ISS ANNUAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS REPORT - 1995



  1. TOUCH TONE TELEPHONE VOICE PROCESSING SYSTEM



    1. TTTR/Admissions Orientation - Worked with Telecomm to configure Student Union, SU378 with 48 handsets, 2 printers, and 4 PCs on loan from ISS) to support first Admissions Orientation student registration using the Touch Tone Telephone Registration system. Project was completed with 14 sessions run successfully during Freshmen Orientation in summer of 1995.
      2,305 students registered
      10,610 courses/sections added
      6,211 phone calls answered


    2. Fall '95 TTTR Add/Drop was in production 8/1/95- 9/18/95. No problems through August, but extremely heavy load on 9/5 and 9/6 caused problems for mainframe response time, VPS lines, and call backup at phone switch.

      Touch Tone Registration System Statistics Totals for Fall '95 Add/Drop are:

      No. calls processed -43,242
      Max. no. calls in one day (on 9/5) - 5,063
      No. student callers (not unique, possible repeats) -11,527
      No. courses/sections added -17,720
      No. all/busy seconds (appr. 17 hrs) - 60,892

      Touch Tone Registration System Statistics Totals for Spring 1996 Add/Drop are:

      Total Calls Taken40,637
      Total Adds Completed40,989
      Total Drops Completed2,347
      Total Swaps Completed2,028

      Touch Tone Registration System Statistics Totals for Fall 1996 Registration are:

      Total Calls processed: 36,764
      Total Courses/sections added: 39,995
      Total Courses/sections dropped: 3,875
      Number non-unique students processed: 10,538
      Fall 1996 Advance Registration - concluded 5/2/96

    3. Mike Long was moved from the programming group to act as project leader for TTTR and was assigned to the FOCUS Programming Development and Administration function. Mike Long, Dave Kolb and Connie Tomecko attended Application Development of VPS software at Periphonics Corporation headquarters in Long Island from 06/26 to 06/30/95.

    4. Worked with Prof. Rob Henning and his graduate class in industrial psychology in analyzing several aspects of the TTTR System.

    5. Coordinated vocabulary and Voice Response System (VPS) script changes necessary for first time use of TTTR and its equivalent on-line component (TTTS) at the regional campuses for Fall '96 advance registration.

    6. VPS Move to UCC was researched for technical requirements, logistics, and costs necessary to move one or both VPS units from subbasement of Homer Babbidge Library to Computer Center.


  2. NETWORK SERVICES



    1. PPP INTERNET ACCESS SUPPORT


      1. Coordinated first program to utilize PPP for dial- up INTERNET access for students in high profile Executive MBA program. Reviewed special needs with Director of MBA program, created special form and procedure with UCC Computer Accounts Office for creation of 70 accounts for current EMBA students. Students also given POPVM accounts. Second PPP server brought up with 10 ports reserved for EMBA. Project was in production by August as required and has been successfully used since then.

      2. Continued to supply administrative coordination for PPP Internet Access for Faculty and Staff. A measure of the annual growth of the program is:
        September 1995 PPP Usage Totals:
        Total No. PPP accounts - 184
        Max. No. logged on users in one day - 135 (9/27)

        April 1996 PPP Usage Totals:
        Current number of PPP account holders (with EMBA) - 536
        April 1996 - highest number of users in 24 hour period - 264 (4/29)
        All time highest number of users in 24 hour period - 268 (2/11)



    1. POP MAIL SERVICES


      1. ISS coordinated first implementation of POP Mail providing the user a choice of PC clients while enabling use of the mainframe as a server. The project encompassed two major phases. Phase I: New POP Mail server, Diefenbaker, was brought up to support 71 existing POP users transferred from LANRES1 to DIEFENBAKER. Phase II: As POPVM on mainframe emerged as better server solution, ISS coordinated POP Mail Group from ISS, IRS, and OSP to get this project installed, documented, tested and out to users by the opening of classes in the Fall of 1995. Full documentation for use of Pegasus (WinPMail) as supported PC client and Eudora as supported Macintosh client has also been provided in hard copy and on-line to promote use of this tool as graphical email interface. In addition to ISS developed documentation, a second license for WinPmail manual negotiated to include all non-Storrs locations, thus permitting us to put WinPMail manual on-line with 137.99 access only.


    2. EMAIL/PHONES DIRECTORY


      1. Sent out 4,100 forms to faculty and staff requesting new EMAIL listings and verification of current ones, with target of putting all faculty/staff email addresses on line.
      2. Developed ADMIN-L email list as first email facility for dissemination of official University information.


    3. PEGASUS MAIL


      1. Installed on nearly all Novell file servers (approx. 60) and converted all file servers from Charon to Mercury as mail transport facility. This means that approximately 2400 Novell users have the facility to use Pegasus for all email services.

    4. APPLETALK NETWORKING


      5. Implemented Appletalk networking in coordination with Data Communications



  1. UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT PUBLIC INFORMATION SYSTEM (UCINFO):


    1. WWW Home Page- Coordinated development of first UCINFO Web-based Home Page on Husky Web system of Macintosh servers including log and menu system using World Wide Web technology and running Webstar 3.0. The new graphic was designed by Zoe Strickler from the Art Department and the menu system was designed in concert with the UCINFO Special Interest Group. The new UCINFO homepage went production on 8/2/95.

    2. A set of policies for acceptance and removal of information in UCINFO along with guidelines for home pages was developed by the UCINFO Project Team, reviewed by the UCINFO SIG, and approved by management. The document, "UCINFO Policy - Acceptance, Management, and Removal of Information for Display" is displayed under the About section of the main menu and provides the overall governance for UCINFO.

    3. University Relations was designated as the new "owners" of UCINFO with overall responsibility for the system, but with daily management remaining with the UCINFO project team in the Computer Center. Worked effectively with Mark Roy in developing standards, answering user questions, interacting with the UCINFO SIG and planning for the next phase of UCINFO.

    4. Dodd HomePage - Received data from Senator Dodd's Office in Washington and assisted in putting up his homepage. It is now available through www.uconn.edu under the Connecticut/Government listing.

    5. Netscape download - developed complete documentation and procedure accessible from Husky Web Home Page for users to download and install the latest version of supported WWW browser, Netscape.

    6. HTML for UCINFO Workshop - Developed workshop to assist administrative departments in technology, standards, and procedures for developing home pages for UCINFO. These classes were very well received and proved to be highly successful in promoting UCINFO and assisting user departments to developing their own home pages with appropriate content.

    7. The MUSH Newsletter was published in August '95 prior to UCINFO's production date as a WWW facility to notify the users of the upcoming changes and the additional data.

    8. The User's Guide to UCINFO was updated to keep it in line with the changes to the architecture and clients being supported.

    9. Husky Mole and Gopher migration to WWW - over the period of 8/9504/96, a task plan was developed and completed to convert UCINFO from Mole and Gopher- based system to World Wide Web. This extensive project included contacting many departments and assisting them in the conversion and updating of appropriate information.

    10. Local News Groups - a set of local UConn news groups on a wide range of topics was developed so that users could interchange ideas. Policies and procedures were set up and a homepage designed. This pilot project was put on line beginning in May, 1996.

    UCINFO Summary Statistics

    September '95 - May '96

    Total Files Transmittted: 1,775,171
    Files transmitted to Non-UConn Sources: 935,573 (52.7%)
    Files transmitted to UConn CMS Sources: 109,693 (47.3%)
    Files transmitted to UConn PC Sources: 729,905 (13.06%)



  1. UCC HOME PAGE


    2. UCC Home Page - coordinated development and implementation of revised UCC Home Page to Web format with emphasis on providing a focal point for access to and display of Computer Center information. The new home page has a new graphic and a significantly expanded base of information with contributions from many UCC groups, teams, and special functions.

  2. ADMINISTRATIVE TRAINING (AUSTT)



    1. Workshops -
      Number of workshops - 72
      Number of attendees - 810

      Special seminars - developed and taught special seminars to introduce University to Windows 95 to coincide with introduction of Husky PC.

    2. New Workshops - developed new workshops in Using Novell Networks, Using Pegasus Mail, HTML for UCINFO Providers, Internet for PC users, and Windows 95. Upgraded existing workshops in MS Word, Excel, and Powerpoint.


  3. OFFICE AUTOMATION AND NETWORKING SUPPORT



    1. Information Systems Support Service Requests

      Received (calendar year 1995) - 184
      Completed (calendar year 1995) - 180

    2. Developed a formal service request system to supplement the major FOCUS system in Microsoft Access to track ISS Office Automation projects. Also developed an ad-hoc service request system to track requests for short term ad-hoc assistance.

    3. In addition to the 180 completed service requests, an additional estimated 340 ad hoc requests requiring on-site support were completed.

    4. Windows 95 - Developed complete project plan, performed research, developed standards, and coordinated implementation of Windows 95 as new supported PC operating system including training and documentation. As a result, Windows 95 is scheduled to go into full production in August '96. A Windows 95 home page was made available through the newly re-designed Computer Center Home Page.

    5. Husky PC - Worked with user team in evaluating, testing, and selecting the vendor as well as the configuration for the Husky PC and Husky Mac. Developed project plan, workflow procedures, technical standards, Site Survey Form, supporting documentation, and reporting procedures for use with external vendor, CIC Systems and Integrated Systems Analysts (ISA) to assure as smooth an implementation as possible. Information has been collected and made available through the newly re- designed Computer Center Home Page.

      Statistics as of May 31, 1996:
      Number of Husky Workstations (PC and Mac) on order - 162
      Number of Husky PCs ordered - 138
      Number of Husky Macs ordered - 24
      Number of Husky workstations installed standalone - 67
      Number of Husky workstations network connected - 56 (of 67)

    6. Torrington Campus Network Connection - installed all workstation software and coordinated with Data Communications to effect network connection of the campus in one day.

    7. Upgraded file server hardware for Chancellor, Personnel (also software upgrade to Netware 4.1), College of Agriculture, Jorgensen, Purchasing, School of Business, Police.

    8. Installed new file server in Environmental Health and Safety.

    9. Responded to numerous requests from LAN administrators for ad hoc assistance. Responded to weekend disaster with Police Station server and had it recovered with no business down time.

    10. Coordinated meetings three times per year of LAN Administrators User Group. Reviewed progress on several fronts including desktop installation configurations, Netware 4.x, Netshield/Viruscan, and use of Pegasus as file server installed mail system versus using POPVM on the mainframe and Pegasus (WinPMail) as the client.

    11. Netware 4.x licensing - researched information needed for various licensing options of Netware and associated Novell products.

    12. Installed 31 mainframe office printers under Hostprint supporting 63 mainframe sessions.

    13. Programmer workstations - replaced all programmer workstations with new Pentium machines, trained programmers individually and in groups.

    14. Installed two NT servers and began research and development program to evaluate NT Server as a second server platform potentially adding to Novell.


  4. FOCUS PROGRAMMING DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION



    1. Participated in planning process, then coordinated the installation and programmed the conversion of the FOCUS portion of: FRS+/DB2, Fixed Assets Inventory Accounting Function, GENESYS, and Staff Directory. This included converting current and historical FOCUS FRS Plus shadow files in the FRS+/DB2 conversion and converting
      FOCUS System to utilize the new GENESYS Frozen File.

    2. Participated in needs analysis, review, evaluation and selection process for new Space Inventory/Management System.

    3. Analyzed and programmed methodology for permitting Alumni/Development fund raisers to download data on potential donors, enter pledges, and generate response letters and labels.

    4. Converted PC based Student Health Immune System to a significant enhanced mainframe system for use by the Student Health Services Department and availability at the Regional Campuses as well as Storrs.

    5. Potential Applicant PC Laptop System - Analyzed and programmed Admissions recruitment system in Microsoft Access for loading on a laptop PC to be used on admissions recruitment trips. This has been turned into a polished Windows application and represents one of the first applications developed in MS Access for administrative use.

    6. Personnel - Official Classification Code Table - Update to CLCDTBL was automated and rebuilt from the new D5000F90 file including all update and report Focexecs.

    7. Career Programs - FOCUS database System developed for Career Programs. User is using the system and documentation is complete.

    8. 8. University Senate Elections - Prepared Files and reports for Faculty at Large and Other Professionals Senate Elections.

    9. Master University Department FOCUS Table - Table of data elements was finalized and documentation for users was completed.


Uccadmin/mm/j:issacc95