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Initiatives
The following initiatives should be completed or well underway by January 2017. Some are internal projects. Others require collaboration with other IT units on campus.
These projects represent activity in addition to ACO's day to day activities. Ongoing activities not covered here include maintaining technology infrastructure and providing technical support to the faculty, staff, and students of the Faculty of Arts.
Where applicable, recommendations are linked to objectives in the Arts Strategic Plan and the UW IT Strategic Plan.
Administrative support
Communications improvements
Recommendation: Using internal knowledge, effective practices in use outside ACO, and spontaneous and solicited feedback from our clients, improve on communication from ACO to our clients. Review and improve on existing communication templates/standards.
Lead: Sherry Hartung
Expected completion: Full set of templates by early 2017
Outcome: New and updated templates and guidelines for communication in a central location. Improvements in awareness throughout the Faculty of ACO's work and services we provide to help staff, students, and faculty do their work.
Status: Incomplete. Moving this work to Administrative Coordinator goals for 2018 calendar year.
Priority: Low
UW IT strategic plan: U4 IP1 IP2 IP5 IP11 OC1
Arts strategic plan:P5O1 (Communications)
Teaching and learning support
Teaching lab updates
Recommendation: Complete Windows workstation replacements in PAS 1080, 1098, 1099 and ML 110 areas. Replace aging podium in PAS 1237 lab. If a new version of Stata is needed, upgrade to a current version (14 IC).
Lead: Scott Paterson
Completion: June 2016.
Outcome: Updated hardware for Windows-based computing in all PAS labs and current versions of software that is needed in labs for instructional purposes.
Status: Complete.
Priority: High
UW IT strategic plan: RM1 U3 IP4
Arts strategic plan: P1O4 P4O1
AL lobby updates
Recommendation: Replace aging hardware in AL lobby. Retire terminal services server.
Lead: Scott Paterson
Expected completion: April 2017
Outcome: Updated hardware in the AL lobby area (utility computing units to replace existing thin clients) sufficient to meet demand for devices with minimal software for brief periods of use and easy access to electrical outlets for students who prefer to use their own laptops.
Status: Complete.
Priority: Medium
UW IT strategic plan: RM1 U3 IP4
Arts strategic plan: P1O4 P4O1
Student access to resource booking
Recommendation: Create an app for booking equipment loans and resource rooms, make it available to students.
Lead: Mark Byerley
Expected completion: Winter 2017
Outcome: GDBA and MDEI students can determine availability of resources at the Stratford campus and place reservations on rooms and equipment.
Status: Awaiting funding for recommended solution.
Priority: Medium
UW IT strategic plan: RM2 IP1 IP11 U1 U3
Arts strategic plan: P1O5 P2O3
Research support
Develop research support policies
Recommendation: Using experiences from ongoing and recent research support work (including the Games Institute and requests for assistance with research proposals or technology selection), create policies and procedures around the support of research.
Lead: Dawn Keenan
Expected completion: Winter 2017
Outcome: Documented policies and procedures for research support to be performed by ACO. Information available to all faculty in Arts regarding assistance they can expect to receive from ACO in their research, including services, timing, and costs.
Status: Incomplete.
Priority: Low
UW IT strategic plan: RM2 OC1 OC4 IP2 U2
Arts strategic plan: P3O1 P3O2
Infrastructure
Create service contingency plan
Recommendation: Develop a service contingency plan to enable the continuity of services in the event of an outage affecting IT infrastructure.
Rationale: Other Faculty IT groups have noted that internal audits identified this as an area of need. We are aware of existing limitations in ACO-managed infrastructure that need to be fully documented and processes tested to reduce the effects of identified risks.
Lead: Keith McGowan
Expected completion: February 2017
Outcome: A service contingency plan and infrastructure changes to reduce or eliminate downtime. This plan will be tested after completion and subject to annual review and testing.
Status: incomplete.
Priority: High
UW IT strategic plan: RM1 RM2 IP5 IP8
Arts strategic plan: P6O2
Windows, Office upgrades
Recommendation: Prepare for Windows 10 and Office 2016 implementation and support for Nexus workstations in Arts.
Lead: Nevil Bromley
Expected completion: Office 2016 complete - September 2016. April 2017 is target for completion of lab deployment of Windows 10 and initial office desktop deployment of Windows 10.
Outcome: Common applications tested with Windows 10. User facing documentation updated to reflect configuration, interface, and general usage changes for new default versions of Windows and Office.
Status: Preparation and initial pilot complete.
Priority: Medium
UW IT strategic plan: RM1 IP4 IP5 U1
Arts strategic plan: P6O2
Windows deployment improvements
Recommendation: Determine and implement best methods for OS deployment to new and existing Windows computers (desktop and laptop). Expand on SCCM implementation in Arts, including imaging processes.
Lead: Scott Paterson
Expected completion: Winter 2017
Outcome: Documented image deployment procedure for Windows 10.
Status: Complete.
Priority: Medium
UW IT strategic plan:RM1 IP4 IP5 IP8
Arts strategic plan: P6O2
Windows security improvements
Recommendation: Complete implementation of Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) in Arts/Nexus. Implement advanced Windows server security features (e.g. firewall rules).
Lead: Nevil Bromley
Completion: August 2016
Outcome: Deprecation and removal of local administrator access. Enhanced server security.
Status: Complete.
Priority: High
UW IT strategic plan: OC3 IP6 IP8
Arts strategic plan: P6O2
Apple management improvements
Recommendation: Follow developments in Apple device management and respond in planning and operation of Apple management solutions in Arts. Investigate SCCM for Mac management. Focus specifically on improvements in laptop management.
Lead: Keith McGowan, Sean Speers
Expected completion: January 2017
Outcome:
Status: Complete.
Priority: Medium
UW IT strategic plan:RM1 IP4 IP5 IP8
Arts strategic plan: P6O2
File service improvements
Recommendation: Bring Cygnus2 info full production use as primary Arts file server. Complete migration to Cygnus2.
Lead: Nevil Bromley
Completion: August 2016
Outcome: Faster, more reliable file service for Arts.
Status: Complete.
Priority: High
UW IT strategic plan: RM2 IP5 IP8
Arts strategic plan: P6O2
Server migrations
Recommendation: Implement new backup server on up to date hardware and OS.
Lead: Sean Speers
Completion: Fall 2016
Outcome:
Status: Complete.
Priority: Medium
UW IT strategic plan: RM2 IP5 IP10
Arts strategic plan: P6O2
Identity and Access Management system change
Recommendation: Adjust processes and systems to accommodate campus identity management system replacement.
Lead: Nevil Bromley
Expected completion: Winter 2017 Fall 2017
Outcome:
Status: Stalled on outcomes of the IST project driving this work.
Priority: Medium
UW IT strategic plan:OC2 OC4 IP7
Arts strategic plan: P6O2
Operational practice standardization
Recommendation: Document and adopt standard operating procedures in ACO, including all technical staff in discussions and process design and improvement.
Lead: Lisa Tomalty / Will Lewis
Expected completion: Winter 2017
Outcome: Repository of documentation describing current processes and procedures, to be reviewed periodically for accuracy.
Status: Work is in progress.
Priority: Medium
UW IT strategic plan: OC2 OC3 IP2 IP7
Arts strategic plan: P6O2
Asset management
Recommendation: Implement CALMS to replace current asset and inventory management system in ACO.
Lead: Herbert Balagtas
Completion: January 2017
Outcome: Information about on-campus systems and software in the Asset database will be migrated to CALMS, with the former system becoming a read-only repository of historical data. Eventually incorporate updates from authoritative systems (e.g. Munki, SCCM, ONA, IPAM).
Status: Complete.
Priority: Medium
UW IT strategic plan: RM2 IP3 IP5 IP6 IP9
Arts strategic plan: P6O2
Audit response
Recommendation: Address observations from internal IT audit for the Faculty of Arts.
Lead: Dawn Keenan
Expected completion: March 2017
Outcome: Deficiencies identified in the audit report and accepted by management will be corrected.
Status: Work is in progress.
Priority: High
UW IT strategic plan: RM1 RM2 IP5 IP8
Arts strategic plan: P6O2
