2003 Fall Update

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As usual, the ITS team has worked on a variety of new projects this past summer. In this update we will introduce some technical enhancements that promise to further enable your work. The changes include the following:

Upgrading our Servers
We have replaced our IMAP email computer system used primarily by faculty and students. Those who receive their messages under this protocol (messages are stored on the server rather than on local hard drives) are enjoying much greater speed in processing their email. Also the computer and hard drives of the avalon system were upgraded this summer. This upgrade provides a much needed performance boost to our students and those academic groups that store data on this system. Thanks to Brent Nordquist, Jeremy Mooney, Mike Spande, and others on the server team for their contributions to these efforts.

Server System Reliability
Increasingly, Bethel users expect to access our many servers on a 24 X 7 basis. While we are currently unable to provide guaranteed server support outside of a 5 X 10 timeframe, we are implementing the following technologies to improve system reliability (hopefully reducing the probability of server down time).

First, we are implementing RAID technology. Utilizing multiple hard disks, this technology is designed to provide continuous access to data even when a hard drive fails. While increasingly reliable, hard disks, due to high-speed components (7 – 10K rpm), are a weak link in the average server system. When an inevitable failure occurs, the RAID technology is designed to enable the system to maintain access to all data that is algorithmically distributed among the remaining drives. To the extent that the technology performs as intended, overall server system uptime is increased. RAID is currently implemented on our Windows servers (alexandria, avalon, clavin, physical plant, ruth, samuel, and usonia2), our email servers, our Blackboard server, and our Internet web server.

Second, we are implementing clustering technology. Employing multiple computers in a single server system, this strategy provides for continuing uptime in the event of the loss of a computer. Computers are less likely to fail than hard disks. But should one fail in a clustered environment, the remaining computer(s) in the cluster carry the load until the failed system can be replaced. We currently have clustering enabled on two of our email servers. Plans are in place to add the print server, the Blackboard server, and the webmail server.

We hope that these two technologies will reduce the probability of the loss of access to any of our servers upon which we all depend. Nevertheless, some downtime will still be likely. Currently, our resources provide for a best effort response by staff when systems fail during off hours. If you have questions or a recommendation for improving our responsiveness, please contact anyone in ITS or any member of the Academic Computing Services Advisory Committee. We greatly appreciate Brent Nordquist’s talent and vision in providing these relatively low-cost, state-of-the-art enhancements to the reliability of our server environment.

Blackboard Upgrade
Last spring Blackboard released a major upgrade from version 5.6 of its web course management system. Our evaluation indicated that we should adopt the new version 6.0 for both its new features and the performance improvements it promised. However, we were not told that adopting the new version would require us to upgrade from the base level of the product to a much more expensive enterprise level. The change in levels was necessitated because of a change in licensing that no longer allowed us to automate the creation of user accounts in the base level. The actual upgrade proved to be very challenging, imposing many unexpected technical surprises. Thanks to Andy Altepeter for his enduring and successful efforts on this project.

Potential CARS Replacement Update
A few years ago CARS along with three other similar companies was bought out by Jenzabar. The .com meltdown in 2000 along with internal problems brought Jenzabar into a precarious financial position. Jenzabar’s financial survivability, our concern about quality and ability to deliver new products, and the projected five-year cost of ownership caused us to engage in a due diligence evaluation of alternatives. Since May, 2002, Bethel, Macalester, Northwestern, St. Catherine, and recently William Mitchell School of Law have been collaboratively evaluating alternative vendors. On August 25 the presidents of the five institutions endorsed our collaboration, and approved a recommended program to involve appropriate staff from all five institutions in the assessment of needs and subsequent vendor evaluations. Our goal is to recommend in early January either a replacement vendor or a continuation with CARS. This is an aggressive and challenging goal for which we will appreciate your prayers. We are very grateful to Mary Holmes for the talent and wisdom she is contributing to this project.

Information Systems Enhancements. Often working with the CARS experts in various administrative offices, we have successfully completed several projects that improve the operation of the institution.

Web access to student information for CGCS. Jay Swisher, Carol Carlson, and Wayne Anthenat collaborated to provide web access to CGCS students for schedules and grades.

BSOE access to and use of CARS. Technical problems have been solved, allowing BSOE staff both to access CARS securely and to print CARS reports. The enabling technologies include a dedicated Internet circuit connecting the Dresher facilities to t he Internet; a virtual private network (VPN) that enables data to travel between Dresher and St. Paul in a secure, logical tunnel; and a secure connection (SSH) for accessing CARS screens from any location. Thanks to Nick Anderson, Mary Holmes, Dave Holter, and Doug Olson for completing this project.

Seminary web registration: Chet Duck, Wayne Anthenat, Lori Jass, and Jay Swisher worked together to set up the CARS Faculty/Student web pages for all three branches of the seminary. They are all using it for registration.

Increased CARS training opportunities. Sandy Gritzmacher has begun offering a series of mini-seminars twice a year to enhance staff ability to more accurately manage Bethel data. Topics covered: Better Querying Techniques, Managing Multiple Name Styles, Managing Alternate/Seasonal Addresses, Review of Name & Address Standards, and Accurately Managing Husband-Wife Links in the Records.

Data Integrity advances: Sandy has also launched a Data Integrity Advisory Task Force, with representatives from the offices responsible for Bethel data, to review and address issues of integrity in the database. Some recent examples of issues: use, application and agreement of mail and solicitation hold records; agreement between gender and title in the records; and spouse address maintenance.

On-line leave reporting is available for many Bethel employees, with more to be added over the months. Gregg Owens has been working with Human Resources, Financial Aid and Payroll to develop the logic for secure, accurate and correct electronic flow for time reports. Student workers enter their time in & out, submit the final report to their supervisor on-line. Supervisors return the sheet for correction or approve it, forwarding the sheet electronically to Financial Aid and Student Payroll for acceptance, computation and paycheck--the first piece of paper involved in the transactions. Exempt employees are submitting leave reports in the same system, streaming through supervisor approval if necessary, on to Human Resources and then to Payroll, replacing manual entry and paper handling all along the way.

Legal compliance issues have Mary Holmes and Dave Holter participating in the HIPAA compliance task force to assure Bethel's compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Dave has also made sure Bethel is in compliance with the security requirements of the GLB (Graham-Leach-Bliley) Financial institutions act. Sandy Gritzmacher has been working with Carol Chang and Sue Carlson to provide information support for SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) compliance.

Earlier this year, Jay Swisher, Gary Seaberg, Mary Holmes, Laura Hainlen, John Neibergall, and John Wiens designed and Jay executed an on-line contact entry system for Development Officers to use while traveling or in the office, allowing them to report activities on travel, and to schedule future activities. Gary has continued to provide additional reporting from this system.

Web Applications Development
Bethel users have requested the development of many web applications. Examples include online event registration plus payments and access to secure CARS data such as employee flex elections and other benefits. To better address this growing need, ITS has reallocated a vacancy in desktop services to define a new web application development position. Andy Altepeter will move from his current position of webmaster into this new position. We hope to have the temporarily vacated webmaster position filled by the time you read this report.

Desktop Services Activities
This summer the desktop team replaced over 300 systems, completed another 65 OS upgrades, and installed 55 additional systems. Included among the additional resources are thin-client, Linux-based kiosk boxes, computers in a conference room for students in the library, flat-panel displays in our labs, and PC’s in our residence hall labs. In addition we sold over $5000 of used equipment. The invasion of Blaster and Welchia late in the summer delayed completion of final stages of some projects. During the heights of the virus attacks, the ITS help desk received more than double the previous record for weekly call volume. This record volume lasted for four consecutive weeks. While we are still dealing with the after effects of the Blaster and Welchia attacks, we hope to have every issue resolved by Thanksgiving. A positive outcome is that Blaster and Welchia have made Bethel community members more security conscious. Also, ITS has developed new server technologies that enable us to respond to future computer threats much more rapidly.

Three Additional Classrooms with LCD projectors
We have added LCD projectors and permanent computers to the following classrooms: AC300, CC312, and CC430. By removing the A/B switch box and installing a different wiring scheme, we also intend to modify the carts so that both the onboard computer and an instructor notebook can be simultaneously connected to the network. Thanks to Frank Schiffer for his continued efforts to enable reliable and easy access to these classroom technologies. A list of all classrooms with LCD projectors is available at http://www.bethel.edu/its/Resources/EquipClassrooms.html.

Student Web Consultants
Increasingly, departments depend upon web sites to communicate with constituencies and to conduct business. Some departments have expertise to create and maintain their web-sites and others do not. To help those that do not, we have identified and trained four students who are skilled web page and web site creators. The employing department will be responsible for paying the students’ wages. Interested faculty should contact Bob Kistler at X6313 and interested staff should contact Mike Johnson at X8639.

Internet Bandwidth
Bethel’s Internet connection, provided by four T1 circuits, is currently rated at six Megabits per second (Mbps). We intend to increase this bandwidth by 50% to nine Mbps as soon as possible. This upgrade is currently on hold due to a Mounds View school system project that is behind schedule. Mounds View is installing a fiber optic cable network connecting all of its buildings. In exchange for giving Mounds View legal right of way to bury cable on the south end of our campus (near the railroad tracks), we have two opportunities. First, we will connect Fountain Terrace via fiber directly to our network. When this project is complete, students at Fountain will have service identical to that on campus, a large improvement for them. Second, we have the option of connecting to the Internet through Mounds View’s new network. We have been told that we will realize substantial savings by doing so. The Mounds View project, originally scheduled for completion in time for the start of classes, has been delayed until at least early November. To maximize our cost savings, we will delay our decision on Internet connectivity routes until the project is complete. Through our current vendor or through Mounds View, at that time we will increase our bandwidth as indicated above.

Microsoft Licensing Agreement
We have joined several other Minnesota private colleges in this program for a second year. The program provides a site license for Microsoft Office, the Windows client operating system, and licenses required to access Windows 2000 servers. This agreement enables us to install the latest versions of these Microsoft offerings on all institutionally-owned computers. This program also authorizes qualified employees to purchase for use at home (educational use only) a copy of Office for $12 (plus postage for those on the coasts). Eligibility to participate in the program is limited to full-time administrators; full-time, associated, or extended faculty; and full-time staff who use a personally-owned computer to do Bethel work at home on a regular basis. If you qualify and are interested, contact Computer Village to sign Microsoft’s required agreement and to make a purchase.

VP for ITS
October 20, 2003