Computing Projects
- Projects that are happening now to improve Maths IT and computing services. Generated from the computing wishlist via discussion with the CITC (Computing Information Technology Committee) and stakeholders
- Wishes for new IT/Computing Services
- The Maths Computer Officer Team
Summary
The table below lists current Maths Computing Projects in approximate order of priority.
| Project | Estimated Completion Date | Status | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Exam Marks Processing Software | 09/2012 | User Interface should be ready for Part IA and IB for 2012 | A more reliable, user-friendly and automated IT system for colleting and processing exam marks is required |
| Symplectic system for the REF | /2012 | investigation | We must support the IT aspects of the symplectic publications system for the next REF |
| Windows Desktop and System Upgrade (Windows 7) | 06/2012 | Deployment of Windows 7 desktops started | Win XP will EoL in 2013, power-saving wanted with hibernation and software updates "pull" |
| New Home Directory Servers for Maths | 05/2012 | Testing, requires new backup service | Old server hardware needs to be replaced (out of warranty and some performance issues), more space once new backup system is in place and hopefully faster |
| New Backup Service for Maths | 05/2012 | Development | Old server hardware needs to be replaced (out of warranty and some performance issues) |
| Upgrade DAMTP/DPMMS Linux PCs from SL5.6 to SL5.7 | 06/2012 | testing | Maintain DPMMS/DAMTP Desktops at a reasonably modern version of Linux |
| The Maths Linux desktop (SL6) | 09/2012 | Researching SL6 | SL6 has newer libraries and new software packages. For example it will run chrome and dropbox |
| eduroam - make it easier to use wired and wireless | 06/2012 | testing | manual configuration of eduroam requires many steps and mistakes are easy, we want to make this easier. |
| More Wireless Network Coverage | 04/2012 | C, MR1 and D done. Pav E common room to be installed by facilities. BL, B2, B0 and G0 dead-spots covered | More wireless networking for the increasing number of wireless devices |
| Cluster upgrade for Astro Fluids Group and General use cluster setup | 06/2012 | Delivery soon. General cluster being configured | |
| Information System to manage information about people, services and equipment | /2012 | Development. First Aim: replicate existing department database functionality due December 2011 | To know who, what and where. Use this information to drive websites, software applications and reports. |
| Lapwing visitor tickets - continuation | ?/2012 | Waiting for UCS |
Estimated completion dates, as given in the above table, are quite literally that. Our aim with these estimated dates is to communicate by when projects will be completed, some of which will provide new computing/IT services. Estimated completion dates will change due to many factors (priorities of other work, support volume, people, external factors, etc.) and we will do our best to keep the above table current.
Completed Computing Projects
| Project | Date Completed | Why | New PCs (14 of), laptops, compute and storage server, workstation and screens for Astro-Fluids | 21/05/2012 | Needed for new people and to replace old PCs |
|---|---|---|
| New PCs (42 of) for CCA and HEP | 10/05/2012 | Needed for new people and to replace old PCs |
| Firefox web-browser upgrade on UNIX and Windows to v10 | 04/2012 | Significant web-browser upgrade for improved browsing (speed, etc.) |
| Eduroam wired connections | 29/02/2012 | Improved user-experience for desktops on the self-service/laptop network (no need for keep-alive web browser tab/window) |
| Initial Maths authentication system (NIS) | 01/2012 | To merge IT services we really need one authentication system for UNIX and Windows, to also make all IT services available in all Maths Departments |
| Network Upgrade for the Maths Departments | 29/12/2011 | Faster network needed for larger capacity home directories, backup system and data transfers. |
| Evaluate Multi-Function Printers | 11/01/2012 | Scan to USB key, print from USB key and scan to email is wanted |
| Graduate Applications Distribution and Commenting System | 25/11/2011 | A simple system for disitrbuting graduate applications to staff (web pages) and collecting comments about individual applications. Comments are also emailed to administrative staff. |
| Gradual change to role-based email for admin staff | 20/11/2011 | Separation of work email from personal. Role-based mail accounts can be easily transferred and shared between admin staff |
| Monitoring - expand use to DPMMS | 11/11/2011 | service monitoring is good for quick fixing of potential or real problems |
| Upgrade the site network firewall | 03/11/2011 | Keep the IT service safe and sound, while providing network access reliably. |
| Online Postdoc Recruitment System | 21/10/2011 | HEP and GR postdoc online recruitment system for handling applications |
| Replace the DPMMS UNIX system home directory server | 17/10/2011 | feezing problem became worse and had to be resolved |
| Waking up machines | 31/08/2011 | Be able to wake-up computers (remotely) when needed and if, for example, power-saving is happening |
| Upgrade DAMTP Linux PCs from SL5.5 to SL5.6 | 16/08/2011 | Maintain DAMTP Desktops at a reasonably modern version of Linux |
| Upgrade DAMTP Email Service | 15/07/2011 | We have active users of the DAMTP mail service and there are problems with locking and performance with the current service |
| Upgrade HelpDesk: upgrade the helpdesk support request management system to a newer version | 11/07/2011 | Longer life support for the operating system, slightly newer version of RT |
| Monitoring - expand use to Statslab | 30/06/2011 | service monitoring is good for quick fixing of potential or real problems |
| winex remote access to Statslab computers | 06/2011 | Extend winex to include remote graphical access to Statslab computers |
| Network switch trade-in for the Maths Departments | 05/2011 | trade-in money can be used for other equipment purchases |
| Choose an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) | 19/04/2011 | Needed for future development of web software applications |
| Upgrade Room Booking System | 06/04/2011 | Repeat event functionality needed, calendar view would be nice |
| User Account Cleanup | 15/03/2011 | Un-used user accounts are a security risk and use resources (backups, home directory space) so tidying is needed |
| Exam marks processing changes | 15/03/2011 | Changes required to algorithms for mark calculations in existing code |
| Replace exam computer with two computers and update system | 10/02/2011 | Required for exams |
| Eduroam black-listing, logging and backup-server for laptop network | 14/02/2011 (wireless Eduroam) | Required for visitors and mobile device wireless access |
| HEP grant application IT support: publications listing and line items | 25/01/2011 | Important for HEP and DAMTP |
| Recruitment administration system v1.1 | 24/01/2011 | Required for postdoc recruitment |
| Purchase network equipment | 14/12/2010 | New network equipment needed to replace EoL equipment and to link new home directory server(s) with backups |
| Automated document feeding scanner for Part III room | 18/10/2010 | required |
| Eduroam for the wireless Laptop Network: this will also include the setup of a backup laptop network server | 11/10/2010 (wireless Eduroam) | Required for visitors and mobile device wireless access |
| Purchase servers | 01/10/2010 | New servers needed for home directories, backups, web and network firewall |
| Review Booklet "Introduction to UNIX" | 01/10/2010 | Help for users of UNIX systems |
| Five more wireless access points: one per first floor stair exit in ceiling void | 18/09/2010 | more wireless coverage - extending a popular service |
| OSX 10.6 integration with DAMTP UNIX system - try it | 16/09/2010 | proto-type done. Estimate 2 to 4 weeks of time to do the integration |
| Upgrade from SL5.4 to SL5.5 | 08/09/2010 | Maintain DAMTP Desktops at a reasonably modern version of Linux |
| Linux Quota warnings for DAMTP home directories | 09/2010 | A common cause of help-desk requests is exceeding home directory quota and it is often not obvious |
| Renew the Mathematica Licence | 23/08/2010 | Continue the agreement for unlimited use of Mathematica |
| Install the last planned info-screen | 24/07/2010 | Complete the CMS information screen deployment with the Pav B to Core walkway screen |
| Disaster Recovery: | 13/07/2010 | Plans for recovering important IT services within 1 hour during normal working hours |
| Exams support: prepare marks processing software, coversheet processing for NST and Maths Tripos | 07/07/2010 | Core requirement |
| A0 printer and print room | 07/2010 | For poster and other large format printing |
| Energy conservation: PWF computers | 05/2010 | Save money |
| Technical systems documentation: single source, better search, hyper-links, available to colleagues for collaboration and option for version control | 22/05/2010 | We want a single place for systems documentation for cover, continuity and collaboration. |
| Giveaway of redundant PCs | 05/2010 | Make use of redundant equipment |
| Ready to go backup for our home directory server: if our home directory server has a catastrpohic breakdown we want a manual fail-over to be available | 20/04/2010 | Continuity |
| Review www.maths.cam.ac.uk: apply new house style, review content and editing methods | 04/2010 | An improved public view of the Maths Departments |
| Service monitoring: | 03/2010 | Pro-active management of IT services |
| Upgrade RT: upgrade the helpdesk support request management system to a newer version | 28/02/2010 | Easier to use, secure platform, better backups and be able to offer the service to others |
| Windows Terminal Services: remote access to Windows applications from Linux/OSX desktops | 20/03/2010 | |
| New functionality for Laptop Network: VLANs | 03/2010 | |
| Astro Fluid Group Cluster: local scientific computing resource required | 03/2010 | |
| DAMTP Website improvements: more photos for the people pages, fixes for the web-based editor, computing pages re-design | 10/01/2010 | |
| Retrieval of backups by individuals (read access to the backups of DAMTP your home directory) | 01/02/2010 | |
| iProcurement: work with DAMTP Finance Officer to provide an additional method for purchasing | 16/01/2010 | |
| OSX 10.4 to 10.5 upgrade: make it possible to integrate OSX10.5 desktop computers with the DAMTP UNIX system | 16/10/2009 | |
| New users process review: letter, defaults and system-wide login scripts | 20/12/2009 | |
| Postdoc recruitment system for HEP/GR: a flexible and simple replacement for the current system | 01/11/2009 | opt-in mailing list for machine reboots - might include other DAMTP computing news mails as well, possibly automatically driven from DAMTP news | 10/11/2009 |
| DSPACE for DAMTP PhD Theses | 01/11/2009 | |
| Clean-up RT general queue: open tickets reduced from 300 to 40 | 14/09/2009 | |
| New PCs: deploy 130 new PC desktops | 01/09/2009 | |
| Inventory: reduce unused hardware stocks (re-cycle/re-purpose) | 20/10/2009 | |
| Move the Mathematica agreement (payment and distribution of media) to DAMTP | 01/08/2009 | |
| Machine processing of Exam Cover-sheets: save money, time and errors | 20/06/2009 | |
| Exam marks processing 08/09 | 15/07/2009 | |
| Upgrade Linux Desktops to SL5.3 | 03/06/2009 | |
| Laptop backups: a new service to provide data backup for laptops | 10/05/2009 | |
| Exam papers: formatting and automated integration of TeX and LaTeX | 20/04/2009 | |
| DAMTP Website review | 10/04/2008 | |
| New DAMTP Website (core pages): new style and layout | 02/12/2008 | |
| CATAM software package for teaching | 27/11/2008 | |
| Info Screens: new house style, various fixes for formatting and display | 12/12/2008 | |
| Lapwing: additionally provide the UCS wireless Lapwing service on the CMS site and allow printing over wireless | 17/02/2009 | |
| Wireless Network Expansion: Common rooms of Pav-F, G and H, CATAM room, Part III room and a roving AP for conferences, etc. | 13/03/2009 | |
| Upgrade remaining SL3 desktops to SL5 | 25/03/2009 | |
| Web-based photo board for each pavilion generated from a single DB | 26/03/2009 |