University of Essex



UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX

INFORMATION SYSTEMS

STRATEGY

January 2006

013.12.04 draft

INFORMATION SYSTEMS STRATEGY, JANUARY 2006

CONTENTS

introduction 1

information policy 1

general issues 2

technical standards 3

security and integrity 3

central it services 3

audiovisual and media services 4

web services 5

administrative information systems 6

departmental information systems for teaching & research 6

data networks at colchester 6

telephone services 7

central it support services 7

regional campuses and partners 8

training 10

appendix 1: is strategy and the planning cycle 11

appendix 2: administrative organisation 12

appendix 3: supporting notes 13

appendix 4: related policy and strategy documents 14

appendix 5: glossary 15

Richard Murphy

14 December 2005

INTRODUCTION

This document presents the University’s strategy for the development and use of information systems for learning and teaching, research and administration. The scope includes information systems, information technology, facilities, and services.

It covers all information systems in the University, at Colchester, Loughton (East 15), Adastral Park (Chimera), and Southend (University of Essex Southend), and aims to provide a basis for their harmonised development. To keep pace with change the Strategy is reviewed and updated annually.

The drivers for information systems in the University are the Strategic Aims and Supporting Strategies of the Strategic Plan. A number of the Objectives and Performance Indicators in the Plan explicitly involve the development of information systems services. But beyond that, the maintenance of an effective information systems infrastructure underlies most parts of the Plan. This Strategy establishes the University’s approach to providing that infrastructure.

Library information systems are covered by the Library Strategy. Online and distance learning are covered principally by strategies and policies developed by the Learning and Teaching Unit but there is considerable overlap and integration, particularly in the area of elearning.

INFORMATION POLICY

The purpose of information systems is to support the creation, transmission, storage, retrieval and processing of information. The information policy establishes the general principles governing the information management in the University.

As far as possible information will be available to those who need it, when they need it, in a user-friendly way involving the minimum of effort.

The underlying principle is that information is available to an individual unless there is good reason for it not to be. However the need to ensure the security of information together with constraints imposed by current security mechanisms, or the costs of making information available, may mean that there are restrictions on when and how an individual can have access to information.

Management and corporate information will be of high quality, ensuring that it is fit for purpose and can be relied upon.

Every effort will be made to ensure efficient flow of information, and that those who need information receive it or are made aware of how to get it.

The University will aim wherever possible to maintain single sources or copies of management information so as to avoid generating inconsistencies.

The ownership of information, in the sense of having responsibility for its maintenance and accuracy, will be made clear.

The University will ensure that central information is protected against accidental or malicious damage or loss, and is secure against unauthorised disclosure. In each particular case the degree of security and protection provided will be proportional to the gravity of loss or disclosure.

Staff will be encouraged to protect the intellectual property invested in research or scholarly information they are responsible for, and will be given guidance on how to do this.

The University will comply with relevant legislation, including the Data Protection Act, the Freedom of Information Act, the Human Rights Act, the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, The Disability Discrimination Act and the Special Educational Needs Discrimination Act, and will take whatever steps are needed to meet compliance with future UK legislation.

The University will promote new ways of information handling which help reduce costs, increase quality or improve access.

The use of electronic mail, World Wide Web and related mechanisms for internal communication will be encouraged, and efforts made to ensure that staff and students have the tools and skills they need. Standards and good practice for communication tools will be promulgated. The University’s Internal Communications Policy and its annexes give guidance on the use of electronic media for communication.

With information easier to produce and distribute, there is a corresponding increased risk of information overload. Inclusiveness in making information available will therefore be balanced with the need to select and target carefully.

GENERAL ISSUES

Reliability, availability, accessibility and predictability are among the University’s highest priorities for key information systems. However to maintain high standards in this area is expensive, and the University will in all cases weigh costs against benefits.

A service ethos will be cultivated among central service providers, however, the extent of individualised support that can be given will be determined by the demands on the services and by the resources available.

The University will maintain guidelines and regulations for use of computing facilities and networks which strike a balance between on the one hand safeguarding freedom of action and expression, and on the other hand protecting individuals and information and shielding the University against obloquy or legal action.

The University will make provision for equal opportunities in issues involving information systems, as well as using information systems to promote other aspects of equal opportunities. It will pay particular attention to the needs of special groups, including disabled staff and students, mature students, and part-time students, and distance learners. Strategies for access to computing facilities by students will aim to minimise problems for particular groups, for example those living off campus or those unable to buy their own equipment.

The University is committed to minimising the risk of IT-related disorders such as Work-Related Upper Limb Disorder and Repetitive Strain Injury. The Occupational Health Office will continue to provide advice on best practice, and on health and safety aspects of equipment purchase and use. Adequate safeguards will be maintained to ensure the electrical safety of IT equipment.

As far as possible environmental conditions, including furniture, room layout and the ventilation or air conditioning, will be such as to create a safe working environment, and the special needs of the disabled will be taken into account. These needs will be reflected in the planning of the management of the estate.

The University will follow good practice in the disposal of ICT and AV equipment. The Computing Service provides guidance and operates a disposal service (see section Central IT Support Arrangements).

The University will take account of the requirements for ICT and AV infrastructure and support in planning for all new activities, whether teaching, research, administration, service provision or third stream.

At the time of writing there are no Grid-dependent e-science research projects either active or planned at the University which rely on the main ICT infrastructure and so which might require special provision. The University will ensure adequate advance planning and resourcing for Grid projects which do depend on the main ICT infrastructure.

TECHNICAL STANDARDS

In the interests of manageability and economy, the University aims for standardised solutions in central academic service provision, and in administrative information systems both centrally and in departments. Standard solutions are encouraged in other areas, and central support will in general be available only for standard solutions.

The supported standard software for desktop computers is Microsoft Windows, Office, Outlook and Internet Explorer. Full support is provided for Windows versions XP with limited support for Windows NT, and XP is recommended for new systems. For central servers the standards are Windows Server and Linux. The database standard is SQL server. These standards will be kept under review, in particular taking account of any changes in Microsoft pricing.

Unix and Apple Macintosh workstations are accommodated but not formally supported centrally.

The supported network protocol is Ethernet.

SECURITY AND INTEGRITY

The University will aim continually to improve the security of information, networks and computer systems, and will ensure that sensitive areas are protected. The Electronic Information Security Policy provides more detail, and will be kept under review by ISSC.

Responsibility for the physical security of information systems resides with departments and sections. The Security Office, in close collaboration with Information Systems Services, provides advice and where appropriate adopts specific measures.

The University maintains adequate file backup procedures for central file stores, and will provide advice and support to departments for file backup. The Electronic Data Backup Policy provides more detail.

Services are provided in distinct physical locations where that geographical separation is key to the resilience required. ISS have primary and secondary server rooms. Further data resilience is obtained by housing the main archive and backup service is in a third location, and storing backup tapes elsewhere.

ISS maintain and develop anti-virus and anti-spam measures on behalf of the University.

CENTRAL IT SERVICES

Student access

The University recognises the importance to students of effective access to information systems, and the extent to which the quality of student IT provision is an important factor for prospective students in choosing a university. University policy does not mandate student ownership but will continue with the strategy of facilitating growth in student ownership through comprehensive networking of accommodation and remote access facilities. The University will continue to maintain sufficient levels of high quality central and departmental desktop provision and providing adequate training. .

Central services

For 20005/06 there are 433 centrally provided open access PCs and 85 public Library PCs at Colchester, 20 at Loughton, and 15 at Southend. Despite the growth in student ownership, demand for central provision remains strong, not least for teaching, and some modest further expansion may be needed. A replacement programme based on a four-year cycle will be maintained.

Support for special needs and the disabled will be provided in central PC laboratories.

Central student workstation provision will be based on PCs running Windows XP. Science departments are showing a tendency to move to using Windows. Central Unix computation servers are accessed from PCs. The view established by open discussion in December 2002 that there is unlikely to be demand for Unix provision in central open access laboratories continues to hold.

The University will continue to provide modest general purpose central computation services based at Colchester, and to upgrade the servers as required. Computation servers will have migrated entirely to Linux by 2006. The service will be expanded if there is a clear need and resources are available. The Computing Service provides hosting and facilities management for departmental high performance computers as required. For large scale computation needs that cannot be satisfied on departmental or central equipment the University would anticipate using facilities provided nationally by High Performance Computing (HPC) centres and/or National Grid Services (NGS).

The University will maintain and develop standard network services, including electronic mail, the World Wide Web, news group access, directories, and network infrastructure services such as name, authentication and licence serving. The structured programmes of server replacements and capacity enhancements will continue.

The University will exercise caution in introducing interactive internet services which take the University into new areas of network usage. The criteria will be clear applicability to academic work or administration, and compatibility with existing services and the available level of network provision.

Except where there is good reason to do otherwise, departments should use central network services for mainstream service provision, such as email, file serving, web serving, Course Materials Repository, and name/address serving, rather than running their own separate services. Departments should not duplicate materials provided from central databases, or provide their own local alternative electronic versions. Non-mainstream services — specialist services, or specific local services for teaching or research — are normally run by departments themselves, though by arrangement and if practicable ISS takes on support for such a service on behalf of a department.

Applications software

Academic applications software will be centrally purchased and implemented where there is more than very specific local need. Where it is feasible software will be made available to students on their own PCs.

AUDIOVISUAL AND MEDIA SERVICES

The University aims to provide fixed audiovisual installations in teaching rooms. The programme of installations in suitable rooms currently without provision will continue. Wherever possible newly built or converted teaching rooms will be supplied with fixed audiovisual installations at the outset. The programme of replacing and upgrading older installations will continue. Wherever possible, audiovisual equipment will be standardised to allow familiarity to foster ease of use.

The media studio and related facilities in the Multimedia Centre remain popular. The service and facilities will be developed further. Wherever possible, broader use by students for non-academic but developmental purposes will be facilitated.

The videoconferencing facilities in the Multimedia Centre will continue to be supported and enhanced.

The University will maintain has ISDN- and IP-based group videoconferencing facilities at Colchester, Loughton and Southend.

Facilities and services for language teaching and learning, based in the Multimedia Centre and managed by AVMS, will be further developed.

WEB SERVICES

The use of the web will be encouraged for teaching, learning, research, for supporting the life of the University, and as a management and marketing tool. Increasingly it will be the interface of choice for academic and administrative applications.

Online services for students, staff and others will be further developed. The introduction in summer 2004 of myEssex, the student portal has proven popular and will continue to be developed. As resources allow, portals for applicants, alumni, and staff will be introduced using the same platform and design themes. Portals will provide the entry point for an increasing range of self-service approaches not only for providing information but also for obtaining and updating information.

The University Website Steering Group steers the development of the University’s web pages, and the Web Support Unit provides central guidance, support and training for web page production. Departments and sections will take prime responsibility for creating their own pages and ensuring that the content is accurate and current. Each department, centre or section will designate a staff member to take responsibility for maintaining the departmental web pages. The Web Support Unit provides a web page design and development service; this is subject to internal charging for promotional and presentational websites.

Web pages on servers run by the University fall into three categories: corporate pages, departmental pages, and private pages. Corporate pages, typically top-level pages or pages designed to convey corporate information outside the institution, are in a standard corporate format, and the University takes editorial responsibility for their content. Departmental pages do not need to adhere to the corporate format, but need to adhere to the published guidelines for accessible web design and for displaying the University logo. Departments take responsibility for their content. Specific guidelines are provided for private pages: they cannot display University marks, and the University does not take editorial responsibility for their content. The WSU and External Relations Section will monitor web pages for compatibility with the University’s corporate image.

The University will maintain guidelines on content, covering issues of copyright, defamation, obscenity or content otherwise liable to bring the University into disrepute. It will act quickly where pages are believed to violate those guidelines.

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION SYSTEMS

The University will continue to develop and enhance its central administrative information systems in a coordinated way. Priorities will be quality, security, accessibility and ease of use of management information, and integration of administrative systems. Where student services and support are concerned the distinction between administrative and academic systems will increasingly become blurred.

New web-based services will be developed and deployed: the comprehensive “cradle to grave” portal spanning initial enquiry from a potential applicant through to comprehensive services for alumni and graduates will be completed during 2006/07; web based registration for most returning students will be deployed in 2006/07; enhanced web based services focused on improving overseas recruitment will continue to be developed and enhanced during 2006/07.

During 2006/07 student examination and teaching timetables will be provided online via the myEssex portal. (Delayed from 2004/05 and 2005/06 respectively)

During 2006/07 work will begin on expanding web based services for staff via staff portal based on the new payroll and personnel systems. This will provide self-service facilities for staff and managers.

Based on initial pilot projects in 2005/06 a campus wide system for enhanced student attendance monitoring will be deployed during 2006/07 and completed in 2007/08. Further systems to improve retention will also be developed and deployed as necessary over the same time frame.

Small scale pilot document management projects initiated in 2005/06 will be expanded during 2006/07 and beyond

Based on the SUMS review of University Financial systems and processes completed in 2005 work will begin in 2006/07 on the development or procurement of an appropriate solution to address the needs identified. This will continue into 2007/08 and probably into 2008/09

Strategic and tactical management information services will continue to be developed throughout 2006/07 and 2007/08 via a Management Information portal either using existing Business Objects/Crystal licenses and/or use of alternative tools if these prove to be more cost effective.

The server operating system platform in the medium term will be Windows 20003, with Uniface and used as the main development tools for major in-house applications development and integration projects. Microsoft SQL server will be the required database platform for all central administrative applications. In 2006/07 all SQL server 2000 databases wil,be upgraded to SQL server 2005.

Desktop PCs in the administration will be replaced every five years.

During 2006/07 work will begin on the development of a cashless catering service for students based on the existing student ID card.

Based on the comprehensive review of the Careers Service completed in 2005 the development or procurement of an appropriate system to address the needs identified will begin in 2006/07. This work will be closely tied in to the expansion of portal services (see “New web based services” above)

The Student Records database will be enhanced in 2006/07 to accommodate closer integration with HR systems to accommodate more sophisticated recording and tracking of staff education, training and development (e.g. CHEP, teaching skills).

Based on the findings of a review of alternative Accommodation systems a replacment system may be purchased and implemented during 2007/08

The University will move to the use of the HERCULES UCAS admissions system for links to UCAS during 2006/07

On completion of successful pilot projects during 2005/06 the purchase of a range of standard items (eg stationery) will be switched to direct web based procurement from approved suppliers during 2006/07.

DEPARTMENTAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS FOR TEACHING AND RESEARCH

Three categories of departmental information system provision for teaching and research may be identified: special-purpose systems specific to the discipline; more general-purpose systems for use by students; and desktop systems for general-purpose use by staff.

General-purpose systems for students and staff will reflect departments’ specific needs, though departments will be required to follow University policies and urged to adopt University standard solutions. Departments take responsibility for the choice and running of special-purpose equipment, with due regard to purchasing policy.

DATA NETWORKS AT COLCHESTER

The University will continue to upgrade and improve the campus network at Colchester, on the basis of the network development strategy established by ISSC. The migration to a Gigabit Ethernet backbone is complete. All new or upgraded data network installations will be cabled to current standard specifications with a formal exception route to accommodate building or network technical issues. The standard at the time of issue of this Strategy document is Category 6.

The University’s dial-up provision will be maintained. Student use continues to fall while staff use is stable, and no need for further expansion is anticipated.

The Colchester campus is currently connected by a protected 155 Mbps link to EastNet, the East of England regional network or MAN, and thence to SuperJANET. Capacity remains adequate, and no upgrade is envisaged in the short term. Recognising the importance of EastNet in furthering local and regional collaboration, the University will in principle support its expansion to other organisations, and if needed will act as sponsor for network connections to local institutions.

The organisation of EastNet changed in 2005. Previously it was owned collectively by the universities in the region but is now owned and run by UKERNA.

While wireless networking is not likely to be a replacement for cabled networks for the foreseeable future, because of its low bandwidth, it does have complementary applications. Point-to-point wireless connections are already used in a number of University locations, and some departmental use of multipoint wireless is already established. The University will introduce a centrally provided wireless network in 2006 at Colchester and investigate the implementation at other campuses. The wireless network service will have adequate security safeguards in place.

It is anticipated that built-environment (“estates”) systems will make increasing use of digital networks. The aim will be to use the existing campus network, though consideration will be given to providing dedicated network facilities if the need arises.

TELEPHONE SERVICES

The University’s telephone services and data communications services have been administratively separate for historical reasons. ISDN6 is available in the Multimedia Centre, Roding House, and Princess Caroline House, Southend, and is used to support the University’s group video-conferencing services. The main campus telephone service is based on a Philips Sopho PABX. Telephone services to individual student rooms on campus and Avon Way are provided by an independent service provider, Catalyst, using the University lines. Voicemail, a pager system and integrated radio system are supported. The University has a contract with Vodaphone at advantageous rates for the provision of mobile telephone services and Blackberry handheld (email) devices.

Following a consultant’s study and report in 2004, the University has decided to continue broadly with the current PABX-based arrangements for the main telephone system for a further period. A strategic review of telephony will be undertaken as the Philips PABX approaches the end of its supported life.

All new or upgraded telephone installations will where appropriate be cabled to current data network standard specifications though for some limited purposes it may still make economic sense to use lower cost BT standard CW1308.

Online and hard-copy telephone directories will be produced and maintained in a manner that keeps them reasonably up to date. Currently the hard-copy directory is revised and reissued twice a year, in October and January.

CENTRAL IT SUPPORT ARRANGEMENTS

Purchasing and disposal

As part of its overall purchasing policy, the University provides a central service for IT purchases. The agency currently is the Computing Service, which provides advice, places orders, handles external payment and takes initial delivery. Departments, centres and sections which do not wish to use the central purchasing service may, with the agreement of the Information Systems Strategy Committee, handle their own purchases for some or all IT equipment. In any case departments usually purchase special equipment directly, on the understanding that the Computing Service agency is kept informed. For large purchases the University uses EU framework agreements established by the Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium and the government.

The Computing Service disposes of central ICT equipment through a regulated external agent, maintaining the necessary records, and offers guidance and a disposal service to departments of the University.

Hardware and software support and advice

The University has a mix of central and devolved/departmental support and help for information systems. The balance of this support is kept under review.

The Computing Service provides a central equipment maintenance service for PCs and printers. The service is offered on a contract basis, and a charge is levied. The support provided covers hardware and software installation, fault fixing, upgrades and equipment moves. Departments can choose not to take out contracts, in which case they make their own arrangements for support. In recent years charges have been reduced on three occasions — in 1999, 2001 and 2002 — and there have been no increases. The service will be kept under review.

The Management Information Systems group provides additional support to the administrative sections.

In line with the University’s policy on standardisation, central support will be targeted at a restricted set of hardware and software options, in particular Intel-compatible PCs and, to a lesser extent, Unix systems. Apple Macintosh systems will not be supported on a formal basis, though support for networking such systems will be maintained. Systems and packages that do not receive formal support will be permitted, but on a self-supporting basis.

In the case of software applications packages, the expertise in their use commonly resides in departments. That expertise and its renewal depend on practical experience, and cannot readily be provided from central services. Accordingly central support will be limited to purchase, licensing and mounting on central servers.

Support for central administrative systems and packages will be provided by the Management Information Systems group and by staff in other administrative sections who have had relevant training.

Central support for hardware and software maintenance and licensing will continue to be provided where this is justified by the amount of usage of a particular product in the University. Microsoft software will be acquired and licensed under the Microsoft Campus Agreement. Where it is cost-effective, maintenance for a given type of equipment will be carried out by the manufacturer or external third party, under a centrally established site licence.

Adequate and comprehensible documentation will be provided and maintained centrally for supported information systems, with the web increasingly the primary medium for presentation and/or dissemination.

Central help-desk services particularly targeted at students will be maintained and developed.

Tailored advice and documentation for disabled students and staff will be provided wherever possible.

REGIONAL CAMPUSES AND PARTNERS

Central information services at the University developed on a single compact site at Colchester. The provision of a single standard of service to all (or to all in a particular category) was relatively straightforward. The universal service principle, though not articulated, underlay service provision. However the recent addition of other campuses at significant distances from Colchester has brought changes. At a remote site costs may be significantly higher or service quality lower — or indeed both. The University remains broadly committed to the universal service principle, but the implications in particular instances will be studied carefully, and the principle will sometimes need to be diluted.

Other organisations

The University will continue to ICT services to other organisations where it is in the Unviersity’s interest. These will be provided under a variety of service and charging arrangements. Currently, the University provides extensive facilities for Insearch Essex and limited facilities for the Open College Network, both of which are hosted on the Wivenhoe campus.

Regional campus: East 15 at Loughton

Student IT services at East 15 are designed to be easy to maintain at a distance. Staff services are similar to those at Colchester. Maintenance and laboratory support will broadly be provided as at Colchester, but response times will be longer, as technical staff will need to travel to Loughton. As far as possible systems will be maintained by providing telephone guidance to East 15 staff.

East 15 is connected to the Colchester campus and thence to JANET via a 2 Mbps leased line. The adequacy of this provision will be kept under review. Roding House is linked to the main Loughton campus by an ADSL, over which about 500 kbps can be achieved. . These connections are becoming inadequate for the traffic requirements and upgrades will be implemented in 2006.

Regional campus: Chimera at Adastral Park

Chimera staff are highly IT-capable research workers, able to a large extent to handle IT problems themselves. PC maintenance will be offered by the Computing Service, with Chimera staff responsible for returning faulty equipment to Colchester.

Chimera is currently networked to Colchester via a Gigabit link over a BT experimental network. While it remains available, this provides an ideal solution, with capacity equivalent to that on campus. If however this network is closed down or for some other reason the route becomes no longer available, adequate alternative provision may be costly.

University of Essex Southend

ICT support at Princess Caroline House is provided by ISS, with a staff member permanently based at Southend.

Princess Caroline House is connected to Colchester and thence to JANET via a 2 Mbps link.

The anticipated growth in HE at Southend, both in partnerships students and in University of Essex students, will entail a substantial increase in ICT provision.

University of Essex students and staff use essex.ac.uk addresses and have facilities substantially the same as those at Colchester, including unfettered web access.

The University plans for a substantial increase in network bandwidth from Southend to Colchester and JANET. Services will be provided using a mix of Southend-based servers and remote use of Colchester based servers. The administration services are likely to use the central servers based at Colchester. There will need to be a small technical service at Southend covering computers, software, networking and audiovisual/media, and providing a Help Desk, with Colchester providing technical backup for complex problems. The model could be different from that at Colchester and Loughton, with ISS providing all IT support directly without significant separate departmental provision. The funding model will need to be considered.

Regional partners: SEEC and Writtle College.

The regional partners run their own IT services. However where relevant there is collaboration at the application and web services level.

Network connectivity with both colleges is over EastNet. SEEC is connected to JANET via a 10 Mbps circuit to EastNet, with the connection point at APU Chelmsford.

TRAINING

The University will continue to be an accredited European Computer Driving Licence examination centre, at both standard and advanced levels, and online self-training for ECDL is provided.

Students

Returns from the annual questionnaire on IT experience sent to new students before registration in past years showed that the vast majority arrive at the University with developed skills. (Because of this, the practice was discontinued in 2004.) The Computing Service handbook and student accommodation handbook give information on local services, and a web-based training framework is provided. Specific induction training is provided on request for student with particular needs.

IT training leading to ECDL accreditation for students will continue to be provided under the Key Skills programme, and accreditation may be offered to students outside the programme.

Training designed for postgraduates has proved popular and will continue to be developed.

The multi-campus presence combined with the increasing number and scope of courses based on distance learning, frequently involving the use of remote access from work or home, mean that a broader approach to training and targeted documentation will be developed.

Staff

Under the guidance of the Staff Development Advisory Group, the University has established a coherent framework for staff IT training which will continue to broaden as well as offer more advanced courses. European Computer Driving Licence accreditation will continue to be provided for staff, and where appropriate standard courses will be based around the ECDL syllabus.

Training for staff in best practice in the use of technology in teaching will be provided, with a particular focus on elearning.

APPENDIX 1: IS STRATEGY AND THE PLANNING CYCLE

The main planning documents associated with the IS Strategy are on the one hand the corporate Strategic Plan, and on the other hand the annual Information Systems Plan and Budget/Forward Look and the Annual Progress Report on the Plan and Budget.

The Plan and Budget/Forward Look give Information Systems Strategy budget details for the following year, and indicate likely budgets for the three subsequent years. The Information Systems Strategy budget covers central academic and administrative computing services, central technology-based learning and audio-visual, library information systems, and sometimes special projects. It does not cover staff IT provision, departmental IT, telephones or the Printing Centre/Copy Centre.

The Annual Progress Report reviews actual outcomes from the previous year’s Plan and Budget.

The IS Strategy itself is reviewed annually at the autumn meetings of the ISSC and AISG, with a revised version passing through Senate and Council over the following period. The Annual Progress Report is considered alongside the Strategy.

The spring term meetings of the ISSC and AISG agree a new draft Plan and Budget/Forward Look, which then goes into the University budget planning round.

APPENDIX 2: ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANISATION

Organisational structure

Information Systems Services: training; strategy;

Information Systems Services - Computing Service: infrastructure; central academic services; central institutional services; implementation of library information systems;

Information Systems Services - Management Information Systems: central administrative systems; support for administrative sections;

Information Systems Services - Audiovisual and Media Services: language learning technology, media, and audiovisual services;

Information Systems Services – Web Support Unit: central support for web and online services development; web standards;

Learning Partnerships – Learning and Teaching Unit: central support for online learning;

Library: user aspects of library information systems; applications development;

Estates Section: telephones; physical security; campus built-environment systems;

Staff Development: training;

Administrative sections: specific applications and associated support;

External Relations: web standards;

Academic departments and centres: departmental computing and support; training; departmental administrative computing.

Committee structure

Vice-Chancellor’s Advisory Group: receiving strategy;

Budget Sub-Committee: receiving plan and budget, and setting budget envelope as part of overall University budget planning;

Finance and Strategy Committee: approving budget envelope;

Information Systems Strategy Committee (Council and Senate): recommendations on and monitoring of overall information systems strategy; detailed budgeting within the budget envelope; monitoring quality and reliability of central services;

Computer Users Advisory Group: web-based forum, advising ISSC on IS strategy and the management of services;

Administrative Information Systems Group: overseeing information systems in MIS and administrative sections; making recommendations to ISSC;

Telecommunications Review Group: steering the development of voice telecommunications, and advising ISSC;

Website Steering Group: steering the overall development of the University’s web pages;

Learning and Teaching Committee: brief includes oversight of online learning development.

APPENDIX 3: SUPPORTING NOTES

Student access to PCs

At Colchester and Loughton the 2004/05 ratio of student FTEs (on a projected total of 8,000 students) to centrally-provided networked desktop computers, including Library PCs, is 14:1, comparable with previous years. If departmental systems available for use by departments’ own students are included, the overall ratio at Colchester is better than 6:1. However this overestimates availability for those students in departments with little IT provision.

Student use of network outlets in accommodation is increasing sharply, while dial-up use is declining. In 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05 the number of students using networked accommodation outlets peaked at 1590, 1999, 2326, 2912, and 3382 respectively. . The numbers of students with active accounts registered to use student accommodation on the Wednesday of week 4 in recent years has been:

| |Active users |Increase over previous|% increase over previous|

| |Wed week 4 |year |year |

|2005 |3252 |251 |8% |

|2004 |3001 |549 |22% |

|2003 |2452 |581 |31% |

|2002 |1871 |310 |20% |

|2001 |1561 |458 |42% |

|2000 |1103 | | |

In 2000/01, 2001/02, 2002/03 and 2003/04 the maximum number of students using external dial-up in any one calendar month was 337, 309, 269, 181and 134 respectively.

APPENDIX 4: RELATED POLICY AND SERVICE DOCUMENTS

Strategic Plan 2004/05 – 2007/08

Learning and Teaching Strategy

Library Strategy

Internal Communications Policy

Campus data network infrastructure support policy

Centrally funded applications software

Data network development strategy

Domain name hosting

Eligibility for access to central computing services

Electronic data backup policy

Electronic information security policy

IT systems purchasing policy

Policy on support for Microsoft Windows

all at

Guidelines for Use of IT Facilities



Information Systems Services Service Commitments



APPENDIX 5: GLOSSARY

Abbreviations are not expanded where the expansion does not enlighten and is in any case not in everyday use by practitioners.

CAL Computer Assisted Learning: used to mean interactive learning packages typically running on a desktop computer.

Category 5E, 6 Standards for cabling buildings which, if properly adhered to, is suitable for both telephony and high speed data networking. Category 6 is replacing category 5E and is particularly suited to Gigabit speed networks.

EastNet The East of England regional network (MAN) established in May 2001 with 75% HEFCE capital funding. The members of the EastNet consortium are Anglia Ruskin University (formerly APU), The University of Cambridge, Cranfield University, the University of East Anglia, the University of Essex, the University of Hertfordshire, the University of Luton, and Writtle College.

ECDL European Computer Driving Licence: a test and accreditation scheme in seven modules developed for basic IT skills, and now in wide use across Europe.

Ethernet The ubiquitous network technology for local and departmental networks, for backbones, and for connecting individual computers. Offers varying speeds up to 10 Gbps.

Gigabit Ethernet A new Ethernet technology supporting speeds of up to 1000 Mbps

Grid A newly-emerged ICT framework supporting collaborative e-science projects. Specifically anarchitecture for distributed computing across multiple heterogeneous administrative domains, often involving very high processing power and very large quantities of data.

Internet telephony The use of PCs furnished with microphones and loudspeakers or headphones as telephones to communicate with other similarly equipped PCs, with the internet as the transmission medium. Telephone charges are low or, for institutional users, zero. But the quality is variable between poor and execrable, and there is concern about the load on the internet and competition with other traffic.

IP telephony The provision pf telephone services directly over a data network, using special handsets or software on PCs. IP telephony can be integrated with “traditional” analogue telephony via gateways in network switches or PABXs.

ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network: a network technology that will carry mixed data, video, telephone and so forth. The term is commonly used today for lower speed integrated networks available from BT and other providers as a dial-up service, like telephones. ISDN2 is 128 kbps, ISDN6 384 kbps.

IVR Interactive voice response: a mechanism supporting recorded responses to telephone callers, which guide the caller through options. Evidence that technological progress can be downward as well as upward.

JANET The Joint Academic NETwork of the universities and research organisations taken as a whole, including the regional networks.

JISC The Joint Information Systems Committee: a strategic advisory committee working on behalf of the UK funding bodies for HE and FE and in partnership with the research councils on strategy and policy for information systems. JISC manages top-sliced funds for JANET and national digital resources.

Linux A version of the Unix operating system which will run on a server or a PC as an alternative to Microsoft Windows. There is more than one flavour of Linux.

MAN Metropolitan Area Network: a high-speed network joining together institutions and organisations in a region. SuperJANET is in effect a national backbone connecting MANs, with few institutions directly attached to the backbone.

PABX Private Automatic Branch Telephone Exchange: the “traditional” way of providing a telephone service for an organisation.

Router A piece of network equipment which attaches networks or parts of a network together, and which routes network traffic. The campus network is connected to EastNet via a router.

SAN Storage Area Network. Data storage technology which allows a highly resilient disk system to provide virtualised data storage to a number of servers.

Spam Unsolicited and usually unwanted bulk email, one of the two curses of the email world. (The name is inspired by a Monty Python sketch.)

SQL server 2000 A Microsoft database system, based on non-proprietary standards.

SSH Secure Shell, a technique and computer program providing secure encrypted access from one computer to another.

SuperJANET The UK academic network high speed backbone. The current phase is SuperJANET4. The rollout of the next phase, SuperJANET5, is planned to start towards the end of 2005. The network service as a whole is still called JANET (Joint Academic Network).

Terminal server A technique of running PC applications on a server, with the PCs themselves acting broadly as remote dumb terminals. Back to the mainframe?

UKERNA The UK Educational and Research Network Association, the government-funded body which operates and develops the JANET network, under the auspices of JISC.

Unix A computer operating system widely used on servers, and on desktop computers by afficionados and scientists.

Videoconferencing Use of tailor-made video systems or computers to communicate sound, vision, and images over a network. Ranges from cheap desktop systems, providing low quality communications between PC, via medium quality systems which may be portable or semi-portable (roll-about) to large-scale fixed installations in dedicated rooms. Low quality videoconferencing typically uses the internet. Medium quality videoconferencing may use ISDN2 or ISDN6, or increasingly the H.323 standard over the internet. High quality videoconferencing uses very high bandwidth networking, satellite or dedicated links, and can reach television broadcast quality.

VoIP Voice over IP. The network protocol which allows telephone data to be carried over the data network.

Windows 2000 A current mainstream Microsoft operating system for servers; successor to Windows NT.

Windows XP The current Microsoft operating system for desktop PCs; successor to Windows 2000

X Windows A system and protocol for running a program on one computer (the server) while controlling the program and displaying output through a windows user interface on another computer (the client) connected to the server across a network.

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