Accomplishments this month:
- The top priority at the Computer Help Desk right now is the service expansion project. All staff are engaged in providing training; working on updates to documentation, tools, or processes; learning about new areas in our unit and in University Systems as a whole; and living the value of teamwork as we build and evolve our new team. The present focus of our activities is on training for all staff which has resulted in a number of accomplishments and next steps during February!
- At the beginning of February, Desktop Support Services hired a new team member, Kenny Liau, to provide support to our clients in the UVic Student Society, the Graduate Student Society, Campus Security Services, the department of Chemistry and CFUV – the campus radio station. Welcome to UVic, and to UVic Systems, Kenny! Matthew Bacon has spent much of the last four weeks training Kenny, and Kenny has been shadowing Matthew on calls. Although his official training is finished, Matthew and the rest of the Desktop Support Services team will continue to work with Kenny until he is comfortable in his position.
- The wireless optimization and expansion project, which is evaluating whether expansion of wireless is required in buildings across campus, has completed all building surveys. Further completed expansions are in the following buildings: SCI, COR, CUN, ELW, and EOW. Next up are MAC, FPH and FRA.
- Chandra Beaveridge was the successful candidate for the Systems Project Management Process Manager position and will begin her new role on March 17, 2014.
- We are implementing a project to leverage Microsoft System Center Configuration Management (SCCM) in order to provide better, more transparent proactive support to workstations across campus. Phase 1 deploys SCCM in a test environment, Phase 2 in our student computing labs and some workstations within Systems, and Phase 3 enables deployment in campus units.
- We have completed equipment upgrades in our Video Conference facilities located in the David Turpin Building (DTB). These upgrades include high-definition connectivity, larger screens, and an additional room.
- Telepresence is an extension of video conferencing that enables an individual to participate in a physical meeting virtually. We have tested a prototype using an iPad that can be easily set up in a classroom and enable a student to remotely participate in the class. This can help support a situation where, for example, a medical accommodation prevents a student from physically attending class.
- Kimberley Dray, our new Senior Technical Analyst – Information Security, joined University Systems!
- We offered open houses for Better Voicemail on February 11 and 12. Over 2,200 users have been migrated out of a total of 3,500.
- A series of Windows 8.1 training videos has been obtained and posted to the University Systems website. These videos are available to all students, faculty, and staff at UVic and help to explain and demonstrate how to navigate and use the latest Microsoft operating system.
- We released an upgrade to CourseSpaces that included bug fixes for adding users and importing certain assignment types.
- The Law Centre downtown, which recently moved to the courthouse, was using a limited bandwidth Shaw connection for network connectivity. A larger capacity connection from BCNET has now been put into production and the Law centre is running as a complete UVic remote site (including access to the UVic wireless network).
- On February 14, we improved the redundancy of the network connectivity to our Enterprise Data Centre by providing redundant network uplinks for critical equipment.
Projects Snapshot:
- PC0393 – The Centre on Aging (COAG) Ladner office has obtained the lease for the first floor of the Chisholm Street location in Ladner, BC. They will be moving their staff from the two Delta Street offices into this new space and then subletting the Delta Street spaces. This is an opportunity to consolidate and upgrade their network, server and desktop computer environment. A project charter has been created and approved by the Project Review Committee (PRC). Renovations are scheduled to begin in March, and as part of the renovations, a high speed link to UVic (BCNET) will be installed. Once renovations are completed, Systems will refresh the network and desktop environment.
- PC0359, the Counselling Services Titanium Schedule Project, made some significant progress. We collaborated with Counselling Services to create a kiosk computer that allow clients to securely enter information into the Titanium Electronic Medical Record system. The kiosk provides Internet Explorer for clients to use and is locked down so no other applications are available. The laptops are configured so that they can wirelessly access only the form on the Titanium server.
- PC0367, the READ Secondary to Primary NetLink migration project is nearing completion. All needed back end changes have been completed, and about half of the staff have been converted to using their primary NetLink IDs. We estimate that the work part of the project will be completed mid-March, with the close out report completed and submitted by end of March.
- PC0377, Wireless Optimization and Enhancement project: a number of buildings are now complete. We have worked with various client areas regarding unauthorized access points that are interfering with service quality.
- PC0228, Realignment of UVIC Network Distribution: This is near completion. We are finishing the out of band management network. Redundant uplinks are complete for FIA and VIA.
- PC0391 and PC0392, the SharePoint 2013 Technical and Governance Implementation, were granted approval to execute. The primary objective of the Governance Implementation project is to support the implementation of SharePoint 2013, by developing the required governance and training policies and resources to ensure an excellent and secure user experience. The purpose of the Technical Implementation is to plan and implement a SharePoint 2013 technical implementation for UVic faculty and staff. We will build a Development, Pre-Production and Production SharePoint environments, refining our implementation at each phase, and will carry out the content transfer of one existing SharePoint site as a proof of concept.
- PC0258, Provisioning of Network Services in the CARSA Complex, was granted approval to execute. The purpose of this project is to manage the contribution that UVic Systems Network Services will make to the new Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities (CARSA) major capital project being managed by Facilities Management.
- PC0396, CLE C030 Technology Enhancement, was granted approval to execute. This project intends to upgrade the presentation technology in University Systems’ meeting room Clearihue C030 using high definition digital hardware, and to add video conferencing capabilities that will be remotely supportable by Client Technologies.
- PC0395, Off Campus Housing Suite of Software, was granted approval to execute. This project aims to upgrade the existing off-campus housing software (GeoCore provided by Geodesic Solutions) to the most recent version in order to maintain technical currency and improve the UI on some pages to enhance user experience.
- PC0394, General Oracle WebLogic Stack, was granted approval to execute. This project seeks approval to execute the build of a general Oracle WebLogic stack to host small Java and Groovy applications. The stack will consist of a development server, two preproduction servers, and two production servers.
- A number of projects where the work had been completed had closeout reports completed as well, allowing us to formally close the project and mark it as complete.