The IFAS centralized computing and network system (IFASDOM) currently operates under Microsoft Windows NT4, which has an official retirement date of January 1, 2003. Mission-critical services, including e-mail, web, and resource sharing are based upon this old technology. Microsoft Windows 2000 is the incremental upgrade to NT4 and was released over 2 years ago. The new technology is built around a centralized directory service called Active Directory (AD) which offers many advantages and improvements over NT4 (some specific advantages/disadvantages are listed below).
A grassroots effort to organize a UF-wide AD was initiated last year, but that group (Windows 2000 Consortium) has made no progress to date. There are indications, however, that an IFAS-led initiative could provide the framework for a UF-wide AD implementation. Planning is the most critical phase in a Windows 2000 migration project, and that process should begin now in order to avoid a “light switch” migration approach as NT phase-out nears. The cost to IFAS of delaying the upgrade could far exceed the costs of implementation.
Recommendation:
ICC recommends that:
1. ITPAC request conceptual approval from IFAS Administration for the planned upgrade to Active Directory.
2. A directive be issued to IFAS-IT to focus appropriate resources toward planning and implementation of Active Directory.
3. The planning and implementation effort should be conducted in cooperation with the ICC AD Subcommittee to facilitate willing participation.
4. Unit and Department Directors should be encouraged to lend assistance by providing unit IT expertise to serve as AD Project Team members for the initial planning and implementation effort.
The goal of the project will be to build an opt-in
centralized computing environment that every IFAS unit will want to participate
in.
Situation – Unit
participation in centralized computing services
Despite improved efficiencies and economies of scale inherent to a centralized computing environment, there are currently several barriers to participation for many IFAS department and units. Even prior to the creation of IFASDOM, participation has been limited by two major issues – trust and control. Specifically, non-participatory units have been reluctant to join primarily due to:
1.
Lack of trust in the ability of IFAS-IT to deliver
an acceptable level of service.
2.
Loss of direct administrative control of local IT
resources.
Recommendation:
Windows 2000 Active Directory addresses and resolves most of the barriers related to direct control of local resources. Those local control issues that are not solved by AD must be addressed in the planning effort as a matter of policy, and must include procedures for redress.
Barriers and service level issues relating to trust
must be addressed as a matter of policy, procedure, and funding internally at
the IFAS-IT level. It is nonetheless critical to identify and describe those
barriers and suggest improvements as part of the planning effort. In particular, two issues relating to service offerings have
been identified as needing improvement. The ICC recommends that IFAS-IT:
1. Establish written minimum service level requirements for key areas:
a. Service enumeration and prioritization (web, email, backup, etc.)
b. Communication & contacts
c. Security
d. Disaster recovery
2. Review, update and improve online documentation system with a focus
on:
a. End user documentation needs (instructional, procedural)
b. IT admin documentation needs (instructional, procedural, planning)
c. Creating a change control documentation system (what’s broken,
what’s fixed, by whom)
Identifying and addressing these
and other trust issues associated with level of service will assist in removing
barriers to unit participation in a centralized computing environment.