NUIT Annual Report 2006 - Northwestern University Information ...

NUIT achieved a significant increase in identifying potentialattacks on University resources. Meanwhile, the actual numberof security incidents that resulted in suspected or actual loss orexposure of University data continued to drop.High-Availability ComputingNUIT continues to maximize capacity at the Datacenters toprovide the high-availability computing required for criticalUniversity systems and departmental computing.20062007342847• Officially launched in May 2007 with 10 virtual servers,NUIT’s new Virtual Server Service is a cost-effectivesolution for efficient standardized server offerings, meetingthe growing demand created by University schools anddepartments. At the end of the fiscal year, 44 virtual serverswere configured in the first virtual server cluster.NUMBER OF SECURITY INCIDENTSTechnology Centers / Consolidated ManagementTo meet increasing needs for resilience, reliability, andavailability of information systems, it is essential for theUniversity to efficiently manage technology infrastructure. Astrategic study was initiated by NUIT with support of FacilitiesManagement (FM), the Office of the Provost, and the BudgetOffice, to determine data center needs at Northwestern for thenext 10 years.Performance and System ReliabilityThe growing reliance on the University Network anddatacenters to provide high-availability services and missioncriticalapplications requires ongoing monitoring ofavailability and performance. Three components comprisethis essential initiative:Identity Management System ReplacementThe effective management of Northwestern NetIDs (electronicidentities) is essential for access control, accountability, andsecurity of University data and the entire NU Network. Workcontinues to replace the current home-built, Simple NetworkAccount Program (SNAP) system with a vendor-providedidentity manager. The implementation is expected to becompleted by December 2007.The vendor Web Single Sign-On (Web SSO) was deployedwithin the NU Network to 10 application environments in2007, including school and department applications previouslyserved by Web proxy.Conversion continued for all enterprise applications suchas HRIS, SES, and Project Café, to use NetID and NetIDpasswordauthentication through the NU Online Passport, theUniversity’s Web Single Sign-On solution. Additionally, a newUniversity policy was created and communicated to ensure allcomputer applications deployed to members of the Universitycommunity use NetID authentication.Load Balancing Between CampusesEfforts continued toward the creation of redundant and highlyavailable service architecture, using both campus Datacentersto minimize potential service interruptions to critical Universitysystems. Inter-campus load balancing was implemented in 2007for Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) services.Additional services to be protected during the next fiscal yearinclude Web SSO, Active Directory, and Kerberos.• Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) software andhardware was installed at the Evanston Datacenter inpreparation for an upgrade to Oracle version 9.0.• Twenty-four new SES servers were installed inFebruary 2007.Also, the networked file service was moved to the storagearea network (SAN) environment in November 2006.This change improves the backup and storage capabilities ofthe Web-based file storage system, Depot, and better supportsimportant faculty activities and critical research administrationoperations. Additional storage was added in February 2007 toaccommodate increased customer use of this service.Network Infrastructure EnhancementTo continue delivering high-quality, reliable informationtechnology and communication services, upgrades to thecommunications infrastructure and the NU Network weremade in 2007.• To support the increasing requirements of networkreliability, the second year of a multi-year plan to upgradeoutdated communications closets in University buildingsconcluded on schedule. These enhancements are requiredto implement standard Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)architecture that allows for converged voice, text, andvideo communication.• NUIT completed the conversion of the Chicago voiceplatform to allow for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)services and converged telephone and data services. Theconversion of the Evanston telecommunications platformto VoIP is underway and scheduled to be completed duringthe first quarter of fiscal year 2008. Pilot testing of SessionInitiation Protocol (SIP) and VoIP services continued forWeb-based services and desktop telephone sets bymembers of NUIT and campus technology partners.Upon completion of the voice platform upgrades inEvanston and subsequent software upgrades, SIP isscheduled for availability to the University community incalendar year 2008. Evaluation of SIP videoconferencingservices continues with Microsoft, XMeeting, and Polycom.22 NUIT Annual Report 2007