2009 IT Highlights

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3. Briefly describe your program highlights for 2009

University of Kentucky

  • Bomgar remote support appliance rendered 2,220 remote support sessions, which decreased travel, user downtime, and saved the College money.
  • Over 683 tickets input into PMOS helpdesk tracking system from July 08 to June 09. Average support rating 4.77/5. This system is allowing us to monitor customer satisfaction, technician workload, and other important metrics.
  • Migrated 120 CES county websites to a Drupal content management system. This system replaced a legacy MS FrontPage server.
  • Implemented Dell Image Direct Services for all county workstation\laptop purchases. Saving significant time during the deployment process. Image is loaded with all line of business applications and all current patches at the factory.
  • Migrated College file/print services from Novell eDirectory to Microsoft Active Directory. Over 2,000 users accounts, 10 terrabytes of storge managaged by Systems group
  • Implementing College wide Content Managment System(Drupal)to allow College departments/Units to better manage web content
  • Setup new college website for digital media library using Extensis Portfolio and NetPublish

LSU AgCenter

  • Established an enterprise-wide GIS delivery system and personnel team for displaying geospatial data online
  • Extensive VoIP pilot program underway
  • Expanded the use of smartphones (mostly iPhones) throughout the organization
  • Unified Communications platform implememted: Microsoft Office Communication Server which includes Office Communicator (enterprise-wide instant messaging) and Live Meeting (desktop audio and video conferencing).
  • Continued to upgrade servers into Dell Blade environment
  • Continued to virtualize servers (Microsoft Hyper V)where applicable
  • Complete revamp of 4-H family of Website with a kid centric look, feel, content and navigation
  • Complete refresh of LSUAgCenter.com Website with a focus on multimedia streaming
  • Formation of LSUAgCenter Facebook and Twitter pressences
  • Implemented a unified eCommerce solution for the organization and launched an online storefront

- Fred.


Alabama Cooperative Extension System:

  • Continued to promote the use of social media tools including blogs and Twitter. Conducted training sessions for program teams to promote their use of these tools in their program delivery.
  • Created and promoted the use of program team collaboration sites within SharePoint.
  • Began implementing eXtension's Ask an Expert widget on county web sites as a replacement for a basic e-mail contact form that has been used previously.
  • Began offering computer-based language training using Rosetta Stone software:
    • English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) for clientele in selected counties, either in the county office or in partnership with a local agency. The ESL offering is in coordination with Auburn University strategic goals.
    • Foreign language training for ACES employees. Most participants are learning Spanish in order to better serve the growing Hispanic communities in Alabama.
  • Played a key role in several distance education projects:
    • Began piloting Panopto CourseCast, a self-service, self-publishing course content and lecture capture application. Interested faculty in several academic departments are testing the product.
    • Facilitated distance delivery of Adult Education masters program for Extension personnel.
    • Continued working with the AU Agronomy & Soils Department and the AU Distance Learning & Outreach Technology department in building a masters program.
    • Expanded the distance delivery of professional development courses offered by AU HR.
  • Saw increased use of Scopia Desktop as individuals and groups are now routinely conducting impromptu videoconferences without requiring technical assistance from the IT department.
  • Deployed Sophos virus protection software as a replacement for McAfee (as part of an AU-wide conversion).
  • Continued to virtualize servers while reducing the number of physical servers.
  • Installed wireless access in about half of our 67 county offices (those with T1 connections)
  • Began planning and preparation for hosting NETC 2010 in Auburn (May 23-26, 2010).



NC State Extension IT accomplished the following in the past year:

  • Continued development of our "One-Stop Shop" application suite for extension reporting
  • Incorporated eXtension's Ask an Expert widget into our county web site CMS. About half of our counties have activated the widget at this time.
  • Rewrote the CYFERNet database
  • Updated county based Cisco PIX network devices with Cisco ASAs. The new equipment and partnering with our campus network group allowed us to join the county networks to the campus VPN. It will also allow us to centralize our file backup procedures, rather than maintaining backup servers at each county location.
  • Offered training in new technologies and services. We strongly pushed Elluminate Live! web conferencing training to reduce travel costs and also offered training on a variety of social media applications.
  • Hosted our first NCCE_Virtual_IT_Conference with many guest speakers from among our IT peer institutions. Recordings are available at the link provided.
  • Spent an inordinate amount of time preparing for and trouble-shooting issues created by the Central IT's migration of Cyrus email to a specialized implementation of Groupwise.


University of Tennessee Extension accomplished the following the past year:

  • Regional training by area specialists has been conducted on various software programs such as MS Office and our custom built planning, evaluation and reporting system - SUPER.
  • Continued use of Bomgar remote support system has reduced the majority of travel for most computer issues at the county level. User downtime has been reduced and travel resources can be better utilized.
  • Over 15 new computers have been purchased in a 50% cost share program for county staff. Computers were shipped to regional staff where software images were loaded reducing setup time and ensuring consistancy. Bomgar was used to transfer data for the individual users.
  • Completed move of UTIA campus staff to campus Active Directory.


Oklahoma State University Extension IT accomplished the following in the past year:

  • Nearly all of the county offices are using our content management system (Plone) to host their county and project-based websites. Statewide training was made available to the county staff.
  • Continued to expand the use of Centra as a source for web conferencing.


Texas AgriLife IT has accomplished the following in the last year:

  • Re-organized the unit to provide services to all components of the agriculture programs in the Texas A&M System. These include Teaching, Extension and Research.
  • Continued support of centralized Web Content system (Percussion Content Management System)
  • Enhanced redundancy and capacity in the central data center facility (still in progress)
  • Implemented version 2 AgriLife Events Conference Services and registration software
  • Implemented second year of a statewide coordinated plan for IT training in the County Extension Offices
  • Developed new web applications for volunteer management, research publication tracking, Extension Intern reporting and tracking.
  • Relocated the eLearning development team from IT to the Organizational Development unit.
  • Implemented a project management strategic software tool for tracking and managing team and unit projects.
  • Designed and implemented a central Help Desk team and software tools for the entire AgriLife enterprise.
  • Hired a Chief Architect to analyze and improve data center operation and wide area network status.


NC A&T State University IT accomplishments 2009:

  • Implented web page upgrade using Joomla as the engine to handle new design.
  • Worked in conjunction with campus IT to put in place a back up plan using Computer Associates BrightStor ArcServe.
  • Installed the latest version of Microsoft Share Point to collaborate with on campus colleagues in a more efficient manor.


Fort Valley State University Information and Technology Area accomplishments include:

  • Received funding from the Georgia Department of Education to provide a pilot project on using Mobile Computer Labs to train Migrant Families on the Use of Technology and Improving English Comprehensive.
  • Working with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency on “Train the Trainer” on Internet Safety for the state.
  • Working with the Georgia Headstart Association on providing technology training for staff development.
  • Promoted the use of social media tools for the faculty in recruiting students.


Tuskegee University

  • Roll out of new computer systems in all county offices, including upgrade of printing capabilities.
  • Established Facebook and Twitter accounts for CEP for the department's use in promoting programs and social networking processes.
  • Revision of overall Technology plan, which will allow more inclusion and budget emphasis in departmental strategic planning.


UGA CAES OIT

  • Helpdesk: OIT personnel entered 3600 tickets into the Remedy ticket system. The Helpdesk recorded over 2200 tickets, averaged 64 resolved jobs per month and 134 recorded phone calls (incidents that were resolved within 15 minutes on the phone with no further escalation necessary). Field services recorded over 1200 tickets for the year.
  • Tifton Campus: Deployed Symantec Endpoint Protection for campus systems; Installed wireless in prescribed outreach buildings; Implemented computer and peripheral purchasing standards; Managed onsite SAS lab for training of all interested researchers; Moved backup servers from tape backup to HDD storage media; Initiated campus network infrastructure assessment for development of IT Plan.
  • Griffin Campus: Gained funding for campus-wide wireless assessment; provided strategic and logistical support for new 10M$ student learning center; Complete replacement of all aerial fiber with below ground installation;
  • Information Systems & Web Services: Hosting, development and updates for: Walk Georgia, Office of College Advancement e-greeting, Academic Affairs, Office of Environmental Sciences e-newsletter, CAES Electronic Communications Policy, Georgia FACES, Conference Office Ag Forecast Seminars, CAES Publications, Gardening in Georgia, Tifton Campus Hot Topics, 2009 Southscapes, International Public Relations, Agroforestry & Wildlife Field Day; Data Center upgrades and expansion: Rework of vlans and integration of Fortigate IPS, replacement of NetApp SAN with Equalogic, Clean up of director structure, virtualization of servers, and establishment of offsite disaster recovery site (Griffin Campus), separation of CIIDS database and web services from CAES systems and security infrastructure.
  • Field Operations: Enhance funding from and support of EFNEP and Archway projects; Rework of Extension email distribution lists and methodology; continued video conferencing and web conferencing expansion and support - specifically Horizon Wimba and GotoMeeting.



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