INSRV ITThe Technology Roadmaps

Hugh Beedie & Paul Hobson

CTO & Deputy CTO

Summary• Why ?

– Requirements – doing the right things for the right reasons

• Business/User requirement• Application Currency – keeping up to date

• How ?– Principles - doing things the right way– Architecture – following the roadmaps– Design - design to meet the requirement

• When & Where ?– Roadmaps - what are we going to do, and when

• What ?– The detail of the solution to meet the requirements

• Who ?– All of us

System Lifecycle (4 Part Inventions)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVadl4ocX0M

1. Gather Requirements

2. Design and Procure

3. Operate

4. Assess for Effectiveness and– Feedback into New Project Proposals

System Lifecycle(4 Part Inventions – Part 1)

• Gathering requirements– Business (inc user) requirements

• Includes sign-off and updating for next refresh• Includes drivers from University and INSRV

strategies

– Application and Technology currency• Keeping things up to date and fit for purpose• Changing technologies if needed

System Lifecycle(4 Part Inventions – Part 2)

• Realising the system– Designing

• meeting the requirements• following agreed principles• using agreed design patterns• Conforming to architectural roadmap• signed-off (TDA Board)

– Procuring (in-house or out-sourced)

System Lifecycle(4 Part Inventions – Part 3)

• Service & Operations– Acceptance into Service– Running– Reporting– Fixing

System Lifecycle(4 Part Inventions – Part 4)

• Continuing Assessment (feedback loop)

– Is it (the built system) still fulfilling the need ?

– How well is it doing that ?• If YES & OK – Business As Usual• If NO or NOT OK - New Project Proposal

Governance of the IT System Lifecycle

• All 4 parts (requirements gathering, design and procure, service & operations, and feedback) need sign-off.

• Sign-off is both– Broad-brush (do we need this) - management– Detailed (what exactly is needed) – TDA– Also need sign-off for IT Principles, Design

Patterns, and Roadmaps

Business & UserRequirements

• Not directly for the CTO Office

• Needs a ‘Requirements Board’ who own– Requirements gathering and sign-off– Evaluation of built systems

• Needs a feedback loop between – Requirements Board driving what is built– CTO Office advising on new possibilities

IT Application CurrencyRequirements

• What are they - examples ?– OS Update required– Hardware life expired– Software support requires updates– Significantly cheaper way to do ‘it’

IT Design Principles

• This is about how we do something

IT Design Patterns

• The detail of how we do something

• Why do we need Design Patterns ?– Save time on design stage– Better fit with existing infrastructure– Easier to document– Easier for Service & Operations group– Minimise ‘wheel re-invention’

IT Roadmaps – Why ?

• Communicates major directions to all

• Ensures correct sequencing of programme

• Helps on assessing project priorities

• Helps with budget planning

IT Roadmaps (1)

• Presentation layer– Workstation hardware & peripherals– Workstation applications– PDAs, IM/Texting & VoIP

IT Roadmaps (2)

• Information Access and Provision layer– Structured Data Management– Search and Discovery– MWE 2 Collaboration tools– File & Print

IT Roadmaps (3)

• Infrastructure layer– Portal & portlets– Databases and Data/Process Integration – Identity management & SSO– Storage, backup & archiving– Networks & security– Servers and OS layer– Sustainability (Virtualisation & power saving)– Datacentres

Presentation LayerWorkstations Roadmap

• Why– Windows XP going unsupported

• When & Where– 2009/10 – across campus

• What– Windows 7– Options for roaming profile or not– Thin client for some roles

• Who– Directories & Workstations Team

Presentation LayerApplications Roadmap

• Why– ZenWorks moves to Zen Configuration Management– Asset Management to be implemented

• When & Where– 2009/10

• What– Possibly linked with Windows 7 developments– Possibly linked with thin client delivery

• Who– Workstations team

Presentation Layer PDAs, IM/Texting & VoIP

Roadmap• Why

– Business Requirement for support Blackberry, iPhone, etc ?

• When & Where

• What

• Who

Information Access & Provision Structured Data Management

Roadmap• Why

• When & Where

• What

• Who

Information Access & ProvisionSearch and Discovery Roadmap

• Why

• When & Where

• What

• Who

Information Access & ProvisionMWE 2 Collaboration Roadmap

• Why

• When & Where

• What

• Who

Information Access & Provision File & Print Roadmap

• Why– High cost of using Tier 1 storage– Need for new service (Synchronisation)

• When & Where– 2009/10

• What– Implement Novell DSM– Implement iFolder

• Who

InfrastructurePortal/Portlet Roadmap

• Why– MWE 2 requirements– Delegated portlet capability

• When & Where

• What– More portal infrastructure

• Who

InfrastructureDatabases & Data/Process

Integration Roadmap• Why• When & Where• What

– Oracle on Solaris for all dBs– MS SQL where required– MySQL ?– DB2 ?– Data hub approach

• Who

InfrastructureIdentity Management & SSO

Roadmap• Why

– iChain going life expired– More need for SSO

• When & Where

• What

• Who

InfrastructureStorage, Backup & Archiving

Roadmap• Why

– Reduce costs– Improve RTO– Maintain compliance (retention, etc)

• When & Where• What

– Build tiered storage infrastructure– Correctly allocate tiered storage to application– Investigate connection technology

• Who

InfrastructureServers & OS Layer Roadmap

• Why– Reduce costs & effort by standardisation

• When & Where– In the Datacentres

• What– Move to x86 only (no Sparc) ?– Concentrate on 2 suppliers ?

• Who

InfrastructureNetworks & Security Roadmap

• Why– Maintain LAN for for purpose

• When & Where– Entire campus

• What– Consider replacement schedule for Foundry

• Who– Network Team

InfrastructureSustainability Roadmap

• Why– Cost

• When & Where– On-going, entire campus

• What– High density servers– Virtualisation– Advanced cooling– Shared storage– Thin clients, power saving PCs

• Who– Infrastructure, Workstations

InfrastructureData Centre Roadmap

• Why– Cost, simplification, ease of management

• When & Where– 40PP and Redwood, over the next 3 years

• What– Consolidate all back-end services into 2 Data Centres

using high density servers, cooled racks, room-based UPS

• Who– Infrastructure team