Author Archives: Bill Kernan

Computer, Printer and Software Replacement Cycle

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Computer and Printer Replacement by Funding Source

  • General Fund Departments

    • Most of the 2010 computers have been replaced.  Computers purchased in 2011 are currently being replaced.
    • Replacement of 2012 computers will begin in Fall 2016
    • 2012 computers that are out of warranty and are currently failing will be replaced now.
    • Printers:
      • IT makes recommendations based on the age and utilization of the printer.  Typical life-cycle for a laser printer is 5 – 7 years.
      • Replacement is dependent on departmental budget.

  • IFC Funded Departments

    • Computers purchased in 2007 and 2008 are currently being replaced.
    • Some 2009 computers will be replaced before July 1, 2016

  • Student Technology Funded Labs

    • Computers are replaced every 3  to 4 years.
    • Higher level computers, such as those in the MIDI lab, tend to have a longer life.
    • The maintenance contract with the printer vendor provides us with new replacement printers when the current printer is at end of life.

Software Updates

  • Google Apps for Education
    • Licenses for all WOU users
    • Updates by Google on a periodic basis, several times per year
  • Microsoft Office
    • Microsoft Desktop for Education, campus license
      • Latest supported version is loaded before new equipment is delivered to customer
      • Latest supported version is loaded on older equipment, based on user request
      • Lab computers are updated each summer
  • Adobe Creative Cloud package, including Acrobat Pro
    • Licensed to all student lab stations + 134 faculty / staff FTE
      • License covers all student labs, both PCs and Macs
      • Faculty and staff that require this package are included
  • ARC GIS
    • Campus license
      • Students labs are updated annually
  • SPSS
    • Campus license for academic use
      • Labs, faculty and staff are updated on an annual basis
  • Many other software packages
    • It is typical for software packages to be updated each summer

An Introduction to the Data Warehouse

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  •    The warehouse design is based on Ralf Kimball’s data model
    • The Kimball model includes both dimensions and facts
    • The model revolves around numbers (facts)
    • The dimensions describe the facts
    • A dimensional model is optimized for reporting (queries)
  • The warehouse is a “snapshot in time” of Banner data and other non-Banner data sources
    • example:  4th week data
  • Cognos is the reporting tool that is used to pull the data from the warehouse
    • Converted as PDF and printed
    • Saved as Excel file
    • e-mailed to your inbox
  • Facts (also referred to as cubes):
    • contains the data corresponding to a particular business process, action or event; typically numeric (links two or more dimensions together)
    • example of a fact: registration(credit hours, grades, quality points)
  • Dimensions:
    • contains details about each instance of an fact  (descriptors)
    • examples of dimensions: academic year, academic period, entity(last name, first name), section(course title, course number, crn, section term code)

 

diagram

  • The Data Warehouse was placed into production on June 2, 2014.
  • The warehouse includes 108,702,145 rows of data from Banner Finance, Student and Human Resources and Financial Aid
  • Reporting includes pre-built and ad-hoc queries.
    • Pre built reports will include parameters that you will respond to at run time
    • Ad-hoc queries will give you the ability to have full control of the report
  • The data is refreshed on a nightly basis.
  • # of Dimensions ………………………….72
  • # of Cubes ………………………………….56
  • # of data elements (columns) …..2,666

Demonstration:

For access to the data warehouse, contact Faye Whitenack at whitenaf@wou.edu.

For Cognos Warehouse training, contact Max Chartier at chartierm@wou.edu

 

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure — (VDI)

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What is VDI?

  • Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) is a collection of desktop operating systems, hosted on a collection of virtualized servers.

What does the VDI infrastructure look like?

  • There is a collection of 400 virtualized Windows 7 desktops ready to be accessed
  • Current utilization is 100 – 130 concurrent users
  • If desktop utilization becomes greater than 350, then 25 additional Windows 7 desktops are automatically built, giving us 425.  This will be repeated as concurrent user demand increases.  Build time for the 25 additional desktops is 15 – 20 minutes
  • When you logout of a desktop, the image is destroyed and rebuilt from the golden image  (no more virus worries!)
  • There are 7 virtual servers dedicated to VDI.
  • VDI runs on Solid State Drives
  • VDI is load balanced across two gateways
  • VDI servers are located, both in the Data Center and DeVolder

How can VDI be accessed?

  • At various locations on campus, including the Hamersly Library, Wyse terminals are directly connected to VDI.
  • IMG_0217
  • VDI can be acessed with a web browser
    • https://wouvdi.wou.edu
      • Select the icon on the right side of the screen labeled, VMware Horizon HTML Access
      • Use your Pawprint login credentials to authenticate
      • Select the “Lab Stations” icon to connect to Windows 7

Will I have access to my network drives?

  • Yes, H:, I:, J:, P:, etc are all accessible

What software is available on the Windows 7 virtual desktop?

  • Microsoft Office Suite, Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox
  • ArcGIS, BlueJ, eclipse, Fathom, Foxit Reader,Geo Gebra
  • GS View, Ghostscript, Green Globs, Escape!, GSP
  • SPSS,Kinovea, LEGO Mindstorms, Maple, MatLab, TeXworks
  • Printkey, Python, QuickBooks, QuickTime, RealNetworks Suite
  • Subversion, VLC,  WinDirStat, WinEdit, WinRAR

Additional Functionality?

  • Select the down arrow in the top middle of the screen.
    • This will display a down arrow.  Select the down arrow to display menu options
      • Options include
        • Send control-alt-delete message to Windows
        • Toggle to full screen
        • Paste text
        • Disconnect
        • Help
  • Transfer data to and from USB drive attached to local computer
    • Install VMware Horizon Client on your local computer  (an alternative to the web client
    • Select Connection, then USB from the VMware Horizon Client menu
      • Select Automatically connect when inserted (you will now be able to copy files to / from networks drives from / to local USB storage

 

 

WordPress update

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What is WordPress?

  • Website content management system (CMS)
  • Open source website creation tool
  • Written in PHP
  • A tool that can be used to maintain your website using a web-browser on your desktop or handheld device

 

Who uses WordPress?

 

How did WOU select WordPress?

  • Recruitment expressed interest in a revamping of the WOU website, with a redesign that focused on new students
  • Graduate Programs hired Stamats to design a website that was in alignment with their mission
    • Included in the design specifications, was a recommendation to utilize WordPress to implement the new design
      • Included in the specifications:
        • Search engine optimization
        • Mobile friendly site
        • X-platform video integration
  • HighEdWeb conference was attended by Public Relations, Graduate Programs and University Computing Services
    • Other universities shared their success with an online CMS (WordPress)
    • Several universities highly recommended utilizing WordPress
    • There were several presentations where universities demonstrated many features that WordPress incorporates

 

Why WordPress?

  • Vast amounts of resources are available for the management and maintenance of WordPress
  • Easy to use plug-ins, which allow for unlimited possibilities, are available
  • Mobile friendly
    • Google pushes mobile friendly sites up to the top of search results
  • Better integration for blog and social media feeds
  • Cohesive look throughout the whole website which will give end users a better experience navigating the website as well as a more professional feel
  • Relevant and up to date content (old outdated pages/sites will be deleted and no longer searchable through Google)

 

How do I get WordPress support?

  • Contact Danielle Gauntz at 503-838-8215 or gauntz@wou.edu
  • Support provided thru:
    • Training sessions
    • One on one sessions
    • Danielle or one of her staff will convert your site for you