FACILIITIES – Network Services 11/04/2011 3:00PM
College of the Desert
College Planning Council
THINK TANK REPORTING FORM
This form may be modified by the Think Tank to meet the specific
needs of the area being studied for recommendation
1. Think Tank Membership
Carl Phillips, co-chair; Jeff Place, co-chair; Kevin Snyder, co-chair; Becky Broughton, Catherine Levitt, Doug Kroll, Jackie Matthews, Juan Lujan, Kevin Snyder, Mark Rizzo, Michael Harlow, Sally Kalpakoff, Terri Fleck, Zerryl Becker
2. Brief description of current program structure/activity/service studied
Providing networked services and server maintenance (Cloud services, other outsourcing, mproved virtualization, etc.)
3. Type of Program
CommentsX Legal Requirement / Network services are the platform for all mandated reporting requirements - MIS; IPEDS, ARCC, etc.; 911 (VoIP); Student data retention /
X Necessary for Operations / Network infrastructure and servers are necessary for all essential operations and services /
Optional / (provide explanation) /
4. Stakeholders Input (Qualitative Data)
· Cloud computing
o Pros:
§ On demand delivery of shared resources at the right time
§ Efficient and economical
§ Drives innovation (latest software and hardware)
o Cons:
§ There are no global industry standards yet (still being perfected); servers are all across the world in a cloud environment
§ Cyber threats and security issues
§ Loss of direct control
§ Cloud will not replace all technology services
§ Responsibility is with the customer and the provider
§ Right people should have the right access at the right time
§ Should be encrypted and issues with decryption
§ Issues with using cloud over the public network (not highly secure) – Denial of service attacks
§ Public cloud may use vendors outside federal cyber initiatives
§ SLAs should indicate where the data resides in the systems
§ Migration path should be defined – contingency planning – if there is a fail over or the vendor dissolves, what is the cost and service to get data back to another cloud
§ Internet is changing and the challenge is to build a cloud on an changing environment
§ Concerns with external cloud with 3rd party vendors are: Security, Speed, Accessibility, Maturity and Stability – incidents (Denial of service attacks) with Google, Microsoft 360 and Amazon are good examples of how Cloud computing is not mature yet.
o What should the customers do:
§ Need to align risks with benefits
§ Need to verify the claims of the service provider
§ Need to have the trust, transparency and should be audited
§ Need to have contingency plans
§ Issues are substantial but not insurmountable
§ Private cloud
o Possible Current Solutions:
§ With the Bond projects, we are looking at the possibility of internal cloud computing also using a SAN (Storage Area Network) with a good backup solution, locally and at an off-site location
§ Storage Area Network:
It is vital to have a large storage to accommodate the current needs as well as the new Bond projects. The goal is to have a SAN with high performing disk arrays (virtual) that will optimize and simplify our resources and have the capacity to grow to incorporate data from other repositories/projects such as Imaging, the new ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system, Video streams from the Blue Phone project, Email archiving with DE Duplication capabilities, data from universal Card, etc. The data from the SAN should be backed up at an off campus center. Ultimately the goal is to have an internal cloud that would host 2 identical SANs at two locations for redundancy and replication and for value added services with security features (e.g. RSH security) and centralized management tools (Single Pane of Glass).
· Virtualization
o Currently we have six physical servers with approximately 25 - 30 virtual machines (5 * 6); As part of the NOC (Network Operations Center with the Classroom building) project, plans are underway to incorporate this in the SAN (Storage Area Network) and virtualize more servers methodically and gradually to promote green technology and reduce carbonprint.
5. Think Tank Data/Information (Quantitative Data)
We have a total of 72 physical servers of which 25 – 30 are virtualized. Plans are to virtualize more as servers reach end of life.
· VoIP: We currently have app. 650 phones, 600 DiDs (Dial in Direct), 1300 voice mail boxes, etc.
· Wireless: Wireless was implemented a few years back and at that time we were one of the few California Community Colleges where the total main campus was wireless. Now we have wireless at our other campuses also – EVC and Mecca Thermal campus. Wireless has become a standard for all new buildings and sites. Currently we have over 6,000 users with app. 600 users at any one time. We have over 106 Access Points (APs) on two controllers.
6. Recommendation to President Patton
O Continue / XContinue /w
Qualifications / O Discontinue / O
No Recommendation
Must provide rationale as to
why the Think Tank could not
provide a recommendation / O
Recommend New/Innovative Program/Service
Must be within the scope of the College meeting its fiscal target
7. Rationale for recommendation and qualifications
· Virtualization: To reduce carbon foot print, electricity, maintenance and replacement costs.
· Cloud Computing: Continue with the existing cloud computing (Student Email, Blackboard or another LMS, EduStream, etc.) Continue to research the viability of additional cloud computing (e.g. Disaster recovery – hosting it in a faraway place) and slowly implement as needed.
· Disaster Recovery: Retention of Student Data is mandatory
*JUSTIFICATIONS:
MIS REPORTING
COMIS: As a condition of receiving the grant funds, districts certified that they would fully implement the collection and reporting requirements of COMIS, pursuant to the standards adopted by the Chancellor’s Office as specified in the MIS Data Element Dictionary. Participation is required of all 72 districts (108 colleges).
IPEDS
Mandatory Reporting for Institutions with Program Participation Agreements
Compliance Notice: Mandatory Reporting Requirements for Institutions with Program Participation Agreements.
Section 490 of the Higher Education Amendments of 1992 (P.L. 102-325) requires that “institutions will complete surveys conducted as part of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)…in a timely manner and to the satisfaction of the Secretary”. Thus, reporting to IPEDS is mandatory for institutions that participate in or are applicants for participation in any federal financial assistance program authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as mandated by 20 USC 1094(a)(17). Each year, the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) issues fine notices to institutions for not completing their IPEDS surveys. According to FSA, an institution’s failure to complete and submit all surveys is a serious violation of its obligations under the HEA, and appropriate action will be taken.
BACKUP/ARCHIVING
FACULTY CONTRACT
ARTICLE XIX: EVALUATION OF TENURED FACULTY MEMBERS
Section 3. Components of the Program of Evaluation. An evaluation of the faculty members’ performance by the Division Dean, which shall include a classroom or workplace observation and assessment by the Division Dean of those activities which constitute the faculty members primary contractual duties and the following: An assessment of the faculty member’s performance by a Peer Evaluator; Student Evaluations; and Self-Evaluation Packet.
Section 6.2 Student Evaluation Forms will be distributed to the identified classes by the Division Dean or designee between the sixth (6th) and tenth (10th) week of the semester. The faculty member shall leave the classroom prior to the administration of the forms. Upon completion of the student evaluation, all forms and responses will be placed in a secure envelope and returned to the Division Office for tabulation by the Division Dean or designee.
See Page 60 Faculty Association Collective Bargaining Agreement
DESERT COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT C-5
Student Evaluation Form of Teaching Effectiveness
Please rate on the Scantron Sheet how well your instructor meets the following:
Mark A for Excellent, B for Good, C for Satisfactory, D for Needs Improvement
ACCJC (Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges)
Standard III: Resources: C. Technology Resources
Technology resources are used to support student learning programs and services and to improve institutional effectiveness. Technology planning is integrated with institutional planning.
1. The institution assures that any technology support it provides is designed to meet the needs of learning, teaching, college-wide communications, research, and operational systems.
a) Technology services, professional support, facilities, hardware, and software are designed to enhance the operation and effectiveness of the institution.
b) The institution provides quality training in the effective application of its information technology to students and personnel.
c) The institution systematically plans, acquires, maintains, and upgrades or replaces technology infrastructure and equipment to meet institutional needs.
d) The distribution and utilization of technology resources support the development, maintenance, and enhancement of its programs and services.
2. Technology planning is integrated with institutional planning. The institution systematically assesses the effective use of technology resources and uses the results of evaluation as the basis for improvement.
CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS
- Credit card payments are used to collect student fees, to be PCI compliant, “security tools” are mandatory.
SAFETY & SECURITY
- As access to “911” is mandatory for our safety & security, it is vital to have the network up 24 X 7. The Core Routers on each campus and only one Switch for each model are on maintenance.
AB743
- Common Assessment tools and e-transcripts are required by this bill.
8. Provide an evidence based rationale for how the following may be impacted by
recommendation:
Students: Ease in the entire student services process (application to graduation); preservation of vital data; ability to use all the resources on the network as needed 24 * 7, seven days a week.
Community: Communicate to community via web, email, newsletters, etc.
Budget: Maintenance cost for servers and licenses and support staff’s time
Academic Programs: Support all instructional programs via labs, instructional materials on the servers, connection to the Learning Management system (Blackboard currently), etc.
Personnel: Network Services Director and Computer Support Specialists supporting the servers in the labs
Service: Support the entire College community
Other:
Some categories above may not be applicable to your area of study. Responses can be in bullet form.
9. Additional Information (if applicable)
Revised 8/9/11 CPC THINK TANK REPORTING FORM