Rick BuntChief Information Officer and Associate Vice-PresidentInformation & Communications Technology

ICT Update 2009

The ICT Portfolio

Directly Responsible For:• ICT governance and policy• ICT strategy, ICT

architecture, information architecture

• Networks and servers• Core campus-wide

services (PAWS, e-mail, calendar, web services, course tools, collaboration tools, ..)

• Telephones• Instructional support

technology • Sales, service, training

Partners In:• Unit/College-based

systems and facilities– including some of our major

campus systems: SiRIUS (SESD), UniFi (FSD), AboutUS (HRD), Library, Advancement, …

• Learning space enhancements (with EMAP and FMD)

• Research facilities (WestGrid, HPCRF, GIS,…)

The Portfolio’s Responsibilities

Our organizing framework for data, applications and technical infrastructure captured in a set of policies, design principles, organizational structures and technology choices to achieve the effective integration of systems, processes and data.

ICT Architecture

ICT StrategyOur long term plan of action – how ICT should be used to enable the university to achieve its goals.

What we do.

The context in which

we do it.

A Blueprint for Integrated Service Delivery

Infrastructure

Presentation and Access

IntegratedApplications

Information Repositories

Equipment (servers, network, …)Equipment (servers, network, …)

Services (authentication, authorization, directories, …)Services (authentication, authorization, directories, …)

PAWSPAWS

Student Student ResearchResearch CoursesCoursesHR/FinanceHR/Finance

Academic/Business Processes

SiRIUS, UniFi, AboutUS, Reporting, WebCT, …

Academic/Business Processes

SiRIUS, UniFi, AboutUS, Reporting, WebCT, …

ICT Planning:Major Planning Documents• ICT Foundational Document,

June 2003

• ICT Plan, February 2004

• ICT Plan, October 2007

• Information Strategy, April 2008

Our Key Planning Principles

Federated Modelshared responsibility

Stable Fundingescape “the tyranny of

episodic funding decisions”

Collaborationprogress through

partnerships

Serviceintegrated services anywhere, anytime

Source: ICT Foundational Document, June 2003

Looking Back

Priorities of the Second ICT Plan

1. Supporting the university’s information requirements

2. Enhancing the ICT environment to enable and increase research success

3. Enhancing the ICT environment to enrich

teaching and learning

But, of course, our first priority has to be:1. Maintaining/improving current services

Some Recent ProjectsMaintaining/Improving Service• Upgrades and functional enhancements to

major systems PAWS SiRIUS, UniFi E-payments Degree Works

• Software infrastructure Authentication and authorization

WCMS for managing website content

• Communications Telephone system replacement (analog to VOIP)

“PAWS has transformed the way I teach … a

valuable and liberating classroom tool.” Gordon DesBrisay, Department of History

“PAWS has transformed the way I teach … a

valuable and liberating classroom tool.” Gordon DesBrisay, Department of History

More Recent ProjectsEnriching Teaching and Learning• Teaching and learning infrastructure

Wireless upgrades and expansion Course casting, lecture streaming, online

exams, Web 2.0 tools, …

Enabling Research Success • Research infrastructure

High performance grid computing: WestGrid, HPC Research Facility Research Collaboration Facility Federated access: Eduroam

“Hi Rick,I am now using Eduroam at the University of Paris …

Thanks — neat service!” Stephen Urquhart, Department of Chemistry

“Hi Rick,I am now using Eduroam at the University of Paris …

Thanks — neat service!” Stephen Urquhart, Department of Chemistry

And…Supporting Information Requirements • Implementing the information strategy

Achievement record, planning parameters, student analytics, college profiles

• Enhancing the information

architecture Data warehouse, data marts

• Policy matters • Governance

Looking Ahead

CIOs’ Top 10 Issues in Higher Ed IT

Source: EDUCAUSE annual CIO survey

Issue 2000 2003 2004 2005 2006 2008

1 Funding IT Funding IT Funding IT Funding ITSecurity and Identity

ManagementSecurity

2Faculty Support and

Development

Enterprise Administrative

Systems

Enterprise Administrative

Systems

Security and Identity Management

Funding ITEnterprise

Administrative Systems

3E-Learning, Distributed Teaching and Learning

Security and Identity Management

Security and Identity Management

Enterprise Administrative

Systems

Enterprise Administrative Systems

Funding IT

4E-Learning

EnvironmentsIT Infrastructure

ManagementIT Strategic Planning IT Strategic Planning

Business Continuity/ Disaster Recovery

Infrastructure

5Enterprise

Administrative Systems

Faculty Support and Development

Faculty Support and Development

IT Infrastructure Management

Faculty Support and Development

Identity and Access Management

6IT Staffing and Human

ResourcesIT Strategic Planning

IT Infrastructure Management

Faculty Support and Development

IT Infrastructure Management

Disaster Recovery/ Business Continuity

7 IT Strategic PlanningWeb-Based Systems

and ServicesE-Learning, Distributed Teaching and Learning

E-Learning, Distributed Teaching and Learning

IT Strategic PlanningGovernance,

Organization, and Leadership for IT

8On-Line Student

ServicesE-Learning, Distributed Teaching and Learning

Web-Based Systems and Services

Governance, Organization, and Leadership for IT

Governance, Organization, and Leadership for IT

Change Management

9Advanced Networking

ChallengesEnterprise-Level

PortalsEnterprise-Level

PortalsEnterprise-Level

PortalsE-Learning, Distributed Teaching and Learning

E-Learning, Distributed Teaching and Learning

10Support Services

DemandsOn-Line Student

ServicesBusiness Continuity/

Disaster RecoveryWeb-Based Systems

and ServicesWeb-Based Systems

and ServicesStaffing/HR

Management/Training

My Priorities • Enhancing our information

architecture• Authentication and authorization

infrastructure• Enabling research

(cyberinfrastructure)• Supporting teaching and learning

with technology• Business continuity/disaster

recovery planning• Supporting mobile devices

2009

Funding IT

Enterprise Administrative Systems

Security

Infrastructure/ Cyberinfrastructure

Teaching and Learning with Technology

Identity and Access Management

Governance, Organization, and Leadership for IT

Disaster Recovery/Business

Continuity

Agility, Adaptability and Responsiveness

Learning Management Systems

Enhancing Our Enhancing Our Information ArchitectureInformation Architecture

We need to develop an “information architecture” that will allow information to be managed and leveraged more effectively. An Information Strategy for the University of Saskatchewan, April 2008An Information Strategy for the University of Saskatchewan, April 2008

Information architecture: structures and processes to gather, organize, store and provide information, to enable the effective integration of servers, databases, hardware components, software tools, data models and information delivery mechanisms.

What An Information Architecture Looks LikeWhat An Information Architecture Looks Like

Enterprise Data Warehouse

Access ManagementAccess Management• Authentication and Authorization Infrastructure (AAI): who is allowed to access what services

• AAI is a critical element of security.• Consolidating on-campus AM technologies.• Key principle: authenticate centrally, authorize locally• New approach introduced for external services

- national and internationa

l trust federations

The Canadian Access Federation

Enabling New Styles of Research

High performance computing

High speed networkingCollaboration facilitiesVisualization facilities

Mass storageGIS services

More …

Cyberinfrastructure

High-performance computing resources

Applications, tools,Middleware

Data storage andmanagement resources

Advanced networkinfrastructure resources

Resources for collaborationwithin virtual communities

Expertise

Scientific facilities

. . .

. . .

.

Linking at the speed of the lightLinking at the speed of the light

Sharing computers, instruments and applicationsSharing computers, instruments and applications

Sharing and federating scientific dataSharing and federating scientific data

Research projects

Supporting Teaching and Learning(inside and outside the classroom)

“The challenge is not to bring technology into the classroom. The millennials, with their Facebook and their cell phones, have done that. The challenge is to capture the power of technology to improve

learning for all.” David Wiley, Brigham Young University

“The challenge is not to bring technology into the classroom. The millennials, with their Facebook and their cell phones, have done that. The challenge is to capture the power of technology to improve

learning for all.” David Wiley, Brigham Young University

The Issue

• As we have become increasingly dependent on technology throughout the university, business-critical processes have become increasingly vulnerable to its unavailability.

• Possible impacts:– disruption of critical business processes,

financial/legal implications, damage to reputation, …

1The business of the university includes teaching, research, administration and external activities.

BusinessBusiness1 Continuity Planning Continuity Planning

Examples of Threats

• Hardware or software failure• Catastrophic event (blizzard, tornado,

fire, labour dispute, pandemic, …)

• Hacker attack• Virus or other form of malware• Compromised data• Denial of service attack

Business Continuity PlanningBusiness Continuity Planning

Questions• How prepared are we to continue doing

business while the technology problem is being dealt with?

• How able are we to recover from the time the technology was unavailable?

• How much are we prepared to invest in speeding up recovery?– How much “risk” are we prepared to accept?

Business Continuity PlanningBusiness Continuity Planning

What’s Been Done• ITS prepared a set of recovery times for

major systems• Engaged IBM to help with a BCP pilot

project– a set of processes within two SESD units

• Reported to Board on pilot project• Now talking about next steps

Business Continuity PlanningBusiness Continuity Planning

Wrapping Up

Our ICT Governance Structure

A Balancing Act

campus standards local practices

campus demands capacity to deliver

new initiatives

centralization decentralization

maintaining service

ClosingThoughtsRecognition: Technology is as important to the modern

university as the buildings.

Investment: Continued investment in technology is necessary in order for us to be competitive.

Innovation: University environments demand innovation; being on the leading edge is critical to education and research.

Collaboration: We must all work together, with both

internal and external partners.