ITAC Minutes 7-Dec-95
Attending: Annette Foster, David Jamieson-Drake, John Board, Richard Palmer, Landen Bain, John Gallagher, Mike Pickett, Betty Le Compagnon, Jim Dronsfield, Robert Wolpert, Melissa Mills, Paul Harrod, Kim Pair, Tom DiPrete, Steve Natelborg, Caroline Nisbet, Ashish Gehani, Bill Auld, Dick Danner
Opening by Betty Le Compagnon: Began the meeting with an overview of the charter for the "new" ITAC and provided several charges to the committee members:
- advise her on matters related to information technology
- design a strategic plan for IT
- give advice on policies and procedures
- inform others in the Duke community/ be informed by members of the Duke community
- monitor what's happening and what progress is being made
Overview of recent changes at OIT: upgrades to various systems, wiring infrastructure.
ITAC has the support of senior management and should not be hampered in its thinking.
Comments from Robert Wolpert:
Robert provided a brief overview of computing at Duke as a backdrop for the existence of OIT and ITAC. Included were issues involving lack of essential services, funding and infrastructure.
Three major issues for ITAC for which subcommittees have been (or will be) formed:
- Student computing - how should clusters evolve; how should computing services be provided
- Strategic Planning - e.g. what to do about the University mainframe
- Institutional data; data warehousing for decision support
- meetings every 2 weeks, Thursdays, 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm, 211 Telcom
- agendas in advance; items can be sent to one of the members of the agenda steering committee: Robert Wolpert, David Jamieson-Drake, Richard Palmer, Betty Le Compagnon, Mike Pickett
- 3 year revolving terms will be assigned to committee members
- substitutes are encouraged when committee members are unable to attend
- minutes taken at each meeting by members using alphabetic rotation
David Jamieson-Drake updated the group on the initial efforts of the Institutional Data Subcommittee:
- problem not yet defined
- tasked to identify, not solve, the problem of institutional data management, finding the best approaches
- are creating a long-term, high level plan to identify IT directions
- recommend creating a tactical, short-term ( 1 year horizon) plan as a part of the strategic plan
- both plans should be reviewed yearly
- creating a list of important issues, including robust E-mail, basic levels of services (i.e., Internet access, off campus access, etc.)
- student computing issues (i.e., Quad printers)
- identification of computing issues for undergraduates; tied in with DSG computing group
- Additional cluster for East Campus (to facilitate E-mail access and general use)
3 different approaches:
- Minimum: no new machines, but a shifting of current machines on East between two existing clusters
- Medium: "extra" machines moved from North to East, set up an additional cluster in unused commons area more centrally located on East; shifting of machines to/from existing clusters to maximize E-mail access
- Maximum: same as medium option but with new machines supplemented by "extra" machines from North
ITAC Motion: Endorse plan for the medium course of action, providing a new cluster on East. Motion carried.
- Quad Printers
Provide Quad printer access to West, assuming issues of security, maintenance and funding could be addressed. Recommend pilot in either Crowell or Wanamaker (or both).
ITAC Motion: Endorse plan for implementation of a Quad printer access pilot. Motion carried.
- mainframe is being critically taxed; need for both short-term and long-term solutions. Short-term solution might be an upgrade to the current processor; long-term, a planned migration of applications away from this platform.
- suggested that subcommittee should be tasked to look at this issue and options for resolution