OCIONEWSLETTER Issue 3 • APR 2011
SPOTLIGHT
IT Strategic Plan 2010-2015 Andy Chun In early 2010, the University unveiled the Excellence in Research and Professional Education as CityU’s Strategic Plan for 2010 to 2015. The plan positions CityU as a leading global university in the AsiaPacific region, renowned for its excellence in research and professional education and outstanding scholarship in problem-focused research. Building on the impressive success the University has achieved in the past, the plan defines a sharp and focused vision for the future of CityU. The goal is to train a new breed of professionals to anticipate and respond to unique 21st century challenges presented by a fast-changing and knowledge-driven global environment. Later in 2010, the University also launched a new theme called “Discover & Innovate @ CityU.” This initiative further strengthens the University’s focus and emphasis on discovery and innovation at all fronts of the University’s operations – from teaching and learning to research as well as administration. IT of course plays a very important role in this effort. A technology-rich environment transforms a University into one that is more conducive to discovery and innovation. To support the University’s new Strategic Plan and the new “Discover & Innovate @ CityU” theme, we reviewed our current IT strategies and directions and formulated new strategies for the coming 5 years in a new IT Strategic Plan 2010-2015 (IT Plan) document.
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The new IT Plan outlines our vision of how information and communication technologies (ICT) can act as a change enabler to help the University transform and achieve its target strategic goals and facilitate discovery and innovation. The IT Plan fully aligns our future ICT strategies and directions with the University’s new Strategic Plan. The IT Plan identified 6 key strategic goals to complement the University’s Strategic Plan:
BRIEF UPDATES
What is QR Code? Noel Laam (Ed.) A QR code (short for Quick Response) is a specific matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code), readable by dedicated QR barcode readers and camera phones having native support or installed with the right apps. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information encoded can be text, URL or other data. Created in 1994, the QR code is one of the most popular types of two-dimensional barcodes. QR is the abbreviation for Quick Response, as the creator intended the code to allow its contents to be decoded at high speed.
1. Enable Transformational Change – We believe IT should be leveraged as a tool that will enable transformational change for the University in achieving its new strategies and directions. 2. Provide Robust and Agile IT Infrastructure – Our IT infrastructure is the backbone for all our ICT services; robustness and agility enables the University to meet new demands and face changing needs. 3. Be Efficient and Cost Effective – We understand that resources should be used wisely. That is why the IT organization has constantly explored new technologies that not only provide enhanced capabilities and productivity but also cost savings to the University. 4. Ensure IT Security – Our IT systems contain valuable personal, teaching, and research data. IT security protection is crucial and will be one of the main focuses in the coming years. 5. Enhance Transparency and Organizational Effectiveness – Transparency in how ICT decisions are made and effectiveness of the IT organization in delivering quality ICT services and operations are important aspects of our strategy. 6. Promote Policies, Governance and Standards – ICT policies, governance and standards further strengthen transparency and enhance the quality of service we provide.
Example of QR code
QR codes are now used in a much broader context, including both commercial tracking applications and convenience-oriented applications aimed at mobile phone users (known as mobile tagging). QR codes can be used to display text to the user, to add a vCard contact to the user’s device, to open a URI or to compose an email or text message. Users can also generate and print their own QR codes for others to scan and use by visiting one of several free QR code generating sites.
Applications Since the QR code links the physical world (poster, print out or physical object) to the virtual world (web resource, text information) or facilitating communication (SMS message, phone call), its use is getting popular in Hong Kong and below are some examples:
QR code for Network QR code for Hotel and Computing Tourism Resource Centre
How to generate a QR Code? You may go to http://qrcode.kaywa.com/ and follow the steps below to generate a QR code: 1. Select the content type you require (URL, text, phone number, SMS); 2. Enter the appropriate content in the box provided; 3. Select the size of the QR code you prefer, and 4. Click `Generate!’ Why not give it a try now and create the QR code you like?
Source and reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_code http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR%E7%A2%BC#.E9.A6.99.E6.B8.AF This article uses material from Wikipedia. The Author(s) and Editor(s) listed with this article may have significantly modified the content derived from Wikipedia with original content or with content drawn from other sources. The current version of the cited Wikipedia article may differ from the version that existed on the date of access. Text in this article is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
Issue 3 • Apr 2011
FEATURE
Social Media Policy Raymond Poon Introduction Social media have become new ways we communicate with one another - both as an individual and as an institution. As an individual, by using social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Blogger, Flickr, etc., anyone with an Internet connection now has the ability to create and maintain e-presence on the Internet via web browser or even mobile devices by sharing his/ her content instantly with friends and followers around the world. As an institution, the CityU can provide users and the public with the opportunity of using its social media sites to (i) share teaching/ learning/research/administrative experiences among students, faculties, staff, parents, alumni, colleagues, fans and friends, and (ii) leverage their voluntary contributions through it. While the use of social media can bring the forgoing positive outcome, the imprudent use of the same can also bring negative outcome online such as posting private contents and/or pictures, spreading rumor and threats, harassing and embarrassing others, etc. Therefore, it is imperative that the CityU, as a public-facing community which is bound to principles like accountability, accessibility, fairness, transparency, etc, needs to establish a reasonable and defendable policy for social media that clearly articulates participants’ responsibilities in
order to (i) look after their wellbeing and to help them have a better online Experience; (ii) ensure their social media engagement on the University’s managed social media sites are aligned with the University’s strategy and values, and (iii) mitigate respective risks that may arise from any of the forgoing negative outcome.
Other Considerations in Formulating a Social Media Policy While the content of a social media policy which normally tells the participants what to do and what not to do is important, the following, as part of the process life-cycle for establishing and maintaining an effective social media policy that will not be outpaced by the IT technologies, is equally important as the actual content itself: • What is our organization’s strategy for social media? • Who will write and revise the social media policy? • How will we vet the social media policy? • How will we inform participants about their responsibilities on social media engagement? • Who will be responsible for guiding or advising employee and student activities on social media? • How will we train managers to coach employees and students on social media use? • What are the responsibilities of departments when setting up their social media sites or applications?
• What are their responsibilities and liability when someone publishes contents that represent the University or a formal group of the University? • How will we use the negative outcome to refine our policy and our training? Also we need to consider establishing a process for social media to: • Educate employees and students; • Monitor employees’ and students’ activities on social media sites; • Take proper and timely action when social media are misused; • Explain what steps were taken without advance notice and why, and • Re-educate employees and students whenever there are changes in policy.
Progress on the Formulation of the Social Media Policy The first draft of the Social Media Handbook, comprising the proposed content of the Social Media Policy and the proposed related process life-cycle needed to be considered, has been forwarded to the members of the Committee of Information Services and Technology for their comments and discussion. However, due to the complexities of the process lifecycle of the policy, it is expected that the complete Handbook will take quite some time to complete and thus either a concise Social Media Policy or a shortened version of the Handbook will likely be released first probably at the end of this year.
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DISCOVER & INNOVATE
Mobile-Learning Pilot Scheme Crusher Wong
The practice of mobile learning has taken off in the beginning of this century when connection to wireless network, from a notebook computer or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), becomes practical in various locations. The introduction of 3G mobile networks and a new generation of smart phones, such as iPhone and Android phones, provide additional means to facilitate mobile learning. With the popularity of smart phones and tablet computers (e.g. iPads), improving the learning experience of students at CityU via mobile devices is an inevitable objective when setting our IT Strategy. Currently, staff and students can access Blackboard (Bb), the unified e-learning platform at CityU, via WiFi or mobile network using handheld device with mini web browser. However, the accessibility varies on non-computer type of equipment depending on the features and functions in use. By launching Bb Mobile Learn solution, dedicated software applications (apps)
enable iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Android device users to operate on Bb with a dedicated interface. Hence, course instructors can design new teaching and learning activities without worrying what platform to follow, taking advantage of CityU’s full campus wifi coverage, plus off-campus wifi through JUCC University wifi, EduRoam, and over 12,000 PCCW/ Y5Zone hotspots around Hong Kong. Engagement is the key to success in education. Different parties at CityU have piloted the use of Personal Respond System (PRS) and Person Digital Assistant (PDA) separately to collect immediate feedback from students in class for years with great results in CB, AIS and AP. By launching Qaultrics, a leading online survey software solution piloted by CB, different types of instant response assessments, in addition to multiple choice questions, can be posted to students via smart phones and tablet computers. At the same time, new mobile devices equipped
Photo courtesy of Dr Terence Cheung (IS) and his students in IS4246 — Cyber Marketing and Customer Relationship Management
with audio and visual capabilities allow students to take photos with annotation and shoot video in field trips or presentations. With endless possibilities, mobile learning will enrich our learning environment with innovative pedagogy in support of the University’s new “Discover & Innovate @ CityU” initiative that emphasizes a technology-enriched curriculum. With support from the Provost, the CIO is leading a project to promote and facilitate mobile learning at CityU by adopting Bb Mobile Learn and Qualtrics in Spring Semester 2011. The technologies behind the solutions permit mobile access of existing contents and activities on Bb when empowering innovative teaching and learning activities of the 21st century. By providing mobile devices to teachers and students in some particular courses, novel pedagogical approaches in and out of classroom can be experimented. Pilot teachers and students can share their experience with the larger population at CityU and beyond. Furthermore, new jobs may require employees to carry mobile devices in order to fulfill their responsibilities so the pilot helps prepare the working force of tomorrow. A small group of faculty members will explore new educational value in the application of mobile technology assisting students to become more proactive in their studies. Eventually lifelong learners with effective communication skills are cultivated at the CityU learning environment.
Issue 3 • Apr 2011
DISCOVER & INNOVATE
Mobile Apps for Learning Crusher Wong
In 2008, two undergraduate students at Stanford University, Kayvon Beykpour and Aaron Wasserman, created a collection of iPhone apps that provided campus and course information of the university. With the support of Stanford’s Registrar, administrative features like add/ drop courses and grade review became available, which made the apps an instant success on and off campus. Blackboard (Bb) Inc. saw the potential of this technology and acquired their company Terriblyclever Design, which became a division of Blackboard Mobile with two products – Bb Mobile Learn and Bb Mobile Central. Kayvon and Aaron graduated from Stanford last year.
City University of Hong Kong is the first university in the Greater China region to use Bb Mobile Learn, which enables smart phone access to the Blackboard Learn platform (the learning management system used at CityU). Apps are available for a range of mobile devices including Apple iOS (iPhone/ Blackboard Mobile Learn on an iPad iPad), Android and BlackBerry. Students and staff can download the Mobile Learn app from designated app stores free of charge. Currently, most of the course contents (e.g. Course Document) and communication tools (e.g. Discussion Board) are easily accessible through the app; assessment features (e.g. Test and Survey) require launching a browser. Due to operation system limitations, assignment submission is not possible on most of these devices even through a web browser. Blackboard Mobile Learn is part of our m-Learning Pilot Scheme for Semester B 2011. For more information, please download our user guides at http://go.cityu.hk/ xy45ot for teachers and http:// go.cityu.hk/bg6nnj for students.
Blackboard Mobile Learn on an iPhone
CityU Bb Mobile Learn info for teachers
CityU Bb Mobile Learn info for students
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DISCOVER & INNOVATE
Online Surveys/Quizzes Crusher Wong The CityU community performs a myriad of online surveys and questionnaires annually. In addition, our teachers make use of simple surveys to gauge student learning in their classes. A decade ago, the University purchased QuestionMark Perception to address the need for web-based assessment. However, many teachers did not like installing the software on their PCs and the question-building procedures turned away many who might not have IT background. The situation changed in recent years with more and more free and easy-to-use online survey services available such as SurveyMonkey or the like with great-looking user interfaces. The time has truly come for online surveys as Software as a Service (SaaS), also known as Cloud Application Services.
Sample Qualtrics questionnaire displayed in an iPhone
Sample Qualtrics questionnaire displayed in a browser
Qualtrics is one such hosted commercial cloud service provider for online surveys. The College of Business (CB) at CityU piloted Qualtrics to run Annual Programme Evaluation and Exchange Survey for almost a year. With basic web browsing skills, one can easily create a questionnaire without any prior training. The package provides various questions types for advance survey creators. In addition, Qualtrics also allows reuse of questionnaires from its library avoiding duplicated efforts. Quite remarkably, it also translates questions into different languages by connecting to Google Translate. Of course, survey managers just need a
browser to create questions, launch surveys, collect results and even conduct statistical analysis. We now have licenses for a hundred survey managers for the initial m-Learning Pilot Scheme; part of the CityU “Discover & Innovate� initiative. It is currently used for surveys that do not need CityU authentication. The Computing Services Centre (CSC) is now working on connecting our authentication mechanism with Qualtrics to facilitate full scale deployment at CityU later this year. If you like to use Qualtrics, please contact the e-Learning Team (elearn@ cityu.edu.hk).
What the Qualtrics screen looks like at CityU
Issue 3 • Apr 2011
FEATURE
Sustainability Effort of Green IT Noel Laam
Photo courtesy of Peter Mok (CSC) “Green IT” refers to the idea that IT organizations can and should implement practice that is environmentally friendly. To this end, the Computing Services Centre (CSC) has consistently embarked on green computing initiatives to improve the sustainability of IT operations and infrastructure. Below are some green IT efforts of the CSC at a glance:
Student printing • Encourage double-side printing with discount • Discourage print wastage • Cooperate with FO on the use of green paper for printing and copying • Use recycled toner • Reduce free print quota (planning) • Assist CDFO in collecting print paper waste for recycling
PCs in computer labs and terminal rooms • Adopt timed power control for terminal room PCs and Express Terminals Redeploy replaced PCs during upgrade exercise rather than disposal • Adopt power saver mode settings after a period of inactivity for PCs
• Equip, encourage and support room VC to reduce travelling • Promote web conferencing to reduce travelling
end-users through message broadcasts on green use of IT • Encourage instructors to give e-notes as handouts and encourage their students to mark on electronic copies instead of printing them out (planning) • Facilitate departments to reduce waste by setting up `Go Green’ forum on the CAP
Paperless office
Data Centre
• Conduct meetings supported by CMS instead of having to print notes • Replace paper forms and encourage approval with e-Forms and electronic workflow • Redesign processes with e-Services • Adopt electronic copy of phone books
• Revamp Data Centre with green design, e.g. more efficient cooling, reducing heat loss • Replace system hardware with greener one when upgrade • Reduce hardware through consolidation, virtualization, cloud and outsourcing • Implement constant monitoring and control measures for power consumption (planning) • Low carbon footprint in mind for building IT infrastructure
in lab and on-loan notebooks (planning, currently balance mode is set)
Web, voice and room video conferencing services
Cooperative processes • Require green standards as requirements in tender specifications during IT acquisitions such as G.R.A.D.E., EPEAT, Energy Star, etc. • Provide IT support to departments such as CDFO on their green initiatives • Outsource to recycle/refabricate services for IT equipment disposal • Raise user awareness and remind
To achieve sustainability objectives, it requires process change on the part of the service providers and behavior change on the part of the users. We hope that, by means of the efforts of both the University and its users, our environmental footprint can be improved.
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IT Security Awareness Series by JUCC With an aim to enhancing the IT security awareness of the CityU community, the KPMG was commissioned by the Joint Universities Computer Centre (JUCC) to prepare a series of articles on IT security and they will be adopted and published here for your reference.
Data Leakage Prevention I. Background Case Study Personal Information Stolen for Millions of Student Loan Recipients The company Educational Credit Management Corporation reports that the personal information of 3.3 million federal student loan borrowers has been stolen, including names, addresses, birth dates and social security numbers. A portable medium containing students’ personal data was stolen on 20 March 2010. (Read more: http://www.scmagazineus. com/info-about-33-million-studentborrowers-on-stolen-device/ article/166810/) Campus networks are at greater risk to breaches because they must be open, carry a lot of data, and have many access points (mobile devices, computer ports, personal e-mail and instant messaging). All campuses should be vigilant regarding their data breach prevention policies, personnel and solutions. One of the solutions to mitigate risk of data loss through portable media as shown in the case above is to implement Data Leakage Prevention (DLP) tools which can prevent sensitive data to be transferred to portable devices, as well as external locations through the network.
Data Leakage Prevention (DLP) Data Leakage Prevention (DLP) tools are systems that identify, monitor, and protect data in use (e.g. endpoint actions), data in motion (e.g. network
actions), and data at rest (e.g. data storage) through deep content inspection and with a centralized management framework. These systems are designed to detect and prevent the unauthorized use and transmission of confidential information. Currently, there are three main types of DLP design: • Network DLP – Network DLP tools crawl through network and fingerprint sensitive files and records. They will detect if a particular important file or dataset is being transferred somewhere through the network. However, network DLP technologies do not have the capacity to monitor data that are locally managed at an endpoint, such as personal e-mail and mobile device. It is difficult to thwart insider threats if the endpoints are not guarded. • Endpoint DLP – These are agents or client software that resides at endpoints, such as mobile devices, computer ports, personal e-mail and instant messaging. They can detect if an important file is being transferred out from the endpoint. They log, block and notify actions that violate security policies. • Embedded DLP – Embedded DLP are customized tools which are embedded within individual application system, such as email system and Adobe reader for the purpose of protecting specific information, e.g. restriction of copying and printing of documents. (Read more: http://www.fujitsu.com/ downloads/MAG/vol46-1/paper13.pdf)
II. General Users Roles and Responsibilities General users of the computer resources at campus have an important role to data leakage prevention. Being part of the campus network, all end users have the obligation to protect data in the campus network. Below are some good practice for managing information and data:
Good Practice for General Users to Prevent Data Leakage 1. Turn off unused wireless network – Disable the Wireless Network Interface Card when connection to the wireless network is not required. This will prevent attacks that are performed through the Wireless Network Interface Card. 2. Encrypt your files – Encryption mechanism such as winzip AES encryption as well as Truecrypt disk encryption with a strong key authentication should be used when files are being transferred in removable media. Encrypted USB storage device may be used for additional level of protection. 3. Avoid sending sensitive data over Internet email – Use your campus email to send confidential information. Sending sensitive information over an Internet email may result in a copy of your sensitive data being stored or archived by a third-party server. 4. Store your data on a secure network drive – Store your data on the server instead of the hard drive
Issue 3 • Apr 2011
of your own laptop to prevent data leakage should you lose the laptop. 5. Virus scan over files from external source – Scan the files you downloaded from the Internet, whether it is an email or an external storage device before you open or save the file. Virus scanning is important to prevent data leakage. 6. Ensure proper security is enabled for computer – Be responsible for protecting the security of your computer. Loss or theft of a computer, USB storage device or even printer, is a common cause to the loss of important data. 7. Do not leave your printed documents unattended – Remember to collect all the printed documents from the network printer and ensure all print jobs are completed when you leave.
Related Incident Bogus Intranets Scam University Students Security Company (RSA) has detected a sudden rise in targeted attacks on US universities – particularly public state institutions – against internal websites used to serve students with services such as webmail. Such servers often contain personal data such as grades, names, addresses, and payment information.
(Read more: http://www.cio.com/ article/569964/Bogus_Intranets_ Scam_University_Students)
III. Management Security is not just implementing a tool
or an IT Department issue. Management needs to understand there are three components to security, which are people, process and technology. A good information governance framework is an essential element for the implementation of data loss prevention programme in addition to DLP technology implementation.
Fundamental Aims of Information Governance: • To support the provision of high quality care of data by promoting the effective and appropriate use of information • To encourage responsible staff to work closely together, prevent duplication of effort and enable more efficient use of resources Campuses need to be vigilant yet realistic regarding their data breach prevention policies, personnel and solutions. The following best practice may help: 1. Conduct a risk assessment – Understand what type of information are the most sensitive, who might expose it, how and where it could be exposed, and what applications use it.
data loss through network, end users as well as applications. • Make use of different safeguards such as firewalls, anti-virus & anti-spam software, intrusion prevention (IPS), network access control (NAC) and possibly IP white lists to strengthen the IT environment of the campus. • Controlling the administrator rights of a computer reduces the chances of an insider intentionally or unintentionally downloading the malware or malicious code. 5. Other relevant controls – Consider implementing additional data protection controls such as data encryption, removable media tracking, physical access, and secure data disposal. Click “Read More” for further reference. (Read more: http://www. campussafetymagazine.com/ Channel/Security-Technology/ Articles/2008/07/Data-BreachPrevention-13-Best-Practices-YouShould-Implement.aspx)
Related Incident 2. Categorize the data – Identify and categorize appropriate level of security on various types of facilities, such as “confidential, restricted and public”. 3. Determine who has access – Determine who has access to various types of data, and access should be granted on a need-to-know basis. 4. Take a Multi-layer approach • Implement the Data Leakage Prevention (DLP) tools to prevent
Student Information Was Part of Security Breach According to Liz Latt and Beth Fortune in Public Affairs, a professor’s desktop computer who kept a database of his grade book, containing the names and social security numbers of 7,174 current and former students, was stolen some time during the weekend of 6 February 2010. (Read more: http://www.scmagazineus. com/stolen-vanderbilt-universitydesktop-contained-students-personalinformation/article/166064/)
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FEATURE
Health Check for the e-Learning System Maria Chin
In Issue 1 of the OCIO Newsletter published in October 2010, the preparation of central IT systems for the 334 academic reform in 2012/13 was discussed. This article is to follow up on the progress of the e-learning system. The Blackboard e-learning system is the standard campus e-learning and e-portal platform. We have stayed very close to the software version upgrades enabling the newest tools and features for our instructors and students. Since its deployment in 2005, the Blackboard e-learning system has undergone seven version upgrades settling on its latest major release, Blackboard Learn, in August 2010. To utilize the technical advancements in new versions and to accommodate the forever increasing and diverse usages from instructors and students, the software vendor (Blackboard) is engaged annually to carry out system health check to measure system performance, study usage pattern, predict usage growth, and recommend areas where system tuning and system capacity increase may be required. Blackboard Learn is a major release of the software. In this version the user interface carries a “web 2.0 feel” for added friendliness, and much collaborative-learning elements are added for course delivery. It has fundamental changes to its programming technology, database and file storage architecture. After running for a full semester (2010/11 Semester A) with 1,600 active courses, the access traffic and usage data (anonymous) to these courses were
collected for the system health check conducted in December 2010. The purpose of this health check is to analyze the software performance and the hardware utilization, and to map out usage patterns for the forecasting of system loads in 2012 with a foreseeable significant increase in student population. As a result it helps identify areas that need improvements for forward planning. The following was covered in the health check:
results from previous years to chart changes in usage patterns and system performance, hence revealing the adequacies of the current system and hardware configurations. Projected demands for 2012/13, such as increase in number of courses, users, storages, were then injected into the calculation to forecast the likelihood of performance bottlenecks and where system enhancements, as appropriate, should be considered.
Assessment of: • Hardware architecture • Network configuration • Software configuration • Operating system • Database • File storage
Highlights of the Health Check Report 1) On the whole, the system health check confirmed that the e-learning system is currently providing a high level of performance for instructors and students with almost 99% of hits* were processed within 1 second, and also showed an overall improvement in system response time as compared with the year before (please see Diagram 1).
Analysis of: • Error log files • Access log files • Usage patterns • Server monitoring • Housekeeping and maintenance
* Hit is a unit to measure the number of program executions required for performing a user request. Depending on the complexity of a request and the size of data involved, it may take one or more hits to complete its execution and return the result.
The results from the above studies were correlated with health check
Diagram 1 — Processing time 98.96% of hits were processed within 1 second, excluding latency over the network. Threshold
2010/11 Semester A % Total Hits (Bb Learn)
2009/10 Semester B % Total Hits (Bb Release 8)
0-1s
98.96%
94.81%
1-5s
0.62%
4.75%
5 - 10 s
0.14%
0.15%
10 - 50 s
0.20%
0.22%
> 50
0.08%
0.06%
Issue 3 • Apr 2011
Diagram 2 — Daily Hits Peak usage periods over four semesters showed an increasing trend in daily hits.
2) Since the previous health check, user concurrency has increased by 30% and hits per user session has also increased by 10%, meaning that during peak hour there have been 30% more staff/students using Blackboard the same time when you were using it, and on average every user has increased usage by 10%. Diagram 2 below illustrates an increasing trend of daily hits over the years. 3) On busy days the CPU (processing power) usage on the application tier was pushed to 90% (as shown in Diagram 3), and free memory in the database tier fell below 1GB (as shown in Diagram 4). These two system resources are potential performance bottlenecks, and if usage growth persists as shown statistically we will hit them in late 2011. The adding of projected demands for 2012/13 and other emerging e-learning companions, e.g. mobile learning, social-learning, on-line lectures, and video capture, have further amplified the risk of system saturation.
Diagram 3 — CPU Utilization by Application Server Shows high level of CPU usage on all four application servers during peak hours.
Diagram 4 — Database Free Memory Shows the database free memory was often marginal or below 1GB during peak hours.
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Action Plan With clear indications on potential performance bottlenecks, the following has been put into action: • To implement the general performance optimizations as recommended in the health check report. • To add another server to the application tier within the next six months; this will also provide the N +1 redundancy to reinforce the existing high availability system architecture (please refer to the Appendix). • To upgrade all application servers and to increase database memory by mid 2012; this should allow sufficient margin for burst usages and usage growth until the next upgrade.
• To strengthen system monitoring and maintenance to complement the above expansion. These tasks are targeted for smooth running before 2012/13 student intake which will help set the course for our students’ expeditions for “Discover & Innovate @CityU”.
Related Articles • OCIO Newsletter Issue 1, http://issuu. com/cityuhkocio/docs/newsletter_ issue_1 • Blackboard/e-Portal Health Check, http://www.cityu.edu.hk/csc/ netcomp/sep2009-1.htm • Upgrading the Blackboard Academic Suite in “15 hours”, http://www.cityu. edu.hk/csc/netcomp/mar2008-3.htm
Appendix The high availability architecture for the Blackboard Learn environment -- a university mission critical application
Issue 3 • Apr 2011
GLOSSARY
Green IT Standards Peter Mok
Green Information Technology (IT) is a new yet important area in sustainability development both for the IT industry as well as every other business that is now heavily dependent on IT. This is surely a topic in the corporate social responsibility (CSR) needed to be considered. Green IT standards are a set of standards still under development that define how IT can be implemented in a more environmental friendly approach. Green IT standards may cover a wide range of disciplines ranging from curbing energy consumption to reducing environmental waste. Luckily, though starting late, some of the general Green standards are also applicable to the IT industry and best practice is usually available in areas where Green IT standards are still lacking, they include: a) Improving energy efficiency (e.g. data center, desktops, displays) b) Use practice (e.g. just enough and on demand cooling, turning off office PCs after use, power saving settings, printing) c) Reducing carbon footprint (e.g. print saving considerations, increasing efficiency of facilities, making full use of capacity through virtualization and consolidation) d) Increasing the possibility of recycling, remanufacturing and reusing (PCs, notebooks, personal devices, toners, papers) e) Use of material (e.g. IT equipment, coolant, batteries, etc.)
f ) Processes (e.g. production and consumption of IT equipment, acquisitions, operations, end-oflife management such as proper disposal of IT equipment, ink, batteries, etc.)
Green IT Standards and the Related Standards 1. EPEAT or Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool from Green Electronics Council, more information can be found at: • Home: http://www.epeat.net/ • http://www. federalelectronicschallenge.net/ resources/docs/epeat_partcall08. pdf • Development roadmap (24 Aug 2007): http://www.zerowaste.org/ epeat/roadmap_files/SDR_Final_ Roadmap_070824.pdf • Eco-design – Multi-Attribute Environmental Standards for Electronics http://thor. inemi.org/webdownload/ newsroom/Presentations/ Sustainability_08/19_Eco-Design. pdf
• Specification for Computers (v5): http://www.energystar.gov/index. cfm?c=revisions.computer_spec • Energy Star products: http:// www.energystar.gov/index. cfm?c=products.pr_find_es_ products 4. ISO Standards for Environmentally Conscious Design of ICT/CE products • IEC 62430 Horizontal standard http://webstore.iec.ch/preview/ info_iec62340%7Bed1.0%7Db. pdf, http://webstore.iec.ch/ webstore/webstore.nsf/Artnum_ PK/44152 • IEC 62075 Vertical standard http://webstore.iec.ch/preview/ info_iec62075%7Bed1.0%7Db. pdf, http://webstore.iec.ch/ webstore/webstore.nsf/Artnum_ PK/38890 5. ECMA 370 The Eco Declaration for ICT and CE products of ECMA, more information can be found at: • http://www.ecma-international. org/publications/standards/Ecma370.htm
2. P1680 Family of Standards for Environmental Assessment of Electronic Products from IEEE, more information can be found at: • Standards Family: http://grouper. ieee.org/groups/1680/ • For PC products: http://grouper. ieee.org/groups/1680/1680.1/ 3. Energy Star of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and US Department of Energy (DOE), more information can be found at: • Home: http://www.energystar. gov/
Photo courtesy of Peter Mok (CSC)
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6. CDIE or Data Center Infrastructure Efficiency and PUE of the Green Grid, more information can be found at: • http://searchdatacenter.techtarget. com/definition/data-centerinfrastructure-efficiency-DCIE • http://www.thegreengrid.org/ library-and-tools.aspx 7. G.R.A.D.E. or Green Recycling and Asset Disposal for the Enterprise from IDC, more information can be found at: • Home: http://www.idc.com/ research/grade.jsp 8. RoHS or Restriction of the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment from European Commission, more information can be found at: • http://www.rohs-weee.eu/english/ index.html • http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ waste/weee/
sustainable-business/documents/ eco-design/legislation/frameworkdirective/index_en.htm) • Sustainable Development (http:// ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/ escp_en.htm)
5. Climate Savers Computing (http:// www.climatesaverscomputing.org/) 6. Green CIO Community of Practice (http://www.greenciocommunityofpractice.org/)
3. China • 國家環境技術管理體系建 設規劃 (http://kjs.mep. gov.cn/kjghzc/200710/ P020071011308221546921.pdf ) • 環境標誌產品技術要求 (http://kjs. mep.gov.cn/hjbhbz/bzwb/other/ hjbz/)
7. 中國綠色科技 (http://www.chinagreentech.com)
4. Hong Kong • Sustainable Development (http:// www.gov.hk/en/residents/ environment/sustainable/) • Environmental Laws and Regulations (http://www.epd.gov. hk/epd/english/laws_regulations/ laws_maincontent.html)
10. Energy Saving and Environmental Concern Alliance (http://www. energysaving.hk/)
8. Green Technology Alliance (http:// www.greentechnologyalliance.org/) 9. Green ICT Consortium (http://iproa. org/en/Content.asp?Uid=316)
References on Other Related Green or Environmental Resources 1. ISO 14000: http://www.iso.org/iso/ iso_14000_essentials
9. SS 564:2010 or Singapore Standard for Green Data Centres from iTSC and iDA of Singapore, more information can be found at: • Preview of SS 564:2010: http:// www.singaporestandardseshop. sg/data/
5. Australia • Environmental Law (http://www. aph.gov.au/library/intguide/law/ envlaw.htm)
2. Kyoto Protocol of UNFCCC: http:// unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/ items/3145.php
Organizations Working on Green IT and Promoting Green Uses of IT
3. SMaRT of MTS: http://mts. sustainableproducts.com/SMaRT_ product_standard.html
Examples of Government Efforts
1. Green Electronics Council (http:// www.greenelectronicscouncil.org/)
1. US Government • National Environmental Policy Act (http://ceq.hss.doe.gov/) • EO13423 (http://www.fedcenter. gov/programs/eo13423/) • EO13514 (http://www.fedcenter. gov/programs/eo13514/) 2. European Commission (EC) • Eco Design Directive (http:// ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/
2. Zero Waste Alliance (http://www. zerowaste.org/) 3. Federal Electronics Challenge (FEC) (http://www. federalelectronicschallenge.net/) 4. The Green Grid (http://www. thegreengrid.org/)
4. EcoLEX the Gateway to Environmental Law: http://www. ecolex.org/start.php 5. CIEL or The Center for International Environmental Law: http://www.ciel. org/ 6. CUMBA Conference 2011 – Global Partnership for a Sustainable Future: http://cumbacsr.baf.cuhk.edu.hk/
Issue 3 • Apr 2011
Facts & Figures of CSC Services for 2009-2010 A) General Total Number of Active CityU-Owned Computers Supported Total Number of Active Printers Supported Total Number of Active LANs Supported [Number of Departmental LANs, Number of Students LANs] Daily Average Number of Active Computers/Devices Connected to Network at Day Time Daily Average Number of Active Computers/Devices Connected to Network at Night Time Network Availability Annual User Ratings in Percentage on Work Raised through Work Request (Excellent, Good, Average, Below Average, Poor) Average Successful Rate on Helping Over the Phone
13,271 682 [Staff LAN] 89 [78, 11] 14,386 3,805 99.98% 80%, 18%, 1%, 0%, 0% 76%
B) Network Services Section Total Number of Active On-campus Network Points Supported
14,908
Total Number of External Communication Links Supported
15
Total Number of Local Remote Offices Supported
9
Total Number of Remote Campuses Outside HK Total Number of Active Router/Switches Managed
2 575
Total Number of Active Phones Supported
7,100
Monthly Average Number of Distinctive Wireless LAN Users Served
11,900
Daily Average Number of WLAN Login
14,200
Monthly Average Number of Attacks Blocked (e.g. Email Worms/Virus, Scanning, Malformed Packets, etc.)
25,736
C) Data Centre Services Section Total Number of Central (Physical and Virtual) Servers Supported Total Number of Departmental (Physical and Virtual) Servers Supported Total Volume of Storage Supported Daily Number of Backup Jobs performed by Operations Team
239 289 66 TeraBytes 97
Daily Number of Housekeeping Jobs performed by Operations Team
24
Total Number of Active Email Accounts Managed by Operations Team
107,663
D) User Services Section Total Number of Work Request Served Annually
3,186
Total Number of Help Desk Phone Calls Received Annually
23,625
Total Number of Entries in CSC Student Terminal Area Annually
1,089,857
Total Number of Transactions of Daily Notebook Computer Loan Service Annually
98,635
Total Number of Service Enquiries/Requests Handled by Service Counter Annually
394,852
E) e-Services Section Total Number of Web Sites Hosted and Supported (Central Web Servers) Total Number of Public Web Pages Hosted and Supported (Central Web Servers) Total Volume of SharePoint Sites Supported Total Number of Blackboard Course and Organization Sites Supported Total Number of Unscheduled Services Downtime (Web sites & Services, SharePoint, Blackboard) Annually
261 60,751 73 4,394 9 hours
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F) Field Services Section Total Number of Work/Service Requests Served Annually
3,206
Average Daily Queue Length of Oustanding Work/Service Requests
3.8
Average Time Spent Per Work/Service Request
96 minutes
FYI
IT Bio from Wikipedia Andy Chun (ed.) Who Invented the Web? Sir “Tim” Berners-Lee (born 8 June 1955) is a British engineer and computer scientist and MIT professor credited with inventing the World Wide Web, making the first proposal for it in March 1989. In 1980, while an independent contractor at CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research), Berners-Lee proposed a project based on the concept of hypertext, to facilitate sharing and updating information among researchers. While there, he built a prototype system named ENQUIRE. After leaving CERN, he went to work at John Poole’s Image Computer Systems, Ltd. in Bournemouth, England. The project he worked on was a real-time remote procedure call where he learned the network background. In 1984 he returned to CERN as a fellow. In 1989, CERN was the largest Internet node in Europe, and Berners-Lee saw an opportunity to join hypertext with the Internet. He wrote his initial proposal in March 1989, and in 1990, with the help of Robert Cailliau, produced a revision. He used similar ideas to those underlying the ENQUIRE system to create the World Wide Web, for which he designed and built the first Web browser, which also functioned as an editor (WorldWideWeb, running on the NeXTSTEP operating system), and the first Web server, CERN HTTPd (short for Hypertext Transfer Protocol daemon). The first web site built was at CERN, and was first put online on 6 August 1991. Berners-Lee is now the director of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), which oversees the Web’s Sir “Tim” Berners-Lee (Photo courtesy of Paul Clarke) continued development.
Editorial Box OCIO Newsletter Advisory Board Dr. Andy Chun (OCIO) Ms. Annie Ip (OCIO) Mr. Raymond Poon (CSC) Mr. Peter Mok (CSC) Mrs. W K Yu (ESU) Publishing Team Ms. Noel Laam (CSC) Ms. Annie Yu (CSC) Ms. Joyce Lam (CSC) Mr. Ng Kar Leong (CSC) Mrs. Louisa Tang (ESU) Ms. Doris Au (OCIO) For Enquiry Phone 3442 6284 Fax 3442 0366 Email cc@cityu.edu.hk OCIO Newsletter Online http://issuu.com/cityuhkocio
This article uses material from Wikipedia. The Author(s) and Editor(s) listed with this article may have significantly modified the content derived from Wikipedia with original content or with content drawn from other sources. The current version of the cited Wikipedia article may differ from the version that existed on the date of access. Text in this article is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
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