Overview of the current IT infrastructure, projects, and issues at SHU

1. 2/10/2011
“State of IT at SHU”
Presentation to the Banner Academic
Affairs Advisory Group (BAAAG)
Stephen G. Landry, CIO
h d
February 2011
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Overview of IT at Seton Hall University
• Fully virtualized data center
–E i t
Easier to manage; saves power and cooling; provides
d li id
failover and business continuity options
– Most key services (Web site, PirateNet, Email, Blackboard
LS, Banner, AD, SAN) are redundant with failover
– Secondary data center in McNulty Hall nearing completion
• NEW: Redundant 500mbs Internet connections
– 1000 mbs bandwidth available to the campus
– Two independent paths to data center
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2. 2/10/2011
Overview of IT at Seton Hall University (cont.)
• Full wireless coverage from public areas, academic
spaces, and residence halls
spaces and residence halls
– Upgrade to 802.11n in progress
– Consolidating wired ports to reduce maintenance costs
– 802.1x authentication scheduled for summer 2011
• Microsoft Active Directory (AD)
y( )
– Most campus IT services authenticate through MS AD
– Accounts are provisioned from the Banner administrative
system using Oracle Identity Management (OIM)
– OIM enables users to reset their own passwords
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Overview of IT at Seton Hall University (cont.)
• Microsoft Email
– F lt t ff d d i i t t
Faculty, staff, and administrators use SHU hosted MS
SHU h t d MS
Exchange email servers
• Access through MS Outlook or Outlook Web Access (OWA, a.k.a.,
“Webmail”) [also via various mobile devices, iPhone, Blackberry, etc.]
• ArchiveOne server‐based archiving available for MS Exchange
users [“Tame the ‘In Box Monster’” – “Leave the Archiving to IT”]
– Students use MS hosted email (MSLive@EDU)
Students use MS hosted email (MSLive@EDU)
– All users can access MS hosted file sharing /collaboration
tools (MSLive Workspace, MSLive Skydrive, etc.)
– NEW: MS SharePoint (Microsoft’s collaboration tools)
server is installed and will be released shortly
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3. 2/10/2011
Overview of IT at Seton Hall University (cont.)
• Administrative Systems
–SSungard’s B
d’ Banner administrative system for student
d i i t ti t f t d t
records, financial aid, HR/Payroll, and financial records
– Upgrade to Banner 8 completed on October 12th
– System includes many “add‐on’s” that enhance base
functionality of Banner system
• E.g., Oracle Reports and Banner ODS for reporting; Banner Xtender
for document scanning / doc mgmt; Banner Workflow; others
f d i /d B W kfl h
• Not all features of Banner suite are turned on for all areas,
functional managers control implementation of most Banner
features; IT maintains over 200 Banner modifications, many are
the interfaces between administrative systems, some add needed
functionality to Banner system
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Overview of IT at Seton Hall University (cont.)
• PirateNet Campus Portal
– Provides single sign‐on to many IT services including
Provides single sign‐on to many IT services, including
student email and MS Live services
• Learning Suite
– Blackboard Learning Suite: Blackboard Learning System,
Content Systems, Assessment System, etc.
– NEW: Starfish Retention System
y
[currently being piloted in Freshman Studies]
– Also available for pilot projects: Sakai open source
learning system
– NEW: Adobe Connect for realtime video collaboration
(classes, office hours, meetings) Available soon!
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4. 2/10/2011
Overview of IT at Seton Hall University (cont.)
• Windows 7
– Off i
Offers improved stability and manageability
d t bilit d bilit
– Deployed for all new faculty and student laptops for
Mobile Computing 2010
– To reduce support costs, IT is standardizing most users
onto Windows 7 over AY’2010‐11
– Faculty and students with Windows Vista can schedule an
upgrade or wait until their next scheduled refresh
– Desktop Replacement: Administrative users with desktops
that will not satisfactorily run Windows 7 will be issued a
used laptop from the Mobile Computing Program (after
taking an online orientation to Windows 7)
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Overview of IT at Seton Hall University (cont.)
• See IT Annual Report and IT Portfolio of Projects
online for more information
online for more information
http://www.shu.edu/offices/technology/about‐doit.cfm
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5. 2/10/2011
IT Budget
• Like all areas of the University, the IT operating and
personnel budgets were cut substantially in each of
personnel budgets were cut substantially in each of
FY’2008, FY’2009, and FY’2010
• Proposed cuts were circulated widely; valuable
feedback on proposed budget cuts for this year was
provided by the Banner Steering Committee, Faculty
Senate IT committee, and other stakeholders
Senate IT committee and other stakeholders
• FY’2011 budget summary in the IT annual report
posted on IT Web site
• Huron Consulting Group made further
recommendations for future IT budget cuts 9
IT Budget (cont.) [FY’2011 Projected]
• IT Budget Overview
– Projected FY’11 IT Expense Budget: $
$ 19,519,000
– Projected FY’11 IT Revenues: $ 7,307,000
• IT Expense Budget Overview
– Salaries and Wages (incl. fringe):
g ( g ) $ ,
$10,183,000
,
– Operating Budgets: $ 3,291,000
– Mobile Computing Program Budget: $ 6,045,000
___________
$ 19,519,000
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6. 2/10/2011
IT Budget (cont.) [FY’2011 Projected]
• Major Expenses – Operating
– Administrative System Maintenance
Ad i i t ti S t M i t $ 503,000
$ 503 000
– Phone and Internet Service $ 356,000
– Cisco Network Maintenance $ 162,000
– Data Center VMWare OS Licenses $ 130,000
• Major Expenses – Mobile Computing
– Laptop Leases, Insurance, Financing, etc. $ 3,700,000
– Blackboard Hosting and Licenses $ 672,000
– Microsoft Licenses and Support $ 352,000
– Wireless Network Upgrade $ 350,000
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Huron Consulting Group – Findings
• Overall central IT costs (as a % of the overall budget)
were about average for our peer group and slightly
were about average for our peer group and slightly
lower than the doctoral university average
– Central IT expenses for faculty and user support slightly
higher than peers, but central IT costs for administrative
system support slightly lower than peers
• Mobile Computing Program is a net revenue
Mobile Computing Program is a net revenue
generator for the University, and other funding
sources for core IT services would need to be found if
the University elected to eliminate the program
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7. 2/10/2011
Huron Consulting Group – Findings (cont.)
• SHU does not require technology training for
employees; student technology training required in
employees; student technology training required in
Freshmen Studies, but is not ongoing
• SHU has a high number of Banner modifications
relative to the size of the institution and support staff
• SHU has several standing IT advisory committees
(e.g., TLTR, Faculty Senate IT Committee, Banner
Steering Committee, etc.), but does not have an
executive steering committee
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Huron Consulting Group – Recommendations
• Implement mandatory technology training for
students and employees as a way to reduce central IT
students and employees as a way to reduce central IT
support costs
• Reduce the number of Banner modifications as a way
to reduce central IT support costs
• Engage executive steering committee as a means to
improve IT governance and to ensure appropriate
prioritization of IT services and projects in line with
IT’s shrinking staff and budget
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8. 2/10/2011
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9. 2/10/2011
IT Challenges for AY’2011
• Supporting the new generation of highly mobile
devices (always on / always connected) while
devices (always on / always connected) while
determining the evolution of the Mobile program
• Increasing bandwidth consumption
• Rising costs of IT security and compliance
(e.g., HEOA, PCI, FTC “Red Flag” Rules, etc.)
• Current University budget situation
Current University budget situation
(e.g., University hiring slowdown / shrinking IT resources)
• Supporting new generation of software (Open Source,
SaaS, SOA, cloud computing, etc.) – new options, new
costing models, new skills required, etc.
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IT Challenges for AY’2011 (cont.)
• Supporting faculty research computing needs
(e.g., Internet2 was discontinued in FY 2009 due to budget
(e g Internet2 was discontinued in FY’2009 due to budget
cutbacks)
• Enabling administrative areas to improve their
effectiveness and efficiency while reducing
administrative computing costs (e.g., reducing Banner
)
modifications as Huron’s recommendation)
• Continue to leverage high levels of faculty interest
and use of IT to support the University’s instruction
and assessment initiatives
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10. 2/10/2011
IT Challenges for AY’2011 (cont.)
• Implementing Huron recommendations:
– Leveraging technology standardization and increasing user
proficiency to reduce IT support costs
– Seek to reduce modifications and consolidate
administrative system in future upgrades to Banner suite in
order to reduce IT support costs
– Engaging executive team in prioritization of services and
projects to align with both IT budget reductions and
University priorities
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Be Part of the Solution
• Teaching Learning and Technology Roundtable (TLTR)
– TLT R
TLT Roundtable Purpose:
dt bl P
• To achieve the best in teaching, learning, research and
administration through more effective use of information
technology while controlling costs, a college or university needs
continuing communication, cooperation, and collaboration among
representatives of a wide range of faculty, administrators, and
support services to facilitate better planning, decision making, and
support for faculty, students, and staff.
support for faculty students and staff
• TLT Group Web Page:
http://www.tltgroup.org/TLTR/guidelines.htm
– Founded in 1997, the Seton Hall TLTR is the longest
continually meeting advisory committee on technology
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11. 2/10/2011
TLTR Action Teams
• The work of the TLTR is advanced by action teams
• S
Some current action teams are in need of additional
t ti t i d f dditi l
participants
– Emerging Technologies
• Exploring the evolution of mobile computing and the impact of
changing technology on SHU programs and services
– Next Steps for SHU’s Learning System
• Exploring alternatives to the current Blackboard LMS
– Digital Sustainability
• Exploring ways technology can reduce the University’s
environmental impact
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How to get involved
• Participate in TLTR meetings
– S htt //bl
See: http://blogs.shu.edu/tltr/
h d /tlt /
• Send your ideas, issues or concerns to the TLTR
Chairs
– Steve Landry: landryst@shu.edu
– Mary Balkun:
Mary Balkun: balkunma@shu.edu
balkunma@shu edu
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12. 2/10/2011
You can find this presentation on the IT News
and Announcements blog at:
http://blogs.shu.edu/doit/
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Questions?
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