IT PROJECTS at George Mason University September 21, 2006
For information, please contact: Walt Sevon, wsevon@gmu.edu (703) 993-3548 For updates, please contact: Ginnie Mahoney, vmahoney@gmu.edu (703) 993-3401
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Administrative Systems ......................................................................................... 2
Banner, Banner Associated Applications, and Oracle 10g Update ....................... 2 Datamarts and Reporting Tools ............................................................................... 3 Luminis Data Integration (LDI): Banner-eVA Integration....................................... 5 Luminis Portal - myMASON ...................................................................................... 5 Desktop Support ....................................................................................................... 5 RightAnswers............................................................................................................. 5 Enterprise Systems ................................................................................................. 6 Remote Disaster Recovery Facility/Operation ........................................................ 6 Learning Support Services ................................................................................... 6 Mason as an iTunes University ................................................................................ 6 University Plagiarism Detection Service from Turnitin .......................................... 6 Local Area Network ................................................................................................. 7 MESA (Mason Enterprise Services Architecture) Update ...................................... 7 Network ........................................................................................................................ 8 Fairfax LAN Upgrades ............................................................................................... 8 IP Address Management Project .............................................................................. 8 National LambdaRail (NLR) Connection .................................................................. 9 Network Infrastructure Plan .................................................................................... 10 Residence Hall Network Upgrade ........................................................................... 10 Telework Technologies ........................................................................................... 10 Wireless Networking Deployment .......................................................................... 11 Security ...................................................................................................................... 12 Distributed Firewall (formerly Intrusion Detection/Prevention System) ............. 12 Identity Management (Phase 1) .............................................................................. 13 Protect and Serve Architecture .............................................................................. 13 “Syslog” Servers (Enterprise Servers) .................................................................. 14 “Syslog” Servers, Phase II (Enterprise Servers) ................................................... 14 Telecom ..................................................................................................................... 14 Voice Over IP (Internet Protocol - VoIP) Deployment ........................................... 14 Completed Projects ............................................................................................... 15 Enabled Voice Mail (EVM) ....................................................................................... 15 Encrypted E-mail Update ........................................................................................ 16 MESA Enterprise Server Core Security ................................................................. 16 Migration to a New “osf1” Server for Instruction and Academic Research ....... 17 Security Enhancements for Public Network Ports ............................................... 17 Technology Gateway Web Site ............................................................................... 18
Administrative Systems
Banner, Banner Associated Applications, and Oracle 10g Update George Mason currently uses Banner version 7.2. We successfully upgraded the Banner applications to Banner version 7.2 the weekend of May 5-8, 2006. The functionality of the other applications that supplement Banner functionality -- imaging, workflow, AppWorx (job scheduler), Touchnet (credit card and e-check processing), fsaAtlas (SEVIS requirement for tracking international students), eVisions (student bills and pay checks) -- as well as the datamarts and Banner version 7.2 all functioned correctly following this upgrade. Since vendors for each software application as well as the system, database, and webenabling technologies that support Banner provide major releases once or twice a year as well as regular security and functionality patches, the need for continuous testing is a challenge for the Banner support teams. Banner integrates Student, Finance and HR functionality, so each upgrade must be planned within support requirements for the academic and administrative calendars. The four hour maintenance period scheduled each Sunday morning allows sufficient time for all but major upgrades. Major upgrades, such as Banner 7.2 or 7.3, require a longer outage o-lasting several days. Banner 7.3 upgrade: The vendor released this version at the end of April, 2006. Mason‟s implementation of the upgrade of the Banner applications to version 7.3 is underway, and testing is set to begin October 16, 2006. The upgrade and its corresponding outage dates are December 28-29, 2006; these dates will be posted on patriotweb.gmu.edu. Banner 8.x: Scheduled for release fourth quarter 2007. Oracle 10g: Implementation of Banner 7.2 has allowed Technology Systems Division (TSD) to begin upgrading from Oracle 9i to Oracle 10g database software for the Banner databases. The Oracle 10g database will provide for better optimization techniques and provide an opportunity to better utilize system resources within the databases. TSD began testing the Oracle 10g database for the datamart databases in August, 2006, with implementation of Oracle 10g for the datamart production databases scheduled for early December, 2006 and for the Banner production database over Memorial Day weekend, May 26 – 28, 2007. The production datamart and Banner database upgrades to Oracle 10g will require datamart and application downtime; these outages will be announced in advance. In addition to the datamart databases, the Banner, Banner-associated, Mason-developed, and non-Banner Oracle databases will also be upgraded to Oracle 10g throughout the next year. Touchnet Bill and Payments (TBP): TSD is working with Touchnet and the Student Accounts department to test and implement the Touchnet Bill and Payments (TBP). This enhancement to the Touchnet Credit Card and webCheck functionality will allow Mason to present student bills, e-mail student bills and accept payments via a new web page. This new web page will allow a student to designate other people, such as parents, to access their student account. In 2
the future we will be able to turn on additional functionality such as managing tuition payment plans and processing refunds via Touchnet. fsaAtlas-SEVIS : TSD collaborated as a beta partner with Sungard Higher Education in the redesign of the Banner-fsaAtlas-SEVIS interface. We completed this beta testing August 18, 2006. The new fsaAtlas-SEVIS interface may be implemented with Banner 7.3 or soon after. Completion dates: Banner 7.3 upgrade – December 29, 2006 Oracle 10g upgrade – May 28, 2007 Touchnet Bill and Payment Suite – October 17, 2006 Project Technical Lead: Carrie Gillotte Infrastructure Technical Lead: Barbara Yablonski Banner Enhancements Lead: Kathy Adcock Datamarts and Reporting Tools Significant progress has been made with the roll-out of datamarts to support the Administrative Systems‟ reporting needs. In general, data contents and business rules in datamarts are driven primarily by user requirements. While the Datamart Team is continuously supporting the user community by collecting and responding to operational calls, we are also actively tracking data and system enhancement requests. We are working closely with representatives from each datamart stakeholder office to formally document and prioritize enhancement requests. Accounts Payable (AP) is the newest addition to the datamarts. We are currently conducting Quality Assurance testing for the AP datamart, and the testing is projected to be completed by October, 2006. The Student datamart is continuously expanding and is attracting more users from different colleges and departments across the university. Representatives from the impacted offices have been playing a proactive role during the requirement collection phase for Phase II of the Student datamart. We have taken the approach of conducting phased releases by subject areas (such as Enrollment, Registration, etc.), which allows data to be delivered to the end users in a faster manner, keeping up with the growing data consumption rates of our users. The upcoming subject area that the datamarts will be expanded into is Student Recruitment. This subject area is expected to be tightly integrated with the Admissions datamart. Milestones: Admissions Datamart: o Key Accomplishment: Security Implementation for Graduate Admissions: Completed February, 2006. o Upcoming Milestones: 3
Several major enhancements such as checklist items and additional data elements are being added to the Graduate and Undergraduate Admissions datamart. AP/Purchasing Datamart: o Key Accomplishment: Design of the Datamart: Completed June, 2006. Initial Development: Completed August, 2006. o Upcoming Milestones: QA Testing of Datamart: September-October 2006. Security Implementation: October, 2006. Post QA Fixes: September-October, 2006. Production Deployment: October, 2006. Finance Datamart: o Upcoming Milestones: Capturing Chart History Full Refresh Design and development effort to be started following the successful implementation of AP Datamart. HR Datamart: o Key Accomplishment: HR Extract Transform Load (ETL) Rewrite: Completed August, 2006. This rewrite reduced the HR runtime from 6.5 hours in DMFP to 2.25 hours. In DMFQ the runtime decreased from 9+ hours to 2.5 hours. In addition, this ETL reengineering eliminated all the OS file writing and the incredible depth and complexity of scripts and procedures, hence providing a more open and flexible platform for on-going system support and enhancement additions. Security Implementation was completed. o Upcoming Milestones: ETL Enhancement in Error Handling. Student Datamart: o Key Accomplishment: Phase II Requirement Collection: Completed March, 2006. Phase II Requirement Sign-off: Completed May, 2006. o Upcoming Milestones: Phased Releases by the Following Subject Areas: Student Enrollment: October, 2006 * Course Schedule: January, 2007 * Student Registration: March, 2007 * Census: May, 2007 * Degrees Conferred: July, 2007 * Discoverer Reports: o Complex PI Reports by Period were deployed in production in Spring, 2006. Additional enhancements have been under development and will be released to production once the final approval is obtained. o Graduate Admissions Reporting workbook was deployed to production in April 2006.
Project Lead: Jingxiao Feng (jfeng1@gmu.edu) 4
Luminis Data Integration (LDI): Banner-eVA Integration George Mason is leading a group of nine Virginia Banner schools, working with both DGS in Richmond (owners of eVA) and SungardSCT, to define the requirements for BannereVA integration using the messaging capabilities of the Luminis Data Integration for e~procurement. SungardSCT will use George Mason as their test site, integrating our Banner system with the eVA application in Richmond. Project Start Date: Fall, 2004 Milestones: March, 2006: Banner schools' approval of functional requirements September, 2006: completion of Banner schools' user acceptance test plan Project Estimated Completion Date: December 31, 2006 Functional Lead: William Hardiman Project Technical Lead: Carrie Gillotte LDI Technical Lead: Charlie Hofmann Mason has supplied the project with a test environment and has led the functional testing process. The functional testing is wrapping up during the next two weeks and will then move into final integration testing. Planned roll out of the project is still on track for later this year. Luminis Portal - myMASON Mason selected the Luminis portal software and the software was installed in late 2005. Called myMason, the portal was activated for a pilot group of more than 800 students in January, 2006. Several surveys of participants were conducted to assess the quality of the portal. The surveys indicate the students are happy with and are using the portal. The full campus roll-out, which will integrate with Banner and incorporate Banner channels, is slated for Fall, 2007. Project Start Date: September, 2006 for Faculty, Staff and Students. Pilot Roll-out: September, 2007 Functional Leads: Rose Pascarell, Kara Danner Technical Lead: Kirsten DeLashmutt
Desktop Support
RightAnswers The ITU Support Center will be implementing RightAnswers, a Knowledge Management System, for both the ITU technicians and ITU customers. This system works with our current call management software, Magic, to provide an integrated solution to the most common support calls. It will include a self-service portal that will allow customers (students/faculty/staff) to check the status of their open Magic incidents as well as provide them with the ability to search for answers on their own. RightAnswers comes with a standard library of information on general IT subjects, such as operating systems, MS Office, mail/messaging applications, graphics applications, etc. In addition, the ITU Support Center has uploaded more than 50 articles of custom content about Masonspecific applications. A campaign to notify customers about this new tool will be developed prior to launch. 5
Project start date: November, 2005 Project estimated completion date: On-going Critical milestones and deliverables: January, 2006: RightAnswers made accessible from Magic November, 2006: Launch date to ITU Customers Project Manager: Teresa Magill (tmagill@gmu.edu)
Enterprise Systems
Remote Disaster Recovery Facility/Operation The ITU is implementing a state-of-the-art disaster recovery facility in order to provide business continuity for the University‟s mission critical systems. The disaster recovery facility is currently under development at the Prince William Campus (Bull Run Hall). Progress since the last briefing (March, 2006) includes the installation of a backup generator, installation of additional facility cooling capacity, installation of servers to support the Phase 1 disaster recovery initiative (Banner), installation of a Storage Attached Network (SAN), installation of a firewall/router, and the asynchronous replication of Banner, Datamarts, and Imaging data with updates every five minutes. Project Start Date: August, 2004 Project Estimated Completion Date for Phase I: December, 2006 Project Engineer: Barry Freese (bfreese@gmu.edu)
Learning Support Services
Mason as an iTunes University Mason has applied for and received designation as an “iTunes U” institution from Apple. Apple will help in the development and support of podcasting at the University, hosting up to 500GB of podcasts, creating a space for access by members of the Mason community, and providing some workshop and training support. Project Start Date: Summer, 2006 Milestones: July, 2006: Creation of iTunes Steering Group (iTUSC) October 2006: Complete policies and pass-through web site. Pilot faculty and student organization usage January 2007: Ramp up for greater usage. Provide faculty recording kits Functional Lead: Star Muir, Director, Learning Support Services Technical Lead/iTunes U Administrator: Rick Reo, Instructional Resource Center University Plagiarism Detection Service from Turnitin The Division of Instructional Technology (DoIT) conducted a pilot study during academic year 2005-2006, and based on the high levels of faculty support, funded an annual Mason site license for plagiarism prevention from iParadigms‟ Turnitin (www.turnitin.com).
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Turnitin compares paper submissions to ProQuest and Gale databases, internet sites, and a bank of previously submitted papers, providing an originality report that yields a numeric estimate of the percent of matching material and direct comparison windows to review the paper text side-by-side with the internet material. Project Start Date: Fall, 2005 Milestones: May, 2006: End of pilot with School of Management and College of Health and Human Sciences August, 2006: Launch of enterprise-wide support for the Turnitin service, including BYTE Week workshops, faculty presentations, and IRC assistance Functional Lead: Star Muir, Director, Learning Support Services
Local Area Network
MESA (Mason Enterprise Services Architecture) Update MESA is a new network file and print infrastructure which will provide authentication to the file server, private area file storage, public/private shared file storage, printer queue management, and enhanced security. MESA will replace the Novell file system currently used by many Mason employees. MESA will add the following new services: software delivery, remote access to data storage areas, and patch management for desktop operating systems. MESA will: Ensure that users have access to modern file storage systems from remote locations as well as from common University workstations Minimize the number of authentication methods for every user Improve the security of the University's data systems and networks Position the University to participate in electronic collaboration with other institutions Improve users‟ desktop workstation management and resiliency to security issues Through MESA, users will benefit from improved Desktop Management, which o Facilitates centralized desktop configuration management o Provides remote desktop support to users o Provides central software distribution to users o Provides central distribution of Anti-Virus Software and patches o Improves data security and data integrity o Allows users‟ desktop environments to be quickly replaced/rebuilt Project Start Date: Fall, 2002 Project Estimated Completion (All Novell users on MESA): September, 2007 Critical Milestones and Deliverables: Milestones for Fall, 2006 o Core Services (file and print services, authentication, LDAP interoperability) have been implemented o MESA is in production o Most of the ITU is in MESA o Student Health Services was first non-ITU department migrated to MESA o More departments have been migrated to MESA 7
o Development of migration schedule for all other departments Future deliverables: Web access to files stored on MESA Provisions for delegated administration within departments Desktop management guidelines for MESA users Integration with the Identity Management system Project Manager: Robert Nakles, rnakles@gmu.edu, 993-2975
Network
Fairfax LAN Upgrades This is a continuation of a project begun in 2000, in which the oldest LAN hubs and switches on campus are being gradually replaced with newer, high-performance units. Much of the Fairfax campus‟ equipment has been replaced to date, with mostly smaller buildings/modules remaining to be finished. Network Engineering is currently developing a plan to complete the upgrades. Project Timeframe: 2004-2006 Milestones & Deliverables: December, 2005: Mathy House completed January, 2006: Thompson Hall & David King Hall completed February, 2006: Chain Bridge Townhouses completed Summer, 2006: Johnson Center, Robinson Hall completed Summer, 2006: Police, Facilities completed Fall, 2006: Original Quad, PE Buildings, Modules, Lecture Hall, Aquatic Center Spring, 2007: Fenwick Library, Mason Enterprise Center Project Manager: David Robertson (drobert5@gmu.edu) IP Address Management Project A new system is being installed to improve the manageability of IP address space and Internet domain names at the University. This centralized IP Address Management (IPAM) system will enable the ITU and other University departments to better manage their Internet Protocol (IP) resources. These services include Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) for automatic configuration of network hosts and Domain Name System (DNS) services for management of the naming of these hosts. A crossfunctional ITU team has selected an IPAM solution that provides IP address cataloging and dynamic DNS updates, and which can be configured for high availability. Project Goals: Create common standards, procedures, and policies regarding the management of IP resources Identify a solution which provides a centralized management interface, redundancy, comprehensive reporting capabilities, and the ability to delegate authority for specific IP administration tasks and forensics to appropriate departments Make a recommendation to the Director, Network Engineering and Technology (NET), regarding which, if any, IPAM solution is a best fit for Mason environment Implement the appropriate solution 8
Project Start Date: March, 2005 Project Estimated Completion Date: December, 2006 Milestones & Deliverables: March, 2005: Interviewed ITU and IT&E personnel on current IP management practices, issues, and other requirements May, 2005: Draft requirements document completed May-July, 2005: Requirements document sent to potential vendors for discussion and vendor presentations September, 2005: Evaluation and test plan development September – February, 2006: Conducted product evaluations January – March, 2006: Results analysis and report generation March, 2006: Selected IPAM system March – April, 2006: Procurement and system installation August, 2006: Partial system deployment September, 2006: Complete system installation and configuration September – December, 2006: Personnel training, migration to new IPAM system Project Manager: John Hanks (jhanks@gmu.edu) National LambdaRail (NLR) Connection In Fall, 2003, Mason joined with other major universities in Virginia to form the MidAtlantic Terascale Partnership (MATP), a collaborative effort to create a DC-area access point for the NLR. This ultra-high speed network, which could be thought of as an “Internet 3”, is intended to serve as a national backbone interconnecting the country‟s largest supercomputer sites and scientific data repositories. Initial applications include grid computing, an optical networking testbed, and support for fast transfers of gigabyte or terabyte-size files. The last segment of the nationwide backbone network was completed in February, 2006. Mason‟s research community can take advantage of this exciting new opportunity and access national data repositories from NASA, NOAA, and other institutions at speeds 10 to 100 times faster than our current Internet 2 “Abilene” circuit supports. The NLR connection also enables ultrafast access to major supercomputer nodes. Researchers who are interested in learning more about this project or discussing potential applications should contact Randy Anderson for more information. A second major benefit of this project is that we were able to extend Mason‟s intercampus optical network to route through the McLean NLR site, creating a protected ring among our three main campuses and reducing the risk of losing our data service to Arlington or Prince William. Project Timeframe: Fall, 2003 through Spring, 2006 Milestones and Deliverables: August, 2004: Mason joins MATP consortium March, 2005: Mason releases RFP for fiber connection to NLR June, 2005: Fiber lease contract awarded to AboveNet August, 2005: MATP‟s NLR node brought online 9
December, 2005: Mason signs contract for space to install Mason networking equipment at the McLean NLR node September, 2006: Planned activation for Mason‟s NLR connection Project Manager: Randy Anderson (randers4@gmu.edu) Network Infrastructure Plan NET has contracted with a team of consultants to perform a study of the university‟s communications network infrastructure, and to make recommendations as to upgrades and strategic directions for future expansion. The study has two major components: 1) Development of recommendations for voice, data, and video services that should be made available to resident students over the next three to seven years. The plan will be based on student surveys, comparative studies, and reviews of current and emerging communications technologies. 2) An assessment of Mason‟s current telecommunications systems and cabling infrastructure, including all telecom equipment rooms and outside plant pathways, to determine required environmental upgrades, capacity limits, and strategic expansion paths. Project Timeframe: February – December 2006 Milestones & Deliverables: February 2006: RFP released March - June 2006: Proposals evaluated June 2006: Vendor selection and contract completed July – August 2006: Work plan established December 2006: Scheduled completion Project Manager: Randy Anderson (randers4@gmu.edu) Residence Hall Network Upgrade This is a new project taken on in 2006. The Residence Hall equipment was being replaced as issues were occurring. A two phase plan was developed to upgrade the network with as little impact to the residents as possible. As a result, all work will be done during the summer sessions in a 2-3 day period, and each Residence Hall should only have a 2-3 hour down time. Project Timeframe: 2006-2007 Milestones & Deliverables: August 2006: Potomac Heights, Liberty Square, Presidents Park August 2006: Amherst, Brunswick, Carroll, Dickenson, Essex Fall 2006: Hanover Summer 2007: Patriot Village, Student Apartments, Franklin, and Grayson Cost expended to date: $400,000 Estimated total cost: $600,000 Project Manager: David Robertson (drobert5@gmu.edu) Telework Technologies Working from home or other off-campus locations can be both rewarding and effective if the right tools are available to facilitate communications. Under this project, a secure and 10
easy-to-use SSL Virtual Private Network was installed to support teleworkers and others requiring remote access to Mason‟s network resources. Project Start Date: February 2005 Estimated Project Completion Date: Jan 2007 Phase One (February 2005 – September 2005) - Completed Identify and evaluate the best available centrally managed Virtual Private Network (VPN) system for telework. Pilot service to selected group of users for: Basic network services and Voice over IP softphone Analyze results from the pilot, identify technical issues, and develop user support structure. SSL VPN system purchase Phase Two (October 2005 – February 2006) - Completed General deployment of SSL VPN service Evaluate desktop video conference technology and options Evaluate file transfer and online storage options Evaluate desktop remote control technologies Phase Three (December 2005 – April 2006) – Completed During phase three, scope of the project was expanded into Telework & Remote Access Technologies Pilot rollout with added technologies in phase two Working with Quality of Work Life Committee to develop a Telework Initiative Develop hardware and software recommendations User feed back and support structure revision Develop systems documentation Phase Four (May 2006 – January 2007) Develop user support documentation Telework and Remote Access campaign to promote resources available for Teleworkers Create Telework and Remote Access information website to guide users through different Telework and Remote Access options Project Manager: Derek Kan (dkan@gmu.edu) Wireless Networking Deployment Network Engineering and Technology has been deploying a centrally managed wireless LAN system that is easy to manage and provides convenient, secure, and authenticated wireless LAN access as well as public DHCP-enabled jacks. Users authenticate with their Mason e-mail user id and password. The system currently covers about 25% of overall building floor space on all campuses. More than 12,000 unique wireless users have used the service, with daily peak usage of 1,100 users. More information is available at: http://wireless.gmu.edu. 11
Planning is now underway for further installations in the Residence Halls during 2007. Project Start Date: April, 2003 Project Estimated Completion Date: On-going Milestones & Deliverables: July, 2003: Security gateway selected September, 2003: Innovation Hall wireless system installed January, 2004: Johnson Center retrofit system installed March, 2004: Arlington Law School system installed June, 2004: SUB II system installed July, 2004: SUB I, Eisenhower Hall systems installed September, 2004: Bull Run Hall, Arlington Original Building systems installed January, 2005: Occoquan Building system installed February, 2005: Fenwick Library system installed May, 2005: Science & Tech II migration completed June, 2005: Mason Hall Conference Room, ICAR, Truland Building 4 & 5th floor systems installed July, 2005: Arlington Law School system expansion completed September, 2005: Loudoun site, Krasnow Institute, Johnson Center expansion, Potomac Heights deployment completed February, 2006: Finley Building first floor deployment completed March-July, 2006: Security gateway infrastructure expansion, Enterprise Hall School of Management classrooms, and Liberty Square are planned Fall, 2006 (planned): Dominion Hall, Commonwealth Hall Project Manager: David Robertson (drobert5@gmu.edu)
Security
Distributed Firewall (formerly Intrusion Detection/Prevention System) This project began in 2005, as the Intrusion Detection/Prevention System. The original intention was to select and install an IDS/IPS product for the GMU Data Network. However, as the security industry has changed, so have the products. Therefore the scope of this project has evolved to include a network of firewalls distributed throughout the campus architecture to enhance security by creating security zones. Each zone is a separate entity and thus can be isolated in case of a virus or hack. Larger occupancy buildings will each have their own firewalls, while smaller buildings will be attached to an aggregation point and protected as a group. Project Timeframe: 2005-2007 Milestones & Deliverables: March, 2006: Aggregation Point Roll-out - Science & Tech and Thompson Core August, 2006: Distributed Firewall installed in Science & Tech Core September, 2006: Krasnow Institute October, 2006: Thompson Core Distributed Firewall Roll-out Winter, 2006 – Spring, 2007: Complete Roll-out Project Manager: David Robertson (drobert5@gmu.edu)
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Identity Management (Phase 1) The ITU engaged the services of Sun Professional Services, in conjunction with AegisUSA, to perform an Identity Management assessment. The assessment included an in-depth study of Mason‟s computing environment as it relates to Identity/Access Management. Approximately 30 Mason stakeholders were interviewed as part of the assessment. The assessment, which was completed during the summer of 2005, laid the groundwork for Phase 1 of the Identity Management implementation. Phase 1 includes the following: Design of an Enterprise LDAP Directory and a White Pages LDAP Directory Enable pass-through authentication from LDAP to existing MIT Kerberos v5 Design and implementation of a Banner 7 resource adapter Design and implementation of an Active Directory resource adapter Design and implementation of an AFS resource adapter Design and implementation of a UNIX resource adapter Design and implementation of a self-service password change/reset portal for MESA and LDAP Design and implementation of an Oracle Internet Directory resource adapter Design and implementation of a resource adapter to the School of IT&E computer systems Documentation, testing, and deployment of Identity Management application Project Start Date: October, 2005 Milestones: January, 2006: Functional requirements: approved February, 2006: Design document: approved March, 2006: User acceptance plan: completed Project Estimated Completion Date: January, 2007 Project Manager: Charlie Hofmann ( chofmann@gmu.edu) Protect and Serve Architecture The “Protect and Serve” concept, an offshoot of building equipment upgrades, consists of creating two networks in each building and separating the devices that act as servers from those that act only as workstations. Devices in the “Protect” network are able to connect to these servers via the Internet, but incoming connections from outside the university network are not allowed. All systems defined as “Servers” are being placed in a separate network space. Start Date: June, 2003 Milestones & Deliverables: August, 2003: Innovation Hall pilot June, 2005: Prince William Campus completed December, 2005: Layout of new network/building IP scheme February, 2006: New building IP numbering scheme created Feb/March, 2006: Implemented Protect and Serve rules on edge routers for new address space for all “moveable” networks March, 2006: Began movement of existing DHCP networks to new ranges within Protect and Serve 13
March/April, 2006: Started movement of select static networks to DHCP (those blocking other networks or scheduled for MESA migration) April, 2006: DHCP server configuration requested for most static and all non-MESA DHCP networks April, 2006: Reviewed Migration plan for blocking networks (JC, Innovation Hall, Patriot Center, and SUB II) with Net Operations May/June, 2006: Migrated static entries in above networks to new IP ranges July, 2006: University Policy 1304 “Public Internet Address Policy” issued requiring registration for all computers that are intended to be accessible from the Internet
Pending Items: September, 2006:
Installation of new DHCP system (see IP Address Management Project) January, 2007: Complete movement of remaining static networks to DHCP in “Protect and Serve” implementation Projected Project Completion Date: January, 2007 Project Manager: John Hanks (jhanks@gmu.edu) “Syslog” Servers (Enterprise Servers) The Enterprise Servers & Messaging department intends to capture system logs for the purpose of providing an audit trail in case of compromised systems. The Enterprise Server group is deploying several servers that will be collection points for system logs. System logs will be copied to two different SUN Solaris servers in order to provide redundancy, and will feature „guaranteed‟ delivery. UNIX and Linux servers will use either a JAVA, Perl, or C client in order to interface with the “Syslog” servers. Project Start Date: September, 2005 Project Estimated Completion Date: September 30, 2006 Project Manager: Bob Peraino (peraino@gmu.edu) “Syslog” Servers, Phase II (Enterprise Servers) The Enterprise Servers & Messaging department is engaged in a project utilizing an inhouse developed guaranteed delivery mechanism to capture system logs at a central location. The purpose is to provide an audit trail in case of compromised systems. Phase II of this project involves the development of a web-based search tool for performing log analysis on the central syslog servers. Project Start Date: October, 2006 Project Estimated Completion Date: TBD Project Manager: Bob Peraino (peraino@gmu.edu)
Telecom
Voice Over IP (Internet Protocol - VoIP) Deployment The University telephone switch (PBX) is reaching capacity and the existing voice service will be migrated to VoIP. VoIP is a new telephone service that connects to the PBX system through the University‟s data network rather than over dedicated telephone 14
wiring, as is the case with conventional analog and digital telephone sets. This brings new challenges for our support organizations and places new demands on the network. A cross-functional team within the Technology Systems Division is developing a support plan to ensure a smooth transition to this new technology. This migration is expected to take place over the next 10 years. The ITU has piloted VoIP service and is continuing to roll out VoIP at a carefully measured pace. The first group of VoIP telephones (IP phones) was installed at Mason‟s Professional Center and Executive MBA offices at the CIT Building in Herndon in early 2004. Since that time, additional IP phones have been deployed at the Loudoun Center and Innovation Hall. The Research I building opened in Summer, 2006 with the University‟s largest installed base of VoIP telephones. This was a challenging deployment; the phones have generally performed well, but the system was plagued with network equipment issues that impacted its reliability and availability. Network Engineering is currently taking appropriate measures to solve these problems. ITU Network Engineering and Technology will be closely monitoring the performance and reliability of the new telephones, while fine-tuning the overall system and support processes. A VoIP deployment team has been formed to evaluate the overall performance of the technology, and to help determine where and when additional rollouts should be done. Project Start Date: October, 2004 Project Estimated Completion Date: On-going Milestones & Deliverables: • December, 2004: Fairfax PBX upgrade installed • March, 2004: Nortel IP phones installed at CIT • April, 2004: IP softphone installed in Network Engineering and Technology • November, 2005: Preliminary cost assessment completed • April, 2005: IP phones in some administrative areas of Innovation Hall • August, 2005: IP phones installed at Loudoun Center • June–July, 2006: Installed IP phones in Research I Project Managers: Randy Anderson (randers4@gmu.edu) and Doris Rollins (drollins@gmu.edu)
Completed Projects
Enabled Voice Mail (EVM) Enabled Voice Mail is an optional enhancement to existing voice mail boxes, which brings unified messaging to the desktop. EVM can send e-mail notification of new voice mail messages to the desktop, cell phone, or wireless PDA, and the voice mail messages themselves can be sent to e-mail. You will know who has left a message if the call came from an on-campus extension without having to check voice mail itself. An additional function, currently being tested, is a “follow-me application” called Find Me, which will enable users to program their voice mail boxes with up to three telephone numbers to call if they are away from their desk. If none of the three numbers answers, the caller can still leave a message in the voice mail box of the primary number. 15
EVM is currently being piloted with select faculty and staff and is being enthusiastically received. Project Start date: Fall, 2005 Project Estimated Completion Date: Spring, 2006 Milestones: October, 2005: GMU & Vendor technical meeting: December, 2005: Application installed January–April, 2006: Testing (Completed) Chargeback determination: meetings underway. (There will be a modest additional charge for this service.) Project Managers: Doris Rollins (drollins@gmu.edu) and Carolyn Combs (ccombs1@gmu.edu) Encrypted E-mail Update Beginning June 1, 2006, the ITU implemented a new security requirement for e-mail use. Encryption technology is now required for all traffic between users‟ computers and Mason servers, transforming plain text into an unreadable code format. The centrally provided MEMO system was already encrypted, requiring no changes on the users‟ part. Users who used other e-mail programs had to enable encryption on their systems. The ITU provided a number of resources to assist people in encrypting their e-mail client software. A communications campaign began in mid-April and included Town Hall meetings, an instructions website, demonstrations, print materials, alerts on the ITU Support Center telephone line, alerts on ITU and main GMU websites, and e-mail messages to the Mason community. The Mason community was able to implement encryption with little difficulty. The percentage of encrypted e-mail clients in use rose steadily during the campaign, with a total of 282 calls placed to the Support Center for assistance in encrypting e-mail programs. Project Start Date: April, 2006 Project Completion Date: June, 2006 Critical Milestones & Deliverables: April 17, 2006: Communication campaign started June 1, 2006: Change to e-mail system implemented Project Manager: Tracy Holt (holt@gmu.edu) MESA Enterprise Server Core Security The Mason Enterprise Services Architecture (MESA) project involves several ITU departments. Network Engineering and Technology (NET) worked closely with the ITU‟s system engineering and server support groups to design and install a secure, highly available network core to protect the university's critical administrative servers. One component of this project was the installation of a new enterprise firewall system to protect most of the non-Banner servers. The enterprise core routers and firewalls are in place and operating; the NET Security Team is working with other ITU departments to develop the appropriate security rules for the many diverse systems in this environment. 16
Start Date: January, 2003 Milestones & Deliverables: March, 2003: Initial System Design Completed July, 2003: First Core Router and Firewall Installed August, 2003: AFS systems moved into MESA core December, 2003: E-mail, other Mason enterprise systems moved into MESA core September, 2004: Second Core Router and Firewall Installation Completed April, 2006 Installation of third MESA rack May, 2006 Got vendor pricing for wiring July, 2006: Installed new Computer Room wiring July, 2006: Completed Project completion date: July, 2006 Project Manager: John Hanks (jhanks@gmu.edu) Migration to a New “osf1” Server for Instruction and Academic Research The ITU has purchased a new server to replace the existing “osf1” server that is used by faculty and students for instruction and academic research. This project involves the acquisition, installation, and migration to a new server. The old „osf1‟ system (HP ES 45 Server) is being replaced by a more robust and capable SUN server. The new server is a Sun Fire V890 with 8 -1.35 GHz CPUs (UltraSPARC IV processors), 16 cores, 32 GB of RAM memory, and 12 – 146 GB disk drives (10K, FC-AL). The new server runs the latest SUN Solaris 10 operating system. Included in this project are the systems engineering, acquisition, and installation of hardware and software applications, testing, and the migration of current system users to the new system. This new system will provide superior performance, scalability, fault tolerance and will significantly enhance research capabilities. Project start date: Summer, 2005 Completion date: June, 2006 Project Manager: Richard Jackson (rjackson@gmu.edu) Security Enhancements for Public Network Ports As an outgrowth of our experience with the Wireless Network and Mason Update and Scanning Technology (MUST), Network Engineering and Technology implemented security measures on many of the university‟s public wired ports to restrict usage to Mason faculty, staff, students, and authorized visitors. This helps limit the significant security exposures brought about by allowing anyone to have unrestricted access to the University‟s network resources and, at the same time, avoids placing unnecessary restrictions on authorized users. The majority of publicly available network jacks are now covered by this system; planned enhancements include adding more security gateways to help balance the traffic load, and fine-tuning IP address allocations. Project Timeframe: October, 2004 through June, 2006 Milestones & Deliverables: January, 2005: Johnson Center Library March, 2005: Fenwick Library 17
August, 2005: Phase 1 Fairfax Campus -- remaining classroom, meeting room, and other public ports September, 2005: Prince William June, 2006: Phase 2 Fairfax Campus June, 2006: Arlington campus Project Completion Date: June, 2006 Project Manager: John Hanks (jhanks@gmu.edu) Technology Gateway Web Site The Technology Gateway web site is intended to provide an easier way for the George Mason community to access technology information and services. The Gateway, located at http://itu.gmu.edu/techservices, gathers in one place information about technologyrelated services at the University. The dynamic site was revised so that students, faculty and staff can more easily find and search Mason's technology resources. The new look for the Technology Gateway web site was launched in August for the start of the Fall, 2006 semester. Project Start Date: January, 2006 Project Completion Date: August, 2006 Project Manager: Ann Genovese Technical Lead: Kerin Seward
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