Newsletter
Volume 3 - Issue 1
Happy 2004 and welcome back! As we move forward through this new year, the IT Division would like to share some news regarding the projects and initiatives currently undertaken.
Departmental Updates:
Networking/Systems/Operations
- Wireless Project: The wireless equipment has been installed at the 4 TTUHSC campuses, except for the Academic Classroom building which will be installed within the next 3 weeks. Testing will continue through the end of the month. We anticipate the network will be generally available on February 2nd. Any customers that are interested in helping with the testing should contact Rob Garrison, with the understanding that the network may be unavailable for brief periods during January while we make final adjustments. Click here for the Wireless FAQs
- SPAM Identification and Filtering: All Internet email is currently being inspected for possible SPAM. Our testing indicates the product we've implemented correctly identifies SPAM 80% of the time. We are working on some of the policies and procedures before making the formal announcement to all customers. If you are interested in implementing the Outlook rules to automatically move identified SPAM to a special folder, contact Rob Garrison or Paul Guillory.
- Distributed File System Implementation: One of the problems with maintaining file shares is changing the mapped drives on the client computers when a share is moved between servers. IT has started to implement a new technology called Distributed File System that addresses this problem. Using DFS, the client will map to a share that is named something like \\TTUHSC.EDU\school\department, and this name will always stay the same regardless of what server contains the data. IT personnel will be contacting the share owners over the next several months to discuss DFS and how it will benefit their departments.
Telecommunications (HealthNet):
- ACB completion update – Distance Learning Classrooms: Networking staff coordinated the placement and installation of fiber optic networking cables that enabled the Center to be network-ready by its grand opening on April 1st.
- TechLink Network Scan Conversion: This project eliminates the use of scan conversion for transmitting computer graphics on the TechLink Network, which means that graphical files used in distance learning classes and other presentations will retain their digital quality. This upgrade is projected to begin on March 1st and be completed system wide by the end of April.
Help Desk
- Vacant Manager Position: The Section Manager - IT Help Desk position bas been advertised on the HR Employment Site since January 6th. This position will supervise the Help Desk technicians as well as oversee the marketing of Information Technology and the available IT resources. Candidates for this security-sensitive position should have, at least, a Bachelor's degree and four years of supervisory experience.
Web Programming
- Web Redesign: TTUHSC will be embarking on a web site redesign project beginning in February and ending in October/November. The redesign will impact the first 2 tiers of the web site. The project will involve representatives from all of the schools and administrative departments and will utilize 90% of the Information Services staff. During the process, content will be categorized and new content will be developed. Templates will also be utilized as part of the redesign.
- Migration - TTHSC10: The migration of content from TTHSC10 to the new web infrastructure is now complete. Although, 99 percent of the sites were migrated by the end of last summer, the last site was not migrated until this past December.
A final review of the server will be conducted to ensure that all web site content has been migrated. Once this review is completed, web services and all web related file shares will be disabled. The tentative date for completing the review and disabling web services and shares is the week of February 2 thru 6. - Migration - TTHSC11: The migration of content from TTHSC11 to the new infrastructure is now approximately 80 percent complete. A final push to migrate the remaining sites is underway with a targeted completion date of January 30.
General Contact Information:
| Office of the Chief Information Officer TTUHSC Preston Smith Library Suite 165 Mail Stop 7755 (806) 743-1500 - Reception Desk |
Technology Services / Information Services TTUHSC Rm. BB 183, Mail Stop 9083 (806) 743-2870 - Reception Desk |
| IT Help Desk Hours of Operations: 8am - 6pm (806) 743-2875 ithd@ttuhsc.edu |
Web Team (806) 743-2870 - Reception Desk it.webmaster@ttuhsc.edu |