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Information Technology 2004-2005 Activities Report

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Information Technology 2004-2005 Activities Report Information Technology ANNUAL REPORT 2004-2005 2 Information Technology 2004-2005 Annual Report Information Technology encompasses the centrally provided communications and computing environment for Virginia Tech, including computing and networking infrastructure that supports the missions of Virginia Tech. The Information Technology organization is made up of several major areas reporting to the Vice President for Information Technology. They include Network Infrastructure and Services; Learning Technologies; Enterprise Systems; IT Security; Secure Enterprise Technology Initiatives; Research Computing; eCorridors; and Administration and Planning. This report for the period ending June 30, 2005, is organized into four sections. First, new directions are highlighted in “Featured Topics and New Directions,” projects that engage Information Technology staff members across several organizational units. Second, traditional themes of engagement in and support for instruction, research, and outreach comprise “Core Missions.” Third is the 2005 fiscal year financial summary. Finally, this report includes the annual report of each unit within Information Technology. Management of Information Technology at Virginia Tech may be contacted by: Telephone: 540/231-4227 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.it.vt.edu Mail: 1700 Kraft Drive, Suite 2000 Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA 24061 3 Table of Contents I. Featured Topics and New Directions............................ 5 Scholar .............................................................................5 Mobile Computing ...............................................................7 Security ............................................................................9 II. Traditional Core Missions ......................................... 11 Instruction....................................................................... 11 Research ......................................................................... 13 Outreach ......................................................................... 15 III. Financial Summary ................................................. 17 IV. Unit Reports ............................................................ 19 eCorridors ....................................................................... 21 Enterprise Systems ........................................................... 27 Information Technology Acquisitions.................................... 41 Institute for Advanced Learning and Research....................... 51 Learning Technologies ....................................................... 73 Network Infrastructure and Services.................................. 113 Research Computing ....................................................... 195 Secure Enterprise Technology Initiatives ............................ 209 University Information Technology Security Office ............... 219 4 Featured Topics and New Directions Scholar to include a small number of pilot Scholar is a Virginia Tech courses. implementation of the Sakai Project, a community source software development effort that began in Learning Technologies has been an 2004. The project works to design, active participant in national build, and deploy a new initiatives on open source software Collaboration and Learning development. Non-proprietary open- Environment for higher education. source applications help insure that The course management goals of the faculty and student needs are project include environments and addressed. Staff involvement in tools that support research Sakai included testing the software, collaboration as well. Founding quality assurance analysis, institutions of the project are the deployment exercises, hardware University of Michigan and Indiana purchases, and support planning. University. Both universities independently began open source The Collaborative Technologies Unit efforts to replicate and enhance the of Secure Enterprise Technology functionality of their existing course Initiatives was also engaged in the management systems. Soon after, research and develop the Sakai MIT and Stanford joined. With framework at Virginia Tech. contributions of the Open Knowledge Initiative, the uPortal The development of a course consortium, and a grant from the evaluation system component of Mellon Foundation, the Sakai Sakai is the component for which Project was formed. Virginia Tech has taken leadership in this open source consortium. Virginia Tech participates in the Learning Technologies’ Application Sakai Project through the efforts of Development group collaborated several Information Technology with Columbia University and MIT units. Currently, Sakai’s course to modify and extend the course management system is operating in evaluation system. a pilot mode. The system consolidates the functions of a Maintaining the underlying course management system like database management system and Blackboard, adding research and application administration for collaboration features and an Scholar is undertaken by the enhanced ePortfolio. Initially, Database Management Systems Scholar will be configured to provide team. System administration for the non-course project sites, such as infrastructure, including the dissertation committee worksites, infrastructure for the development research project collaboration, and test bed, is work of the Systems file-sharing sites. Starting in spring Support group of Network semester 2006, Scholar will expand Infrastructure and Systems. 5 Online Course Management Systems supports these systems, including testing usability and functionality. Presentation: Mitra, A., Cartolano, R., Plymale, W., Zeckoski, A. “An on-line course evaluation system in the Sakai framework.” Presentation at the Sakai Educational Partners Summer Conference, Baltimore, MD, June 2005. 6 Mobile Computing Wireless access to the high- Torgersen Hall. New Media Center performance networks of Virginia staff and the Computer-Integrated Tech underpins truly mobile Classroom Support staff engage in computing in support of the studying the ways in which the research, teaching, and outreach portability, connectivity, and missions of the university, as well as handwriting support of tablet PCs critical support for administration. work with the wireless network to Wireless technology was extended to facilitate teaching and learning. A approximately 85 percent of track within the Faculty administrative and academic space Development Institute focused on on the Blacksburg campus and the the use of tablet computers in Northern Virginia Center. Wireless teaching. Learning Technologies implementation included and Network Infrastructure and installation in new and remodeled Services work together to continue buildings as well. The security of to study the wireless network wireless networking was enhanced requirements of tablet computing. with the establishing of the Virtual Collaboration extends to other Private Network service. university communities through EDUCAUSE Net@EDU Wireless Information Technology staff work Networking Group, including the with faculty to ensure that wireless University of Chicago, New York access enhances student learning University, Pennsylvania State through pedagogical innovations in University, and the University of the classroom, as well as informal North Carolina at Charlotte. access in study spaces. The wireless campus resulted from the Research work in mobile computing work of several groups within includes the response of Network Infrastructure and Communications Network Services Services. The Research and to the Virginia Tech Transportation Development group provided design Institute for help in planning for support; Business Administration wireless collection of video and data and Operations manages from sensor controllers at traffic registration; and the Virginia Tech light locations in the Blacksburg Operations Center staff provides area. The “Instrumented City” technical support to network users project provides a research test on availability, registration, and set- facility to monitor traffic flow, traffic up and troubleshooting. safety, noise, and air pollution. Teaching and learning are Outreach to Virginia communities supported by the New Media Center assists in establishing and (Learning Technologies) that loans expanding wireless service. The tablet computers for use in the Blacksburg Electronic Village (NI&S) experimental classrooms in staff and the eCorridors Project have 7 provided expertise and assistance to meetings of the Board of Visitors to Virginia communities. In Bedford, ensure uninterrupted wireless the municipality seeks to connect availability. The migration to Palm emergency vehicles with municipal OS Pocket PCs in the Virginia Tech buildings in order to improve Mobile Messaging project is the response time. Nelson County result of multiple project teams anticipates using wireless as part of working to establish a new wireless their comprehensive broadband service for mobile access to data. strategy to build on network access The converged telephony and as an economic development computing environment provides strategy. eCorridors is working to continuous wireless synchronization propose recommendations to of e-mail and data for university improve a wireless hot spot in executives. Chatham, Virginia. Presentation: Hach, Richard. Finally, support for routine “Integrated Technology for communications, including Emergency Systems/Disaster administration, was enhanced by Recovery,” Wireless and ICS wireless projects. The
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