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April 2006 Update

In This Update


eOutage Alert: New 24/7 Notice of Widespread UW Outages

C&C has launched "eOutage Alert" to notify the UW community of major UW outages that impact communications, computing, networking, and telephone service. eOutage Alert replaces "cac-alert," C&C's previous outage notification service, and now provides 24/7 access to information by:

eOutage Alert does not replace existing C&C customer notification of disruptions that impact specific services or customer groups.


Task Force Assesses Future UW Information System Technology Needs

A task force appointed by Provost Phyllis Wise is assessing the university’s five-to-ten-year information system technology needs and suggesting alternatives for meeting them. The IS Futures Task Force, chaired by Michael Eisenberg, Dean Emeritus and Professor of the Information School, has the following goals:

  • Determine the current status of UW information services and systems
  • Identify the major information technology issues, concerns, and needs
  • Lay out a long-term vision of information technology goals for the UW
  • Weigh alternative strategies for achieving that vision
  • Propose a UW-wide strategy for achieving that vision

The committee is engaging a wide range of UW stakeholders in this effort. An initial report is due at the end of April 2006. The committee will then collect feedback from the university community, revise the report, and submit its final findings in fall 2006.

For more information, see the IS Futures Web site at http://depts.washington.edu/isfuture/


Wireless Initiative: Phase I Nears Completion; Phase II Sites Designated

Under Phase I of the UW Wireless Initiative for UW Seattle, wireless access became available in these additional areas since reported in the January Update:

  • Baseball/Soccer field (partially funded by Intercollegiate Athletics)
  • Engineering Annex Building
  • Foege BioEngineering
  • Gould Hall
  • Loew Hall
  • Mechanical Engineering Building
  • Miller Hall
  • Music Building (excluding Brechemin Auditorium, which will be done in August)
  • Physics Astronomy complex (all three buildings)
  • UW Club (previously named the Faculty Club)

Wireless deployment is underway for the two remaining Phase I sites (the Quad and Smith Hall). Infrastructure upgrades necessitated moving the Art Building, Kane Hall, and Red Square from Phase I to Phase II; Foege BioEngineering, Foege Genome Sciences, Eagleson, Engineering Annex, Gould Hall, and Marine Sciences were moved up to Phase I, which is on target for completion by July 2006.

Phase II sites were designated by the Academic Technology Advisory Committee at its March meeting. See the list at http://www.washington.edu/computing/wireless/wifi_map.html#phase2

Wireless deployment has already started in several Phase II sites (Communications, Mueller, Roberts, Thomson, and Wilcox), and Phase II planning is underway for:

  • Atmospheric Sciences/Geophysics & Quaternary Research Center
  • Benson Hall
  • Fisheries Center
  • Henderson Hall
  • Hitchcock Hall
  • Kincaid Hall

In addition, the University Technology Advisory Committee recently reaffirmed the policy that all new deployments of wireless infrastructure will be installed and maintained by Computing & Communications (C&C) as part of the Wireless Initiative effort. Locally managed wireless deployments will also be replaced as part of the Wireless Initiative. Exceptions may be granted only for wireless research.

For a map of the Phase I sites to be completed by July 2006, and the Phase II sites to be completed by July 2007, see http://www.washington.edu/computing/wireless/wifi_map.html

For more information, see the UW Wireless Initiative Web site at http://www.washington.edu/computing/wireless/initiative.html


A-TAC Endorses UW Seattle Classroom Technology Plan

A comprehensive plan to improve classroom learning technologies throughout UW Seattle has been endorsed by the Academic Technology Advisory Committee (A-TAC). The plan recommends equipment upgrades and new technologies in upper campus and Health Sciences general-use classrooms, Catalyst computing classrooms, and UW Libraries learning spaces.

This is the first effort to produce a coordinated and multi-biennial educational technology proposal for UW Seattle. The proposal was developed jointly at A-TAC's request by an ad hoc Learning Spaces Committee with members from the Office of Undergraduate Education, the Office of Learning Technologies, UW Libraries, Health Sciences Academic Services and Facilities, and Computing & Communications.

The proposal calls for spending $2.9 million in 2005-07 and $4.3 million in 2007-09 to significantly upgrade educational learning technology across UW Seattle. The request includes funding for new portable and permanent data projectors, DVD players, portable digital camcorders, portable classroom microphones and sound systems, and wall-mounted flat panel liquid crystal displays (LCDs) for seminar rooms. It also includes funding for new, specialized, high-tech learning spaces and for ongoing maintenance and support staffing.

The Learning Spaces Committee and A-TAC are awaiting information from the Provost's Office on the total amount of funds that will be made available.


I-TAC Recommends UW Administrative Systems Projects for 2006-07

The Information Technology Advisory Committee (I-TAC) has made its final recommendations on which of 17 administrative projects submitted for consideration in 2006-07 should move forward. The committee has proposed that four already funded projects move forward, and nine others be considered for funding.

The list of recommended projects has been ranked in order of priority. The committee has recommended that the funded projects in Group C1 and C2 move forward and that Groups A and B be considered for funding.

The committee's recommendations are advisory. They have been endorsed by the University Technology Advisory Committee and have been submitted to the Provost to inform the UW’s budget process.

For more information on the Technology Advisory Committees (TACs), including agendas and meeting materials, see the TACs Web Site at: http://www.washington.edu/president/tacs/


Data Center: Interim Improvements and Future Planning

Work is progressing on addressing both the interim and long-term needs for UW data server space. A number of improvements are underway to help meet the most immediate needs:

  • Basic building improvements to the current primary data center at the 4545 Building on 15th Avenue NE (a building the UW recently purchased) will help to ensure that it can continue to run at full capacity, but will not add capacity.
  • Improvements to the Academic Computing Center Building (ACC) have been initiated to expand electrical and cooling capacity so that the server space can be utilized more fully.
  • Minor improvements to existing data center space in the North Physics Lab will be made to accommodate some of the College of Arts & Sciences’ most pressing needs.
  • Meeting UW Medicine’s short-term needs is being accomplished through recent improvements to cooling capability in the Surgery Pavilion server room, as well as building out server space at South Lake Union and Harborview.

In addition to these short-term improvements, a pre-design/feasibility study for a new data center is underway. Alternatives being compared include a campus site south of the North Physics Laboratory, Sand Point Building 5, an off-campus site that would be acquired, "outsourcing" the service in a leased facility, and a "no project" option. A recommendation on the long-term solution is expected in June.