I am pleased to announce the hire of Nathan Brake to our Programming Team.
Nathan will be our new Banner FIS/HR developer (CL1). He begins in January and we are excited to have him.
With Nathan filling this long-vacant hole, and everyone back to full-time in January, I expect the New Year to be very productive.
We have many other projects to work on, but everyone is loaded for the break.
Also joining us lately (at DevTeam) have been Mary Ballard (LAS Dean's office) and Jeff Denton (TRI). Having them there has been mutually beneficial, and I am looking forward to continued interaction with them.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
New Channels!
Tonight I'm hoping to release some new channels to Portal.
The "Add Channels" button will change to denote if new channels have been released since the last time folks viewed them. I'd also like to improve the look/feel of the interface, but just getting them out there is big progress :)
Tonight's release:
Advisor Information
Recent Gifts
Course & Program Requests
The "Add Channels" button will change to denote if new channels have been released since the last time folks viewed them. I'd also like to improve the look/feel of the interface, but just getting them out there is big progress :)
Tonight's release:
Advisor Information
Recent Gifts
Course & Program Requests
Friday, December 2, 2011
Security
This week we spent a large amount of time and energy thinking about NAC, ISE & security.
Cisco provides these technologies to us. NAC was revolutionary and decreased our TCM (total cost of management) many-fold. It gave access to clean machines, scanned the unknown and quarantined the dirty ones.
Powerful. Customizable. Consistent.
Yet, the world turns. Technology advances, evolves. And ISE breaks onto the scene. NAC? No problem. Radius? TACACS? No problem. Absolute flexibility and control? Easy. Unified interface. And best of all - very "cheap" migration path from our existing NAC solution. If only we had Cisco at the edge. We'd already have it :) So we work, tweak and design for the future.
The future is ISE.
The future is soon.
Cisco provides these technologies to us. NAC was revolutionary and decreased our TCM (total cost of management) many-fold. It gave access to clean machines, scanned the unknown and quarantined the dirty ones.
Powerful. Customizable. Consistent.
Yet, the world turns. Technology advances, evolves. And ISE breaks onto the scene. NAC? No problem. Radius? TACACS? No problem. Absolute flexibility and control? Easy. Unified interface. And best of all - very "cheap" migration path from our existing NAC solution. If only we had Cisco at the edge. We'd already have it :) So we work, tweak and design for the future.
The future is ISE.
The future is soon.
wouTV 2.0
http://www.wou.edu/woutv
It is OUT! Why do you care? Let me tell you.
Captions.
Class Lectures.
Upgraded video player.
Speed.
These are things you asked for. And we delivered. What's next for wouTV? How 'bout ... HD? Student submissions? Who knows... keep the suggestions coming --
It is OUT! Why do you care? Let me tell you.
Captions.
Class Lectures.
Upgraded video player.
Speed.
These are things you asked for. And we delivered. What's next for wouTV? How 'bout ... HD? Student submissions? Who knows... keep the suggestions coming --
Friday, November 4, 2011
Next Week
Project hopefuls:
wouTV: AJAX, captions, performance
ISE: tech specs and purchase?
COE: filters, add-to-google calendar, notify campus
Security updates, filters
Finish some overdue evals :(
Whatever else comes up ...
wouTV: AJAX, captions, performance
ISE: tech specs and purchase?
COE: filters, add-to-google calendar, notify campus
Security updates, filters
Finish some overdue evals :(
Whatever else comes up ...
Current Events, Nov 2011
Boy, it's been a busy Fall!
We have spent a great deal of time on setting up redundant webservers behind a load balancer.
VDI got rolled into production on the new blade servers.
We are beginning of migration from Solaris to RHEL.
10G in the data center!
Windows 7 has become the new standard.
Steve died.
NAC will probably be replaced by ISE, as soon as we figure out the technical details of 802.1x and COA.
wouTV is getting a facelift and some new features (including captions!)
And about a million other projects :)
We have spent a great deal of time on setting up redundant webservers behind a load balancer.
VDI got rolled into production on the new blade servers.
We are beginning of migration from Solaris to RHEL.
10G in the data center!
Windows 7 has become the new standard.
Steve died.
NAC will probably be replaced by ISE, as soon as we figure out the technical details of 802.1x and COA.
wouTV is getting a facelift and some new features (including captions!)
And about a million other projects :)
Friday, August 19, 2011
10GE in the Data Center
Today, Paul and I deployed the first real 10GE switch in the Data Center.
We have 10GE at the core, and to most of the MDFs, but this is the first "edge" switch with 10GE.
VDI and the NetApps will converge in this switch, with the hopeful goal that they can communicate with each other and the core at 10-20GE.
That'll take some load off of the Core and the 3750's ... and hopefully decrease the boot time for VDI images.
If we can improve performance enough, some desktops can probably be replaced with Wyse thinclients ...
It's exciting, and we have some performance metrics to take, and write up a case study with NetApp.
We have 10GE at the core, and to most of the MDFs, but this is the first "edge" switch with 10GE.
VDI and the NetApps will converge in this switch, with the hopeful goal that they can communicate with each other and the core at 10-20GE.
That'll take some load off of the Core and the 3750's ... and hopefully decrease the boot time for VDI images.
If we can improve performance enough, some desktops can probably be replaced with Wyse thinclients ...
It's exciting, and we have some performance metrics to take, and write up a case study with NetApp.
Project status!
Well, the Portal (2) has come a long way. I didn't get time to build a channel yet, but I should have time for that next week...
Our new server racks are in, and we should be able to have them in place next week.
Joy gave us a new tnsnames.ora file and a new .CON file to distribute. Berkley was able to send this out centrally!
Working with ODS on captioning for videos.
Working with Cisco on iPads and compliance.
The dynamic campus map/video tour project is making progress. Still hoping to have the "map" updated by Fall Term.
Scheduling a meeting for the Online Catalog project.
Need to talk to Bill about DR and MiNET next week.
Meeting with faculty (hopefully) next week about the MOD 104 computers...
And much, more more :)
Our new server racks are in, and we should be able to have them in place next week.
Joy gave us a new tnsnames.ora file and a new .CON file to distribute. Berkley was able to send this out centrally!
Working with ODS on captioning for videos.
Working with Cisco on iPads and compliance.
The dynamic campus map/video tour project is making progress. Still hoping to have the "map" updated by Fall Term.
Scheduling a meeting for the Online Catalog project.
Need to talk to Bill about DR and MiNET next week.
Meeting with faculty (hopefully) next week about the MOD 104 computers...
And much, more more :)
Friday, August 12, 2011
Cisco Cius
So, the ship date is the end of August. I've been WAITING and waiting ... for like a year, man. Seriously.
A 7" tablet, made by cisco with HD video and .... yeah all the standard stuff.
But what I really want is the phone dock and the ability to replace my desk phone with the tablet and it's VoIP capabilities.
Can I?
Who knows ... but I'm sure-the-heck gonna try --
I'm gonna use the Cius as a laptop & wireless VoIP phone replacement.
Will it work?
All I think I really need is a browser, ssh, a keyboard and RDP. If it has bluetooth, maybe I can get my laser keyboard to work!
A 7" tablet, made by cisco with HD video and .... yeah all the standard stuff.
But what I really want is the phone dock and the ability to replace my desk phone with the tablet and it's VoIP capabilities.
Can I?
Who knows ... but I'm sure-the-heck gonna try --
I'm gonna use the Cius as a laptop & wireless VoIP phone replacement.
Will it work?
All I think I really need is a browser, ssh, a keyboard and RDP. If it has bluetooth, maybe I can get my laser keyboard to work!
Project(s) of the Moment
Well, if you haven't heard lately, Portal 2 is on it's way.
Actually, the funny thing is that Thinkgeek is now selling "Portal 2" gear. Like it's a video game. For reals.
Anyway, I guess I have to go back to saying Portal 2.0 or WOUPortal 2 or WOUPortal 2.0.
Either way, it's coming!
Danielle (and Nathan) and I got all the pretty working this week. Next week I'll be building the first few channels and tuning the DB to deal with them.
After that, I'll be working on asynchronous load, and getting more channels built by other devs.
I think it's a solid product ... and IT WORKS IN IE! Miracle of miracles...
Also coming soon:
Online Catalog (meeting in September)
Campus video tour (meeting next week)
Systems team meeting for Intercession (week after next)
Closed Captioning ... everything :(
Replacing the Mac Mini's in MOD 104
wouTV updates
Faculty Homepage project
Calendar of Events w/ filters!
Stuff like that :)
Actually, the funny thing is that Thinkgeek is now selling "Portal 2" gear. Like it's a video game. For reals.
Anyway, I guess I have to go back to saying Portal 2.0 or WOUPortal 2 or WOUPortal 2.0.
Either way, it's coming!
Danielle (and Nathan) and I got all the pretty working this week. Next week I'll be building the first few channels and tuning the DB to deal with them.
After that, I'll be working on asynchronous load, and getting more channels built by other devs.
I think it's a solid product ... and IT WORKS IN IE! Miracle of miracles...
Also coming soon:
Online Catalog (meeting in September)
Campus video tour (meeting next week)
Systems team meeting for Intercession (week after next)
Closed Captioning ... everything :(
Replacing the Mac Mini's in MOD 104
wouTV updates
Faculty Homepage project
Calendar of Events w/ filters!
Stuff like that :)
Friday, July 1, 2011
staff members
We've lost 2 staff members this month :(
Stinks.
So we begin the interview process. Stinks.
Hoping we find two new employees who bring the same energy, drive and personality to the department to help fill the large loss we now have. Losing 2 employees at once is very difficult.
Why is it that the end of June always seems so tough? Full? Frought with transition and tiny shards of chaos?
I don't know, but I'm thankful July is here. A 3-day weekend is what everyone needs. Time to get out in the sun. Time to disc golf (seriously). Time to eat burgers, run around and take naps.
Stinks.
So we begin the interview process. Stinks.
Hoping we find two new employees who bring the same energy, drive and personality to the department to help fill the large loss we now have. Losing 2 employees at once is very difficult.
Why is it that the end of June always seems so tough? Full? Frought with transition and tiny shards of chaos?
I don't know, but I'm thankful July is here. A 3-day weekend is what everyone needs. Time to get out in the sun. Time to disc golf (seriously). Time to eat burgers, run around and take naps.
Summer has begun!
It's true. The sun is shining. And appears to be sticking around for the next 2-3 weeks :)
The big news here is Cisco UCS. The B-series blade server has been surprisingly easy to setup and configure.
Richard has already got ESXi installed on a full and half-width blade. Once we join them to the VMware Cluster, we can begin load testing them with VDI and our WYSE thin clients.
Summertime is also project time, so during the next 3 months I'll be working on Portal 2.0, digitized PDF forms, Class assignment streamlining, DR policy and implementation, the Online Catalog and trying to get my hands on a Cisco Cius :)
Stay tuned - lots going on...
The big news here is Cisco UCS. The B-series blade server has been surprisingly easy to setup and configure.
Richard has already got ESXi installed on a full and half-width blade. Once we join them to the VMware Cluster, we can begin load testing them with VDI and our WYSE thin clients.
Summertime is also project time, so during the next 3 months I'll be working on Portal 2.0, digitized PDF forms, Class assignment streamlining, DR policy and implementation, the Online Catalog and trying to get my hands on a Cisco Cius :)
Stay tuned - lots going on...
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Online Catalog
Still not ready to post, but Nathan B. (student) and I are quite close to having a nice working demo.
It works quite well in Firefox, but really just kind of falls apart in IE. He's done some work that will make the page work, so I'm hoping to present it to the Provost/Vice Provost next week (or shortly thereafter).
Once they "approve" the design, I'll have Nathan burning through that during the Summer!
When we get the online demo "working", then I'll post it to the blog.
It works quite well in Firefox, but really just kind of falls apart in IE. He's done some work that will make the page work, so I'm hoping to present it to the Provost/Vice Provost next week (or shortly thereafter).
Once they "approve" the design, I'll have Nathan burning through that during the Summer!
When we get the online demo "working", then I'll post it to the blog.
DegreeWorks
So close, and yet - still so much to do.
Mark (OSU) has been working hard to get things ready for us. Andy (OSU) has several loads to run and I need to install the application on Danielle's desktop.
A little bit of testing ... and Danielle can go to training in a few weeks :)
Once she's on her way, I can turn this project over to Mike and he'll move it forward in the Fall!
I'm excited to put my effort into other projects.
Mark (OSU) has been working hard to get things ready for us. Andy (OSU) has several loads to run and I need to install the application on Danielle's desktop.
A little bit of testing ... and Danielle can go to training in a few weeks :)
Once she's on her way, I can turn this project over to Mike and he'll move it forward in the Fall!
I'm excited to put my effort into other projects.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Migration
I have migrated. My old Blog was fine, but as WOU has migrated to Google Apps, it's time to keep moving forward.
We have worked hard to enable Single Sign-On for WOU services. Our previous system is somewhat antiquated and can easily be replaced by Blogger.
If Blogger can do everything our previous system could, I don't see why we wouldn't migrate completely over. One less server/service/integration to maintain.
And we'll be using "cloud computing"... :)
Buzzwords ... seriously.
Anyway, I'll have additional technical blogs on the way. This was really just a proof-of-concept at the beginning of this new path.
We have worked hard to enable Single Sign-On for WOU services. Our previous system is somewhat antiquated and can easily be replaced by Blogger.
If Blogger can do everything our previous system could, I don't see why we wouldn't migrate completely over. One less server/service/integration to maintain.
And we'll be using "cloud computing"... :)
Buzzwords ... seriously.
Anyway, I'll have additional technical blogs on the way. This was really just a proof-of-concept at the beginning of this new path.
Monday, February 7, 2011
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