IT Managers on the Rack

The current period is a very exciting and busy time in IT (the euphemism is challenging). For IT managers it can feel like being stretched on rack in many directions at the same time. Here are some of the dimensions on which IT managers are stretched and squashed. Welcome to the IT “Torture” chamber – pain or pleasure?

Stretched on the x axis (width/ Scale)

IT managers are used to increases in scale – year on year increase in the quantity of devices to accommodate. In education almost all staff have their own computer and many have more than one e.g. desktop, laptop and smartphone.   We add extra student computers and IT suites each year and now consider extending the personal computing idea to students – providing students with laptops under various schemes and starting to accommodate their own equipment.

Stretched on the z axis (depth/scope)

We no longer talk about digital convergence – these days almost everything is digital – almost everything is mediated by IT. IT managers have to accommodate an increasing range of hardware and software for all manner of applications – from standard computing to multimedia, video conferencing, web 2 and users own equipment. We also need to accommodate remote access for increasing amounts of distance learning, home working and collaboration – IT access anyplace, anytime 24/7 more, more, more.

Stretched on the y axis (height – past and present)

The dimensional analogy is breaking down here but think of the poor IT manager’s feet anchored to “legacy” systems and arms pulled in the opposite direction by new and developing systems.  As the years pass we have to add more and more systems to our support and operational skillset . We have to maintain these “legacy” systems while changing the infrastructure that supports them (hardware, software and compatibility issues) while remembering how to sort out their problems. For anythijg that is installed we have to deal with constant updates (security and reliability patches/service packs, extensions, additions etc). We also have to deal with the demands for the latest hardware and software – how to install, operate, secure, maintain and integrate them with existing systems.

Compressed on the t axis (Time) – running faster on the wheel

We need to deliver more and deliver it quicker – turnaround times everywhere are getting shorter. There is a kind of positive feedback loop – IT development is getting faster and as society is mediated by IT then timeframes in society get shorter – “faster is the new fast”

While having to do more and do it quicker we have at the same time to ensure the reliability and security of IT systems. Society depends more and more on IT – downtime is less tolerated than it used to be and the consequences of downtime more significant. While society is increasingly mediated by IT so all the issues in society are also mediated by IT – crime, vandalism etc – while we are ever more dependent on IT the security of IT is harder to maintain.

So when accessing data systems while sipping coffee in an Internet cafe please bear a thought for your poor IT manager down in the IT torture chamber – coping with extending access while at the same time securing data and maintaining reliability.

Video confession 8

In this “video confession” you get a short trip around our “Office” , the Hammersmith T technicians workroom and meet some of the IT technician team at Hammersmith

Mike gives us the clap as our guest clapper board operator this week.

I mention a proposal for the college security cameras to run across the IT network – phew yet another responsibility to be absorbed by the IT budget and operation.

I’ve been working on our wireless network upgrade. Our current system is based upon independent Cisco “fat” access points. The new system will be based upon the latest Aruba controllers and “thin” access points. The new system has a great many advantages, for example  we can provide multiple wireless networks from a single access point and we can provide better and more reliable coverage – the central controller continuously monitors the radio environment and adjusts the settings of the “thin” access points to provide optimal cover.

 In the video you get a closer look at the new wireless access points – the large (and hot) 802.11n unit and the tiny 802.11ag (and cool) unit. The 802.11n system has only just become available – there could be some problems and they are more expensive. However, it makes more sense to put the brand new technology in now rather than buy “old” technology and replace it in a year or two. Over the coming months you may see the large 802.11n units around the college.

There has been a request for a large number of wired network points in a small area at Acton – to reduce the number of wired points. I have configured two of the small units to operate at Acton for a trial period. Technically this is interesting as the these units will create a VPN “tunnel” through the network from Acton to the controller at Hammersmith – later in the year Acton will get its own wireless controller.  Incidentally – using wireless can help the environment by reducing the amount of copper required in cabling.

In the Hammersmith IT technicians workroom you see Harry talk about some of the jobs being carried out today (Data Projector repairs and IT classroom software updates).

Darsha is configuring some laptops and setting up a mobile server to take to classrooms to help with software updates. The mobile server is used with the Ghost imaging program to change multiple computers simultaneously – often a whole classroom at a time.

 Raz is helping the other technicians with PC upgrades and the data projector repairs. Raz is a fine table tennis player but hasn’t got any opponents this week.

Ahmed is updating the software on a desktop computer running XP.  

video confession 7

In this “video confession” you get a short trip around our “Office” and meet some members from IT systems, Centime and the design team - apologies for the sound on this one. 

Muctarr gives us the clap as our guest clapper board operator this week.

I have have been looking at the new tablets – the Toshiba M700 is well specified, has a touch sensitive screen and has 802.11n wifi built in. It will be interesting to see what a difference the touch screen might make to tablet operation.

We have installed our first 802.11n wifi access point – this is a really hot product (literally). We have found it to run quite hot and that proper mounting to maintain airflow is important for reliable operation – we have mounted the test unit on the ceiling in our office. The timing is good as we have just got some client machines with 802.11n (the Toshiba M700 tablets)

Richard recently went to see the Cirque du Soleil and is doing several things all at the same time (multi-tasking)  - researching the new short throw data projectors,  processing orders and preparing a master system for a computer maintenance class  mabe next week we can get to see him juggling.

Abdul presents his new “back of an envelope design” and talks about his work in programming for the helpdesk for our Estates team and in trying to make the helpdesk  more flexible by replacing  certain “hard coded” elements with veriable user specified elements.

Muctarr from the Centime team is operating the Centime helpdesk and working on some problems with the Course evaluation review system.

Jonny from the design team talks about his work on a project called “in a nutshell” – using small vieo clips for subjects on the student portal.

Videoblog 6

Jemel and Gerry from Getech explain a facility they are developing for us via www.studentstore.co.uk for students and staff to be able to buy laptops at educational discounts. This ties in nicely with our implementation of wireless guest access to the Internet on our sites. I’ll provide more information about this when I know more.

SOS: Email – kick the habit

SOS – Save Our Systems

Email overload is a problem for our users and our systems.

Save yourselves and your systems – kick the habit – reduce your “email dependency” – there are other ways

- Don’t use college email for personal use

- Don’t use email for files

- Don’t use email for non-urgent matters

- Don’t use email for discussions  

- Use email for private and “confidential” communications

- Use email where urgency is needed

- Use email only to grab attention (one-to-one or one-to-many) 

- Use blogs, discussion groups or social networks where many-to-many interaction is required

- Use file sharing sites like Flickr, Youtube where files can be shared in public

- Use social networking sites to share information with a community of users

Videoblog 5

We have just installed the first wireless access point with guest access – located near the HND base room in Hammersmith LRC.

Luckily a student (CJ) was availableto test it – see the video for user reactions from CJ, Sue, Sue and Jay

Next step is to exetnd to the rest of the LRC – hopefully by the end of the week