TermGoalsSpring2017 < CF

CF Web>Management>TermGoals>TermGoalsSpring2017 (2020-12-21, DaveGawley) (raw view)
---+ CSCF Objectives and Milestones
May 2017

Previous Term: TermGoalsWinter2017

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---++ Hardware Acquisition, Deployment, and Lifecycle Management
Plan, purchase, configure, deploy and manage lifecycle of equipment for offices, labs, and server rooms.
   * Objective: timely deployment of desktop/laptop equipment to incoming graduate students
      * %GREEN%S17 (INF):  acquire desktop equipment for incoming F17 students based on graduate enrollment estimates and historical equipment type distribution  (Phil - [[https://rt.uwaterloo.ca/Ticket/Display.html?id=606391][RT#606391]], [[https://rt.uwaterloo.ca/Ticket/Display.html?id=614198][RT#614198]]) (Done)
      * %GREEN%S17 (INF/RSG): image, assign, and deploy equipment for incoming F17 students by 31 August, for equipment choice/locations identified by the grad office before 1 August. (Phil - [[https://rt.uwaterloo.ca/Ticket/Display.html?id=604357][RT#604357]]) - renovations and Unit4 issues have delayed deployments, along with some technical issues (ie: clonezilla)
      * W17 (INF): desktop equipment prepared for assignment to incoming S17 grads by April 15th,  based on March 1 best estimate of requirements  (done)
      * F16 (INF/RSG):  acquire and deploy equipment for incoming W17 grads before the holiday break, for equipment choices/locations identified by the grad office before 2 December  (not done - we did not have info from the grad office by 2 December)
      * F16 (INF): purchase grad equipment for W17 in mid-October, based on best estimates of requirements available at that time, so that all equipment is here by end of November (done)
   * Objective:  CSCF-standard equipment configurations and images, updated on an annual cycle
      * %GREEN%S17 (INF/RSG/TOP): eliminate use of roaming profiles for staff/grad desktop machines (Clayton -  [[https://rt.uwaterloo.ca/Ticket/Display.html?id=604813][RT#604813]] ) - Done
      * W17 (INF): new (Fall 2017) Win10/Ubuntu image ready for use on May desktop deployments   (done)
      * F16 (INF): patch the current (Win10/14.04) image for W17 deployments (done)
      * F16 (INF): tentative 2017 hardware configuration (done)
---++ Machine Rooms and Server Infrastructure
Machine rooms and infrastructure for School and research equipment.
   * Objective:  redundant machine rooms to host CS on-line services
   * Objective:  rationalize CS networks
      * F16 (INF):  server vlans routed on server room switches, client vlans routed on building aggregation switches (not done, not a priority for W17)
   * Objective:  flexible, up-to-date server infrastructure
      * %GREEN%S17 (INF) no SCS servers running end-of-life ubuntu 12.04 (Dave, Guoxiang, Fraser, Nathan - [[https://cs.uwaterloo.ca/cscf/internal/request_debug/UpdateRequest?108308][ST#108308]])
         * still two servers running - advising and mx100.cs (for some cron job)
         * what about 14.04 servers? Spring 2018 migrate 14.04 servers to 16.04.  Fall 2018 shutdown 14.04 servers
         * renumber mx100 to be not connected to the world?
      * W17 (INF/TOP) no SCS servers running end-of-life ubuntu 12.04  (not done)
      * F16 (TOP/INF) migrate/update fms12.cs from Vmware4 to Vmware5  (done)
   * Objective:  load balancing and failover for critical CS on-line services
      * F16: (INF): deploy redundant load balancing service (done)
---++ Teaching Labs
Management of teaching labs in support of academic programs.
   * Objective:  usage statistics for all teaching labs
      * %GREEN%S17 (TOP/INF): Director-accessible tabular usage data (room, time, count) for all MC labs, with on-going updates and no discard of old data (Devon [[https://cs.uwaterloo.ca/cscf/internal/request/UpdateRequest?108777][ST#108777]])
         * done for now, keeping old data
      * W17 (TOP/INF): Director-accessible tabular usage data (room, time, count) for all MC labs, with on-going updates and no discard of old data  (partially done – only for Mac labs)
   * Objective:  evergreen Lab computing equipment
      * %GREEN%S17 (TOP/INF): refresh computers in MC2062 and MC2063 [[https://rt.uwaterloo.ca/Ticket/Display.html?id=593672][RT#593672]] (Dan and Devon)
         * was able to get them re-imaged with new OS.  Unable to get equipment refreshed due to purchasing delays (missed Sale price).  Needed to requote and reorder.  Have parts, will be done over Christmas break.
      * %GREEN%S17 (TOP/INF): evergreen MC3003 [[https://cs.uwaterloo.ca/cscf/internal/request/UpdateRequest?108594][ST# 108594]] (Dan) also: [[https://rt.uwaterloo.ca/Ticket/Display.html?id=594066][RT#594066]]
          * done, classes running there now
      * W17 (INF/TOP): acquire/install new desks in MC3027 (done)
      * W17 (INF/TOP) – prepare project plan for evergreening MC3003 in August  (done)
   * Objective:  ensure that lab equipment is functional and secure
      * %GREEN%S17 (TOP): configure sound support in graphics lab (Fraser - [[https://rt.uwaterloo.ca/Ticket/Display.html?id=590835][RT#590835]])
         * done, working.  Not clear if there is an automated process for new machines.
      * W17 (TOP): investigate alternatives to punch key code access to (real time and graphics) labs, to simplify code management  (done – don’t need alternative)
      * F16 (TOP): docs for external users explaining what’s available in the teaching labs (not done, cancel)
      * F16 (TOP): incorporate monitoring systems (Nagios) into Caspar admin interface (done??)
   * Objective:  simple access to programming contest server from any general purpose lab
      * %GREEN%S17 (TOP/INF)  evaluate approaches to dual-boot Macs in MC3005 for CEMC-type events, propose one, and implement if agreed (Devon - [[https://rt.uwaterloo.ca/Ticket/Display.html?id=598960][RT#598960]])
         * done
         * follow-up question on time cost if repeating a lab setup
      * F16 (INF): system for providing remote contest server desktops available for use in Mac labs for F16 contests (mostly done, some unresolved issues with Mac xserver hanging)
   * Objective:  lab for use by CS coursework Mmath students
      * %GREEN%S17 (TOP/INF)  plan log-in environment for shared-use machines (Mac/Linux/Windows), and implement on Macs and dual-boot machines in the coursework MMath lab (Devon [[https://rt.uwaterloo.ca/Ticket/Display.html?id=598412][RT#598412]])
         * done.  Super-user access granted on one machine and signs posted.
      * %GREEN%S17 (TOP)  simple, clear help signs in coursework MMath lab (Devon - [[https://rt.uwaterloo.ca/Ticket/Display.html?id=598415][598415]])
         * being done by Raymond
      * W17 (TOP/INF) update work-sites in DC3335 coursework MMath lab - 1/3 Mac, 1/3 dual-boot PC, 1/3 power/networking only.   (done)
      * F16: (INF/TOP) plan for refurbish of coursework Mmath lab, and move to new space once identified  (new space not known yet)
---++ Meeting Room and Public Space Management
Management of A/V in CS meeting rooms.
   * Objective:  A/V for grad classrooms and meeting rooms
      * %GREEN%S17 (TOP): develop plan for improving A/V in DC2585 (Dan [[https://rt.uwaterloo.ca/Ticket/Display.html?id=591375][RT#591375]])
         * done.  there's a plan  Martin will take to Exec.
      * W17 (TOP/INF): install podium monitor in DC2585  (done)
      * W17 (INF/TOP): plan, get approval for, and deploy video upgrade in DC2568 grad classroom  (done – problems resolved without upgrade)
      * F16 (TOP): plan, get approval for, and deploy video upgrade in DC2568 grad classroom (not done)
   * Objective: Manage and maintain SCS public display boards
   * F16 (TOP) – plan and obtain approval for third SCS public display, in Great Hall (cancelled)
---++ On-Line Services:  Database Management
Backend database services to support other on-line services and School operations.
   * Objective:  Highly available MySQL cluster to serve non-teaching applications, including  ST, inventory.
      * W17 (TOP): implement auto-restart for HA-MySQL  (done)
   * Objective: Highly available Postgres service to support OAT and other CS applications
      * %GREEN%S17 (TOP/RSG/INF):  migrate remaining apps and databases from postgres.cs, shutdown service, and decommission/repurpose hardware (Daniel, Isaac, Nick - [[https://rt.uwaterloo.ca/Ticket/Display.html?id=593821][RT#593821]])
         * Done.  Machine to be turned off
   * Objective: DB2 for teaching
      * %GREEN%S17 (TOP):  upgrade DB2 server from ubuntu12.04
         * done
---++ On-Line Services:  Linux Computing Environments
Linux computing environment(s) for teaching and for faculty/staff/grad general use.
   * Objective: track Ubuntu LTS releases in teaching and general environments
      * W17 (INF/TOP): linux.cs and linux.student.cs refer to ubuntu 16.04 servers (done)
---++ On-Line Services:  Teaching Systems
Systems for marking, assignment submission, and other teaching-related tasks.
   * Objective: manage on-going operation of Seashell service
   * Objective:  manage and maintain Markus
      * W17 (TOP/INF): update assignments.student.cs container to 16.04  (done)
      * F16 (TOP): upgrade Markus to version 1.2 (done, upgraded to 1.4)
      * F16 (INF/TOP): update assignments.student.cs container (12.04 to 16.04) (deferred to April 2017)
      * F16 (INF/TOP): saltify markus and marmoset deployment onto assignment.student.cs (deferred to April 2017)
   * Objective: manage and maintain Marmoset
      * %GREEN%S17 (TOP):  replace or repackage pswatcher for Ubuntu systems (RT#592743) Nick
         * done.  Running and Nick is using it.  Needs to be setup for auto-deployment
         * Martin would like us to run a test
      * F16 (TOP):  configuration improvements to Marmoset to improve reliability (progress)
   * Objective:  ISG server for CS200
      * F16 (TOP) decommission and shut down Oscar, old ISG server for CS200 (done)
   * Objective: support phones for CS446 and other courses
      * W17 (TOP): acquire ThinkingApe-funded phones, and develop plan for managing them beyond W17.   (done)
---++ On-Line Services:  File Storage
File storage for students, staff, and faculty.
   * Objective:  highly-available network file service (NetApp) with limited capacity (4GB/undergrad, 20GB/ grad, 50GB/faculty)
   * Objective:  highly-available, performant, high-capacity file service (DFS) for SCS faculty, staff, grads
      * %GREEN%S17 (INF): migrate non-home-directory network mounts to DFS (deferred to F17, Guoxiang - [[https://rt.uwaterloo.ca/Ticket/Display.html?id=643052][643052]])
         * stalled waiting on NICs.  Plan to move forward as a Fall goal
      * %GREEN%S17 (RSG/INF): handover of on-ongoing management of the DFS to the INF group
         * Guoxiang is now doing the maintenance and service requests
      * W17 (RSG/INF/TOP): Director-accessible downtime records (start time, duration, planned/unplanned,reason) for DFS and FSS services, regularly updated and not discarded (not done:  FSS only, data link not accessible)
      * W17 (RSG/INF): DFS in production under FSS (done)
      * F16 (INF/RSG): DFS in production under FSS (not done, progress)
   * Objective:  file syncing/sharing (FSS) service for SCS faculty, staff, grads
      * %GREEN%S17 (RSG/INF): official launch of FSS service to SCS (Lawrence, Nathan - [[https://cs.uwaterloo.ca/cscf/internal/request_debug/UpdateRequest?108871][ST#108871]])
         * didn't happen in the Spring, happening now (Grad Orientation, School Council)
      * W17 (RSG/INF): soft roll-out of FSS service to SCS (done)
      * F16 (INF/RSG): roll-out of FSS service to SCS (not done, progress)
   * Objective: reliable Samba service
      * F16: (INF): Redundant samba service for both teaching and general environments (done)
---++ On-Line Services:  Email
Supplemental e-mail services to support of SCS-specific requirements.
   * Objective:  SCS mail exchange service supporting local mail scripting and SCS-specific aliases.
      * %GREEN%S17 (INF/TOP): review, re-design and re-deploy existing (MX) exchange service, modernizing and avoiding current spam-forwarding problem. (Adrian - [[https://cs.uwaterloo.ca/cscf/internal/request/UpdateRequest?80488][ST#80488]])
         * done.  For relay, we do a UWdir lookup for on-campus addresses.
      * %GREEN%S17 (INF): review and update existing IMAP service, updating service configuration to use IST’s services where possible (Adrian  - [[https://cs.uwaterloo.ca/cscf/internal/request/UpdateRequest?80488][ST#80488]])
         * done
      * W17 (INF/TOP): review, re-design and re-deploy existing (MX) exchange service, modernizing and avoiding current spam-forwarding problem. (not done)
      * F16 (INF): re-design and re-deploy existing (MX) exchange service, modernizing and avoiding current spam-forwarding problem.  (not done)
---++ On-Line Services:  WWW
Web presence for SCS and CSCF
   * Objective:  refresh/upgrade CSCF web presence
      * F16 (TOP/RSG) - plan content of revised site (not done)
      * F16 (TOP/RSG) - decision about moving CSCF web to WCMS (not done)
      * F16 (TOP/RSG) - WCMS training for at least one staff (not done)
   * Objective:  support CS web presence
      * %GREEN%S17 (RSG) – all SCS web-based applications work with new clustered web server (Isaac, Nathan and Daniel)  RT#593821
          * www.cs is still on the old server nad needs to migrate.  Many sites have moved to the new web server
          * Fall 2017 term goal will be to finish the migration off www.cs to the new clustered web server
      * %GREEN%S17 (TOP/RSG) – support migration of CS WCMS content from Math to UW, update CS WWW proxy (Daniel, Isaac)
         * all done except for Search .  If there is a simple solution then consider it

Done to here:

=======================================================================

      * %GREEN%S17 (INF/RSG) – deploy Ubuntu-16.04 Apache 3-node cluster (Dave - [[https://cs.uwaterloo.ca/cscf/internal/request/UpdateRequest?108781][ST#108781]])
      * W17 (INF/RSG) – deploy Ubuntu-16.04 Apache 3-node cluster  (not done)
      * W17 (TOP/RSG) – migration of CS WCMS content from Math to UW  (not done – external delay)
      * F16 (TOP/RSG) – migration of CS WCMS content from Math to UW (not done)
---++ Teaching/Administrative Services
Custom services in support of teaching and School administration.
   * %GREEN%S17 (TOP): deploy Xerox fleet printer in DC2320
---++ Research Services
Custom services in support of research activities.
   * Objective:  “Paper” cluster – research infrastructure from surplus equipment, operated on a cost-recovery basis.
   * Objective:  SCS research computing systems and grad/faculty desktops behind UW-mandated firewall
      * F16 (RSG): get remaining research nets behind the firewall (done)
---++ SCS Software Projects: Exam Management System (EMS)
System to support exam seating, printing, and marking.
   * Objective:  migrate support and operational responsibility for EMS to RO and IST
      * %GREEN%S17 (RSG):  migrate operational instance of EMS to IST server in time for S17 exams
      * W17 (RSG): PoC for EMS for other Depts:  Accounting & Financial Mgmt, Chemistry, Engineering, Stats, Distance – posted on the Odyssey EMS help page.   (not done)
      * F16 (RSG): PoC for EMS for other Depts:  Accounting & Financial Mgmt, Chemistry, Engineering, Stats, Distance – posted on the Odyssey EMS help page.   (not done - there is a page of contacts, but it is not linked and some are confirmed)
   * Objective:  on-going feature development
      * W17 (RSG): revamped EMS UI is live  (done)
      * F16 (RSG): revamp EMS UI (supervised by Daniel)  (not done, progress.   Beta is live.)
---++ SCS Software Projects: Grad Visit Day System
System to support annual Grad Visit Day, including scheduling
   * Objective:  ensure reliable system operation, customization and enhancements
---++ SCS Software Projects: TA Evaluation System
Proposed system to support TA Evaluation workflow for the Grad Office.
   * Objective: design, develop, deploy, maintain
      * F16 (RSG): solicit feedback on TA evaluation system, propose any Phase 2 changes (Isaac)  (not done, not a priority for W17)
---++ SCS Software Project: Teaching Preference System
System to collect faculty teaching preferences.
   * Objective: ensure reliable system operation, refine and enhance as needed
---++ SCS Software Projects: OAT
Backend database supporting advising tools, UW Portal, EMS, and other applications.
   * Objective: ensure reliable system operation, enhance functionality
      * W17(RSG): all raw data inputs made available in the OAT DB for querying (progress, not done – external delays)
---++ SCS Software Projects: OGSAS
System to support graduate admissions workflow.
   * Objective: ensure reliable system operation, on-going feature enhancement
      * F16 (RSG):  solicit feedback, propose new features if needed (not done, not a priority for W17)
   * Objective:  port OGSAS to OAT backend
---++ CSCF-Internal Systems: Accounts Management
Manage and utilize accounts data for CS students, faculty, and staff
   * Objective:  exploit OAT database for accounts data
   * F16 (INF/RSG): get course enrollment (group) data in Directory Service from OAT DB (not done, some progress)
---++ CSCF-Internal Systems: Inventory
System to track equipment inventory.
   * Objective:  ensure reliable operation, feature enhancements
      * %GREEN%S17 (RSG/INF)  inventory-driven tftpboot and salt configuration for server provisioning ([[https://rt.uwaterloo.ca/Ticket/Display.html?id=609744][RT#609744]] Nathan, Justin, Daniel)
---++ CSCF-Internal Systems: Research Subscription System
System to manage research support subscriptions, track time, generate bills
   * Objective:   ensure reliable operation, feature enhancements
      * W17 (RSG): prepare subscription system to support annual billing  (not done, required changes not determined)
      * F16 (RSG): modify subscription system as necessary for revised billing model (unnecessary)
---++ CSCF-Internal Systems: Request Tracking
System to track research support requests.
   * Objective:  CSCF request tracking via campus RT system
      * %GREEN%S17 (RSG): integration of RT time tracking with existing tools
      * W17 (RSG/TOP/INF): RT goes live (all new requests and updates in RT) on 1 May.  (done)
      * W17 (RSG/TOP/INF): fewer than 50 open requests per staff member by term's end, and none assigned to non-staff  (progress)
      * F16 (RSG/TOP/INF): RT replacement for ST system in test, with sample queues and staff dashboards (not done)
---++ Strategic Planning
Review and long-term planning of CSCF services.
   * %GREEN%S17 (INF/TOP/RSG) develop plan for home directory file services for linux.student.cs and linux.cs beyond end-of-life of current NetApp file server, including transition timeline ( Dave - [[https://rt.uwaterloo.ca/Ticket/Display.html?id=643030][RT#643030]] )
   * %GREEN%S17 (INF/TOP/RSG) Develop plan for printing services for SCS faculty, staff, grads – usage tracking not necessary (Dave/Lawrence/Omar - [[https://rt.uwaterloo.ca/Ticket/Display.html?id=643188][643188]] )
   * W17: (INF/RSG) develop plan for SCS PostgreSQL servers (done)
   * F16: (INF/TOP) develop printing support plan (not done)
   * F16 (TOP) investigate and possible deploy/migrate on campus Slack alternative (done)
---++ Financials
Manage CSCF spending on staff, equipment, and services.
   * Objective: Produce annual equipment budget proposal for SCS.
      * W17(INF/RSG/TOP): final FY17 budgets to SCS (done)
      * F16 (INF): draft FY17 budget (not done)
   * Objective: Timely and well-managed spending – avoid last minute spending.
      * %GREEN%S17 (INF/TOP/RSG): complete S17 spending according to budget targets (Dave/Lawrence/Omar - [[https://rt.uwaterloo.ca/Ticket/Display.html?id=604822][604822]] )
      * W17 (INF/TOP/RSG): complete FY16 equipment spending (done)
      * W17 (TOP/INF/RSG): develop a process for managing staff budget (done)
      * F16 (INF): At least 85% of CSCF budget spent by 31 December  (not done, progress – about 70% spent through November)
   * Objective:  timely billing of researchers for research services  
      * %GREEN%S17 (RSG): establish FY17 RSG unit billing rate and distribute single annual bill for each support account
      * W17 (RSG): combined F16/W17 bills distributed in Jan 2017 (done)
      * F16 (RSG):  F16 billing under new billing model by end of October (not done, progress)
Topic revision: r14 - 2020-12-21 - DaveGawley
Information in this area is meant for use by CSCF staff and is not official documentation, but anybody who is interested is welcome to use it if they find it useful.
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