Project Updates

Below you will find short descriptions of some of the many important Projects being managed by Information Services or involving Information Services staff:

Network Upgrade

Approval has recently been given by the University Executive Board, to upgrade all wired network communications devices within the campus infrastructure. This project will replace wired network devices that are nearing the end of their operational life. The new equipment will contribute to a network speed of 20 gigabytes per second, or 10 times the current backbone speed.

Therefore this significant investment of £740k increases network speed, reliability and security while future proofing this part of the infrastructure for approximately seven years.

This is a major project that will involve all parts of the campus network. Downtime (if any) will be kept to the absolute minimum.

Approval of the three projects shows the forward thinking of the university and its desire to embrace the latest technology to enhance the learning and teaching experience of students and staff. The funds for these major investments have been provided by the Scottish Funding Council, who has given their approval for this expenditure.

Wireless Upgrade

Approval has recently been given by University Executive Board, to upgrade the wireless provision within campus. This substantial investment of £276k, will result in the majority of the campus being covered by wireless technology.

All existing wireless access points will be replaced by devices that are of the latest technology. These will negate any interference from other sources that surround the university (ie: microwaves, wireless phones and other neighbouring wireless networks) allowing a cleaner and more robust connection.

The full campus has been subjected to a wireless coverage survey. The result of which is a design that will improve wireless network coverage in most areas.

Work has commenced, the first building to be targeted is the Charles Oakley building, which should be complete by the start of this semester. The campus wide work should be complete by October 2009.

Server Resiliency

Approval has recently been given by the University Executive Board, to make our business critical systems more resilient. This involves a substantial investment of £230k. The systems identified as business critical are: Oracle HR, Oracle Finance, ISIS, Staff e-mail and VoIP (Telephone Network). In addition to this, Student e-mail and our Virtual Learning Environment Blackboard are already resilient, as they are supplied by an external third party provider.

The term "Server Resiliency" in this context, means a system has the capability to 'failover' to another group of hardware and software, without losing any functionality or data. The secondary group of hardware and software are sited at a different location from the primary group. Data is replicated between them, so failover is transparent to the users.

Work has begun and should be complete December 2009.

Eprocurement

cEPaCA project is live in pilot phase for the Finance Office, SEC and SLS. University-wide rollout planning is underway, followed by implementation over the coming months. Initial rollout communications are progressing. Process workshops have started for Facilities and SLSS - being scheduled to go live during August & September.

ISIS programme

Phase One of Three is already complete and covered Admissions, System Resources, Security Management, Curriculum, System Enquiries and Reporting. Phase Two has begun, allowing the University to use ISIS to submit information to HESA on leaver destinations. Other projects in Phase Two include Academic Database, Curriculum Management, Student Records, Fees and SAAS (Students Award Agency for Scotland), Self Service Registration and Statutory Returns. Phase Three projects have also begun, with colleagues from across the University collaborating to define and record current business processes and requirements.

Web Re-development

The first phase of the new university website was launched on the 5th of May. The new site built in the university’s content management system Terminalfour Site Manager concentrated on the areas of Student Recruitment, Alumni, Business Services, Research and the Academic Schools. We will now be moving in to phase 2 of the project which will build on the first phase and look at moving other web areas in to the new design.

Blended Learning

This project remains on track with the final training offered in May on the Content system. Many Schools are now moving to full implementation of their pilot projects to test and deploy the new functionality. Also all Schools are working to ensure there is at least one online assessment for each unit on offer in second semester as part of our contingency planning for the impending H1N1 flu pandemic.

It has also been highlighted that there is a need to review the requirements for the Blackboard Content Module as well as the Terminal 4 Content Management System and this will take place as soon as the vacant positions in IT have been filled.

Labs Rollout

This summer we are replacing the entire Saltire Centre’s computer hardware (400 new units); it is also planned to replace 250 lab based machines and 220 lab based chairs around campus. New software images will be rolled out to 42 labs; and in total approximately 500 pcs will be recycled. The first batch of 100 machines arrived w/b 15th June with Lab A101 (80 PC’S) the first to be updated.

Institutional Repository

This project to put in place an Institutional Repositry is on hold at the moment pending further investigation by the Research Committee. Hopefully there will be progress in the near future.

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