enhance North Dakota University System collaborative efforts....8 Goal4 ImproveandenhanceNorthDakotaUniversitySystemstudentlearning...8 Goal5 IncreaseNorthDakotaUniversitySystemcustomerfocus....8 MAJORACCOMPLISHMENTS...9 2

3 EXECUTIVESUMMARY SYSTEM INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES (SITS): The North Dakota University System (NDUS) SITS is comprised of the Office of the CIO; ConnectND related services and systems; Academic,Research,andLearningTechnology(ARLT) relatedservicesandsystems;andthehigher EducationComputingNetwork(HECN)servicesandsupportthatareprovidedthroughServiceLevel Agreements(SLA) between SITS and the HECN host sites located at North Dakota State University (NDSU)andtheUniversityofNorthDakota(UND). The Office of the CIO consists of the NDUS Chief Information Officer (CIO), administrative and supportstaff,ndusitsecurityofficer,itpolicyandproceduresdevelopmentandmanagement,it enterprise architecture, IT planning, enterprise project and portfolio management (EPPM), and projectmanagementoversight. ConnectND consists of the student administration system (also referred to as Campus Solutions), finance administration system, and human resource administration system along with auxiliary/ancillary applications for Parking, Housing, Facilities, Time and Labor, TouchNet credit cardprocessing,andadastraroomschedulingmanagementsystems. ARLTconsistsoftheOnlineDakotaInformationNetwork(ODIN)librarysystem,AdvancedLearning Technologies (ALT) formerly Interactive Video Network (IVN), and support for academic collaborativetechnologies. The HECN South Site at North Dakota State University provides support for a number of activities suchase mail,calendar,andsecurityapplicationsaswellassoftwarelicensing.thehecnnorthsite attheuniversityofnorthdakotaprovidessupportfordatacommunicationsandservesasthehost sitefortheconnectndstudentinformationsystemandseveralancillarysystems. In the budget request, ConnectND stability and upgrades were clearly the most critical technologyrelatedissuefacedbythendus.whilethesystemhasbeensuccessfullyupgraded,over the next biennium it will be prudent to monitor both the intended directions of Oracle and the student information system software direction in general prior to the biennium budget cycle. In the biennium, the most critical technology issue will be the need to provide adequate networkbandwidthforourinstitutionsbothtostagenet(northdakota sbroadbandnetwork)and to the Internet in general. The network is the foundation for providing all other technology based services,administrativeoracademic.rapidexpansionintheuseofvideobothbycontentproviders and our institutions will require a significant increase in funding in the next biennium to accommodatethisgrowth. Also, as we saw through establishing priorities by the use of a baseline survey of services, the availability of having funds available to take advantage of opportunities for collaboration is extremely important. The NDUS and its institutions must continue to seek ways to enhance collaboration and to provide improved services using the most efficient means available whether internallyorexternallythroughoutsideproviders.anexampleofaprojectthatinvolvesallthendus institutionsandwillimproveservicesisthendusintegratedservicesproject.thisprojectincludes several sub projects including implementation of a common directory service; potential implementation of a common e mail and calendar system; and, potential implementation of a commonframeworkforvoice/telephony,videoconferencing,presencedetection,instantmessaging (chat)andothercollaborativesoftware. 3

4 SYSTEM INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES (SITS) ORGANIZATION Background TheSixtiethLegislativeAssembly(2007)passedHB1461thatcreatedandenactedanewsectionto chapter15 10oftheNorthDakotaCenturyCode(NDCC)givingresponsibilityforNDUStomanage technology efforts. Hence, the State Board of Higher Education was given authority to manage and regulateinformationtechnologyplanningandservicesforinstitutionsunderitscontrol. StateBoardofHigherEducationPolicySection1901.3states: Consistent with North Dakota Century Code section , the state board of higher education shallmanageandregulatetechnologyplanningandservicesforinstitutionsunderitscontrol. The Chancellor is delegated authority and directed to develop information technology planning, policies, standards and guidelines, and project management oversight and reporting in conjunction withthestateinformationtechnologydepartment.ndusinformationtechnology(it)projectsshall complywithestablishedstandards,guidelines,proceduresandprocesses. Not more frequently than every two years, a comprehensive information technology plan shall be submitted to the Board for its review and approval. In addition periodic progress reports on goal progressshallbesubmittedtotheboard. The NDUS definition of Information Technology (IT) includes, but is not limited to, hardware, software, services, and supporting infrastructure to manage and deliver information using voice, data,andvideo. The North Dakota University System, System Information Technology Services (SITS) has been delegated these responsibilities by the Chancellor and SITS is comprised of the following departments: OfficeoftheCIO TheOfficeoftheCIOincludestheChiefInformationOfficerfortheNorthDakotaUniversitySystem along with administrative and support staff. Additionally, included in this area are the following: EnterpriseProjectandPortfolioManagementthathasresponsibilityforprojectmanagement,project management mentoring, project management training, and monitoring of IT projects within the portfolio; project management oversight that has the responsibility to oversee IT projects that are primarilythoseconsideredalargeitproject(onewithacostof$250,000ormoreinonebiennium or has a total cost of $500,000 or more) and are required by North Dakota Century Code to be reported to the Legislative IT Committee; IT Planning that includes both that which is part of the StatewideITPlanandthatoftheNDUS(includingensuringITprojectsundertakenfitwiththeintent of the North Dakota University System Strategic Plan); IT enterprise architecture which is the foundationashowsystemsneedtofunctionsotheyworktogether;andenterprisesecuritythathas responsibilityforapplicationsecurityofsitsprovidedservices. Academic,ResearchandLearningTechnology(ARLT) Academic, Research and Learning Technology is comprised of the Online Dakota Information Network(ODIN),AdvancedLearningTechnologies(ALT),andenterprisesecuritythatreportstothe ExecutiveDirector,ARLT. ODIN provides library services to North Dakota academic, public, state agency, school, and special libraries,whichtogetherownover5millionitems. 4

5 ALT formerly known as IVN provides video and audio/telephone conferencing services; streaming video services; web collaboration technologies; and an online, learning management system.thelearningmanagementsystemiscalledmoodle,anopen sourcesoftware,thatishosted by Moodlerooms. The web collaboration technologies are provided by the WIMBA Collaboration Suite. This suite of applications include Wimba Classroom an interactive web conferencing platform; Wimba Voice a package of web based voice tools that facilitate and promote vocal instruction,coaching,andassessment;wimbapronto aninstantmessagingpackagethatincludes audio, video, and collaboration technologies; and Wimba Create a tool that converts Microsoft Worddocumentsintocontentforonlinecourses. System wide IT security services (led by the NDUS IT security officer) provided centrally include: Administrationofinformationsystemsecuritypolicy;applicationsecurityofSITSprovidedservices; coordinationofincidentresponsewithinstitutions;registeredagentfordcma(copyright)violation complaints;and,coordinationofcampussecurityassessmentsandplanning. ConnectND ConnectND is comprised of the human resource management, financial management, and student informationmanagementsystemsforthenorthdakotauniversitysystem.connectndalsoincludes severalthird partysystemssuchas:kronos timereporting;adastra roomscheduling;famis facility management; Adirondack housing management; T2 Systems parking management; and TouchNet onlinecreditcardtransactionpaymenttonameafew. TheConnectNDhumanresourceandthefinancialmanagementsystemsaresharedsystemsonone databasewithstategovernment;hostedbythestate sinformationservicesdivision. The Higher Education Computer Network (HECN North) data center located at the University of North Dakota hosts the ConnectND student information system and many of the associated auxiliary/ancillary systems. These services are administered through a Service Level Agreement (SLA)withthedatacenter. Additional services for SITS, middleware and supporting applications such as e mail, calendar, and securityapplicationsaswellassoftwarelicensingareprovidedthroughaservicelevelagreement withthehecn SouthdatacenterlocatedatNorthDakotaStateUniversity. SYSTEM INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES STRATEGIC ARCHITECTURE EVERYTHINGISCONNECTED StrategicArchitecture TheSystemInformationTechnologyServicestrategicarchitectureisbestdescribedasavisual, layeredpyramiddepictedonthefollowingpage. 5

6 Startingonthelowestlayer,the foundation thatallelseisbuilton,isthecommoncommunication SystemanditisbasedontheState sstagenetnetwork. ThesecondlayerfromthebottomistheCommonOperatingSystemssuchasWindowsServer,Linux, and similar systems. Operating systems are the brains of a computer and its the software that instructsthecomputerhowtoperformbasictaskssuchasinputfromthekeyboard,sendingoutput information to the display screen, keeping track of files and directories on disks, and controlling peripheraldevicessuchasdiskdrivesandprinters.operatingsystemsprovideasoftwareplatform on top of which other programs/applications can run. It is the traffic director that makes sure differentprogramsandusersrunningatthesametimedonotinterferewitheachotherandisalso responsibleforsecuritytomakesurethatunauthorizedusersdonotaccessthesystem. Onthethirdlayer,SITShasstandardizedontheOracledatabaseastheCommonDataBaseSystem. At the fourth layer, Middleware/Supporting Applications exist. Middleware includes such things as securitysoftware,directoryservices,andapplicationsthatassistincontrollingotherapplications.it may include software that allows for applications to exchange data even when operating on two differentoperatingsystems.middlewaresitsbetweenanoperatingsystemandapplications. The fifth layer portrays where NDUS integration services take place between the middleware/supporting applications and the applications the user community interacts with. The NDUSIntegratedServicesproject(mentionedinthelastparagraphoftheExecutiveSummary)isan exampleofasystemthatfitsinboththefourthandthisfifthlayerofthestrategicarchitecture. Layer six is the layer where all the applications users are familiar with and use are depicted. Applications include; ConnectND, the third party systems, ALT services, Learning Management 6

7 Systems (LMS), ODIN services, e mail systems, calendaring systems, and the NDUS Help Desk to nameafew. The Web Portal is portrayed at the seventh layer. The portal is the window that is used to access applications. EverythingIsConnected Manyoftheapplicationsprovidedthrough/bySITSareinterwoven.Todepictthisrelationship,the followingisprovidedasavisual. Today ssystemsarecomplexandtightlyintegrated.itisdifficulttothinkofonesystemwithoutalso takingintoconsiderationhowsomethingdoneinitwillimpactothers.anupgradeorenhancement in one system may require an upgrade or changes to another before it will function properly. This tight integration of systems requires a great deal more planning before any action/change can be taken,andrequiresmoreeffortinongoingsupportand/ormaintenanceofthesesystems. 7

8 SYSTEMINFORMATIONTECHNOLOGYSERVICES GOALS TheSystemInformationTechnologyServices(SITS)haveestablishedfivegoalsasguidingprinciples forinformationtechnologyplanningandsystemimplementations.thesegoalsaresufficientlybroad toallowinformationtechnologygoalsatthendus eleveninstitutionstorollintothatofsitsandin turn,rollintothestrategicplanofthestateboardofhighereducation.thefivegoalsare: Goal 1 Improve North Dakota University System information technology enabled business processesandserviceswhileprovidingandmanagingresourcestoalignwithstrategicgoals. Inorderforcampusestoremaincompetitiveandofferinformationtechnologysupportforstudents, facultyandstaff,includingresearchandpublicservice,nduswillprovideandmanageinformation technologyresourcessothattheyalignwithndus strategicgoals.ultimately,nduswillstriveto deliverthemosteffectivetechnologywithinavailableresources. Goal2 SupportNorthDakotaUniversitySysteminfrastructureneeds. Infrastructureholdsinformationtechnologysystemstogetherandallowssystemstocommunicate with each other over a network. It includes such things as security and access control for which guidelinesmustbedevelopedandupdatedasneeded.enterprisearchitectureprovidesablueprint forestablishinginformationtechnologypolicies,procedures,andguidelinestopromoteeffectiveuse ofinformationtechnology. Goal3 ImproveandenhanceNorthDakotaUniversitySystemcollaborativeefforts. WorkingtogetherwiththeState,K 12,andotherconstituentsweareabletobringandsupportnew and existing technologies in North Dakota. Communicating with stakeholders is an important factor and we must work together in making necessary information available to every administrator,faculty,staff,andstudentacrossthenorthdakotauniversitysystemcampuses. Goal4 ImproveandenhanceNorthDakotaUniversitySystemstudentlearning. Wewanttoempowerstudentlearninganddevelopmentthroughtheuseoftechnologybyproviding a near seamless environment for learning through boundless access to information, educational, and research resources both inside and outside the classroom for all types of students from undergraduatestothelife longlearners. Goal5 IncreaseNorthDakotaUniversitySystemcustomerfocus. TheNDUS SITSencouragesandsupportsanoperationalenvironmentinwhichcharacteristicsofits customers student,faculty,staff,northdakotaresidents,andaffiliatesworldwide areidentified, their needs are understood, relationships and expectations are effectively managed, and quality assuranceisfosteredforhigh qualityservicesandsupport. 8

9 MAJORACCOMPLISHMENTS ThelegislaturemadesignificantinvestmentsinSITSandtheNorthernTierNetworkforthecurrent bienniumaswellaspassinghb1461thatprovidedauthoritytothendustomanageitstechnology efforts. There have been major accomplishments as a result of this support. Items listed below include some accomplishments from , as it is important to recognize how they contributedandlaidthefoundationforothersuccesses.amongmajoraccomplishments: TheStateBoardofHigherEducationpassedPolicyRevision1901.3thatdelegatedtothe Chancellor the necessary authority to develop the required procedures, standards and guidelinestoimplementtherequirementsunderhb1461( ); Information Technology was defined, an IT planning process was established, an IT reviewprocesswasdefined,andtheitstrategicplanhasbeendeveloped( ); New staff were hired in the areas of development, business systems analysis, system operations,anddatabaseadministration( / ); HardwareandsoftwareatthedatacenterinGrandForks(HECNNorth)wasupdatedto improvesystemresponseandreliability( ); A consistent data toolset was acquired and implemented for improved manageability of thestudent(campussolutions)informationsystem( ); The Financial System was successfully upgraded from version 8.4 to version 9.0 in conjunctionwiththestateitdandofficeofmanagementandbudget( ); TheStudent(CampusSolutions)InformationSystemwassuccessfullyupgradedfrom version8.0toversion9.0on timeandwithinbudget( ); The User Productivity Kit (UPK) has been implemented for the Finance and Student Informationsystemstoaidintrainingandusersupport( ); TouchNetwasimplementedforhandlingcreditcardprocessingfortheunitsoftheNDUS eliminating the need for the institutions to store credit card information, and in the initial semesterofusewesaw40percentofalltuitiontransactionshandledbytouchnetoutside normal operating hours demonstrating not only a more secure way of handling the transactionsbutoneclearlymoreconvenientforthestudentsand/ortheirparents( andexpandedfunctionality ); TheParkingsystemwasupgraded( ); AwebinterfacefortheHousingsystemwasimplemented( ); The time and attendance system (Kronos) was not only upgraded but instead of upgradingthehardwareandsoftwareinternallywedetermineditwasmorecost effectiveto outsourcethehostingtoitdwhowasalreadyrunningthesystemforstateagencies( ); Disaster Recovery planning has begun for the student (Campus Solutions) information system( ); An RFP was developed, responses evaluated and a vendor selected for a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system for the institutions admissions offices ( ); The Facilities system will be upgraded by the end of the biennium. ( with completion( ); The Human Resources Management software will be enhanced in the areas of recruitmentandelectronicaccesstoinformation(e apps)( ); ConductedthefirstbaselinesurveyofHECNserviceswiththeinstitutionsthatidentified some low priority services that will be phased out to help support improving or providing newservicesofhighpriority( planningandcompletionofsurvey ); Upgraded the Help Desk software used at HECN North and South for support of all systems( planningandupgradecompleted ); WorkedwithITDtotransitionvideosupportforK 12andstateagenciestoITD( ); 9

10 10 Piloted and gained endorsement from the institutions for licensing Wimba collaborationsoftwareforusebytheinstitutionsprimarilyintheacademicarea( planningwithcompletion ); Established an open source learning management system server and pilot implementationusingthemoodlesoftware( ); Executed RFP for learning management system and entered into contractual arrangementswithmoodlerooms,inc.forthehostingofmoodleandpresidiumlearningfor tierihelpdesksupport(2008); HirednewstafftosupportMoodleoperations( ); Conductedhighdefinitionvideopilotprojectwithfourcampuses LRSC,MiSU,DCB,and NDSU(2008); SuccessfullymigratedWSC,DCB,andMaSUtoMoodle.DSUisinthemidstofmigratingto Moodle( ); DevelopedanddeliveredMoodleandWimbatrainingsessionsacrosstheNDUS( ); DesignedandlaunchednewALTlogoandwebsite(2009); DevelopedaportableMoodlesolutionforBSCandDCB.Thissolutionallowscampusesto deliver degree programs or courses to students who are unable to access the Internet (2009); Expanded audio/telephone conferencing capabilities and updated technologies so that audio/telephone connections can seamlessly connect with videoconferencing locations (2008); Institutedadhocvideoconferencingservices.CalledMeetMevideo,userscanconnectto virtualconferenceroomswithouttheneedtoscheduletheresourcesaheadoftime(2008); Established video technologies at the Chancellor s office and the Horizon Building at BSC. Provided Chancellor s office with MeetMe video and audio conferencing technologies (2009); Researched various desktop video technologies in order to develop a desktop video solutionthatisscalableacrossthendus( ); The ODIN Library System was upgraded from version 16 to version 18 for not just the University System but also the State Library, K 12 and public libraries ( / ); GaleCengageLearninggaveODINanupgradetothecurrentsuiteofK 12databasesfor thelasthalfoffy09,addingsignificantnumbersofresourcesatnoadditionalcharge( ); AnODINstaffmemberwasoneoftwoparticipantsfromNorthAmerica(aspartofa worldwidetestinggroup)whocoordinatedthev.20alephqualityassurancetestingwith ExLibrisUsersofAmerica(ELUNA)andExLibris(librarysystemvendor).Testingwasdone in Jerusalem, January 11 15, 2009, working with the ExLibris development team ( ); ThestoragediskusedbytheAlephlibrarysystemsinceimplementationwasreplacedin the fall of The move of all data was done without interruption of library business (2009); ODINfilledanewWebProgrammerposition(2009); ODIN installed a test instance of a new and innovative open source library discovery toolinterfacetotheodinlibrarysystem(2009); Afulllibrarysystemre indexingwascompletedinthespringof2008(2008); Completed a major overhaul of the licensed database authentication system, Authgate. Thiswasamajorefforttomaketheauthenticationsystemdatabasedrivenand positionittomakethenewodinwebserver,beingdesignedsimultaneously,awareofthe users libraryaffiliation(2009); ODIN implemented access to the new statewide database resources that began July 1, ODIN previously had seventeen database titles. These were renewed and thirty two newresourceswereadded(2009);

11 Completed preparations for the upgrade of ODIN s Aleph library system from version 18toversion19bytheendofJune2009(2009).Note:thiswascompletedsuccessfullyJuly 2009; Expanded the desktop virus protection contract to add spyware and server licensing ( ); ConductingabaselevelITsecurityreviewateachinstitution( and completion); Licensed endpoint encryption for all institutions and NDUS. Implemented encryption for NDUSandthreecampuses( ); CompletedencryptionoflaptopsforNDUSSITSandtheSystemOffice( ); EstablishedRuckusMusicServiceforNDUStoreduceincidentsofstudentsusingpeer topeerservicesforillegalmusicdownloadsatnocosttothendus( ).NOTE:Since thiswasoriginallyinstalled,thecompanyhadgoneoutofbusinessandothersolutionsare beinginvestigated; The NDUS entered into the Microsoft Campus Agreement for the NDUS (10 of 11 institutions) to reduce both the overall cost of acquiring Microsoft products and also to reduce the overhead associated with maintaining license compliance and providing flexibilityinlicenseuse( ).NOTE:Sincethen,alleleveninstitutionsareincluded; Fall2008,MiSU,LRSC,andDCBmovedtoanoutsourcedstudente mailusingmicrosoft Live@EDUprovidingimprovedservicestostudentsandreducedmaintenanceforcampuses ( ); Accommodated increased needs for Internet1 and campus connections to STAGEnet usingprimarilytheone timefundsforthebiennium( );Note:Fundingprovided bythe bienniumwillhelpsustaintheseconnections. Service level agreements with NDSU and UND were completed for hosting IT systems, servicesandsupportforsits( ); Through the leadership of NDSU and UND, and in conjunction with funding from the DepartmentofDefense,theNorthernTierNetworkinitiativeisproceedingwithaplanned operationaldatein2009( / ); EstablishedanofficeofEnterpriseProjectandPortfolioManagement(EPPM)totrackall thesitsprojectswherethedurationisgreaterthanonemonth,theeffortismorethan160 hours, or the cost of resources is more than $10,000. The purpose is to promote project managementbestpracticesandsupportprojectportfoliomanagementforthendus.eppm ispartofthepolicy,planning,andprojectservicesofsits( );and CompletionoftheActiveDirectoryFeasibilityandRequirementsanalysis( ). 11