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2012 Presidential DebateOctober 3, 2012 - Denver, COUniversity of Denver

An “insider’s” Perspective!

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5 Step Process:

Step 1 – Celebration!

Step 2 – Oh Crap!

Step 3 – Everyone take a breath, we can do this!

Step 4 – Uh, we can do this with some help.

Step 5 – This is a University-wide, city-wide, regional event. With the right partners and integrated planning, we will succeed.

An “Insider’s” Perspective”

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Design and implement an overlay multimedia, communications platform to support the 2012 Debate and future media-rich events, meeting or exceeding the formal CPD specifications.The design was based on the following guidelines:

Strategic Approach

#1 Quality

# 2 Reliability

# 3 Cost Effectiveness

# 4 Reusability

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Strategic Approach

# 1 Quality # 2 Reliability # 3 Cost Effectiveness

• No second chances

• Select the “best of breed” products, services, and partners

• Ensure the quality of service first; all else is a distant second

• Fully redundant design for voice, data, wireless, Internet and CCTV

• Dual staffing

• Redundant NOCs

• Risk based contingency plan

• Leverage existing talent and resources; supplement with business partners

• Select equipment that is part of our technology roadmap

• Lease vs. Buy

• Leverage sponsorships and supporters

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# 4 ReusabilityHow do we make the most of our investment?Critical component of planning for project resources.Presented tremendous opportunities for the University.

Strategic Approach

Follow up infrastructure projects:• Redundant I1/I2• Firewall Upgrades• Core Switch Upgrades• Data Center Switch

Upgrades• 500 VoIP Phones• 1300 PoE ports• Digital Signage

Upgrades• DNS/DHCP Upgrades• Increased virtualization

from 60 75%• Student Printing

UpgradesAnderson Academic Commons

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# 4 ReusabilityMagness Arena, Ritchie Center and other venues are now “media-ready”.

Strategic Approach

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• Engage experienced partners to supplement/compliment internal resources

• Don’t reinvent the wheel; “the media knows what they want!”

• Program/Project Management 101 (Scope, Budget, Quality)• Schedule was non-negotiable

• Design for flexibility and scalability• Assume the scope is a moving target• Risk Management approach

Major Tactics

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Project Requirements

Project Scope: the overall project included over 100 pre- and post-debate events engaging faculty, staff, students, and the community at large. On October 3rd we hosted a campus-

wide “debate-fest” in conjunction with the kickoff presidential debate.

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The project included:• Telecommunications (Internet, Wi-Fi, local

production networks, VoIP, voice, and various channel services, 3G/4G LTE)

• Video Production (Major Media video production, localized CCTV)

• Audio Systems (Media audio feed and localized audio services)

• Credentialing and Authentication services• Desktop, printing and duplication services• Redundant web services• Various specialized media services• Digital photography networks• Dedicated channelized circuits

Project Requirements

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• Bulk of requirements came from the CPD – Commission on Presidential Debates

• Started with a vague contract (March 2012)• Scope more granularly defined (May/June 2012)• CPD Visits• Secret Service Visits• Pre and Post-debate events

• Moving target!• Service changes received on day 0• Media outlets provided basic and often ambiguous

technology requirements• Assume it will change

Managing Scope

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1st of 3 Presidential debates• October 3, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. • Moderator was Jim Lehrer, PBS• Debate Topic was Domestic Policy• Inside DU’s Ritchie Wellness Center-

Magness Arena3,000 media journalists:• 700 foreign media from 47 countriesFinal Nielsen Media Research rating was 67.2M viewers• 200M internationally• 10.3M tweets during the 90 minute debate

109 other programs, lectures and events from Nov 1, 2011-Oct 4, 2012• 1,000 guests in the audience including 297 DU students

• 5,000 guests at “Debatefest”

ROI Analysis• $5 million cost including CPD fee

• Over $55 million in estimated marketing value

• $36 million on debate day alone• Undergraduate applications up significantly

Outcomes

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18 months from initial bid to CPD to actual event

Over 1 year of planning & preparation 8 months to construct

telecommunications elements 48 hours to dismantle…

145 Technology personnel were credentialed for event

3.2 GW for technology (enough to power 3,200 homes)

100,000 feet of CAT5e cable

2 x 10Gb WAVE based Internet connections w/DDOS. Completely isolated from campus connection.

1,300 voice lines & custom phones 1,300 1 x GigE ports Ubiquitous 802.11n wireless 125 x 42” HD television monitors and

stands 135 x CATV drops 10 x HD channel lineup

Externally hosted debate website

Technology by the numbers

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Scope – expect the scope to change up to last minute; plan for itSecret Service and Security• On site over 90 days• Significant impact on design and delivery of IT services

Program/Project Management• Hire a program manager and carefully select project managers• Single, integrated plan• Regular program steering meetings; internal and external

stakeholders• Get external stakeholders involved very early

Great opportunity to invest in campus infrastructureRebranding and Logos!DU 150th Sesquicentennial Celebration (2014)Don’t assume your team is OK. Be visible and attentive.

Challenges, Opportunities and Lessons Learned

Follow up infrastructure projects:• Redundant I1/I2• Firewall Upgrades• Core Switch Upgrades• Data Center Switch

Upgrades• 500 VoIP Phones• 1300 PoE ports• Digital Signage

Upgrades• DNS/DHCP Upgrades• Increased virtualization

from 60 75%• Student Printing

Upgrades

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Teardown and cleanupBring Ritchie Center and Campus back to normal operations!Built and implemented over 6 months – teardown had to be completed in 36 hours!

The fun is not over yet!

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Questions and Comments