Issues discussed:
1. Podium machines
These teaching machines have been setup to provide safe stable computing. Thus, administration through Nexus has helped in the support of these machines. When problems come, people tend to blame the network. This issue has shown up in classes, where sometimes programs do not run or are working (fails). We tend to get the blame. We have been asked to provide, simpler software, or a subset of the lab machine software.
The problem is a lot deeper. People expect 100% reliability! How do we let them know that this is not true. Of late, it seems to be the Viruses and the DOS attacks that have been cause the problems.
Public relations and education seem to be a good way to provide this information. (possibly helping the teachers to teach????) Within this framework we need to point out some of the challenges and innovations which have been dealt with.
The University of Waterloo is well ahead of some other universities. It was pointed out the University of British Columbi was ahead of us.
How can we minimize the problems. Can we put together some information on the Podium machines, a sort of how to. This would be specific for Professor, Student, or Visitor. Agreed that a sub group would put together a document for this purpose.
Distance Educaton, what sort of support do we provide? This is something to send to UCIST.
2. Rotation of WNAG members to UCIST
WNAG members are to go, one at a time, ever two months to the UCIST meetings. This is to have Q&A. Ask questions, and state what we have done. The last meetings big point was cross Faculty printing. The UCIST members like this very much, and reiterated, whatever money was need for this plan, they would make sure was available.
Further to this, a task group was planned to discuss the features of the new printing program. This will be to hopefully include MAC printing, which is one of the reasons that Environment Studies (ES) has not yet come on board with the current printing setup. Requesting Bruce to setup a Twiki for those that wish to be involved and talk. Each faculty should put someone in the Printing Support group. Arts will have Vic, and ES will have Dawn(???).
3. Security
IPSec and ICF work well with individuals. Are there plans to monitor and advise with logs? Most of this lead to the 'new' SP or 2003 with which it will be able to log to a central server. Bruce Campbell has done work with ACL's on the switches. This will be mail out to share with the group.
4. Spam
What are other using, Spamassasin seems to be prevalant. Math notes that Spamassasin can be put on a separate server. Math has bought two new performance machines to do just this. The two have a common point of failure, but they are relying on redundancy of the systems. Are people watching and monitoring this service on their systems.
