DVC InfoTech Fall 2007
Ben Seaberry, Information Technology & Services August
15, 2007
DVC InfoTech newsletters are
online at http://www.dvc.edu/technology/newsletter
DVC InfoTech Fall 2007 Index: Computer Security;
DVC Online Course Guidelines; Website Redesign Project Update; WebCT 6.0; Media
Services Projects; Student Computer Lab and Server Installations; Faculty and
Staff Computer Installations; Wireless and Network Upgrades; DVC Help Desk;
Information Technology & Services Staff; Tech Tips & Resources
Computer Security
Please review the DVC Password
Protection Procedure at http://www.dvc.edu/technology/DVC5030_03PasswordProcedure.pdf.
A few reminders:
a.
Do not share your password with
anyone (e.g., colleague, student worker, etc.).
b.
Do not leave your password in an
obvious location (e.g., sticky note, etc.).
c.
Do not log into the network and
leave your computer unattended. Instead, either lock your computer
(Control-Alt-Delete and choose Lock
Computer), log-off, shut-down or initiate a password protected screen
saver.
d.
Change your DVC domain password
at least once each semester (see the password protection procedure for how to
select a secure password).
e.
Shut down
your office or lab computer each night.
f.
Accept
all critical-updates that come from
Windows or Apple.
g.
Ensure that your anti-virus definitions are up-to-date.
Managers
may request Datatel and email accounts at, http://gryphon.4cd.net/webapps/AccountRequest/.
Thanks to the work of the Distance Learning
Advisory Task Force, the DVC Online
Course Guidelines have been completed and approved as of May 2007. The
guidelines are accessible online at http://www.dvc.edu/technology/Online_Course_Guidelines_5-15-07.pdf
and are intended to serve as a resource for faculty, staff and administrators
who are involved with distance education. I would like to acknowledge the
experience, expertise and leadership of Carolyn Seefer (DL Chair) and Neal
Skapura (Instructional Technology Coordinator) in developing and co-authoring
the document. We hope that you find it to be a useful resource for ensuring
that all of our online classes are of the highest quality and offer rich
learning environments for students. We plan to update the document on an annual
basis.
Website Redesign Project Update
Members of the Web Workgroup Ben Seaberry, Chrisanne Knox, Susan Lamb, Leslie Leong, Triveni Gorur, Jeanette Peavler, Eng Saw, Jocelyn Iannucci, Mario Tejada, Neal Skapura met several times this summer to respond to the work of Interact Communications in developing the new website for DVC/SRC. The project is coming along and is scheduled to go live by early January (possibly sooner). After the semester gets started, we will provide more information about the project.
|
WebCT
6.0 Transition |
Timeline |
|
Pilot WebCT 6.0 |
October 2007 |
|
Staff/Faculty Training on WebCT 6.0 |
Fall 2007 Summer 2008 |
|
Implement WebCT 6.0 |
Spring 2008 (1/8/08) |
|
Summer Technology Institute (WebCT 6.0 Training) |
Summer 2008 (6/2/08 6/5/08) |
|
Eliminate version 4.1 |
Fall 2008 (8/11/08) |
|
WebCT 6.0 Transition Complete |
Fall 2008 (8/12/08) |
Media Services
Projects
·
AV
Classrooms (Smart Classrooms)
Nine
more classrooms are in the process of getting video projectors, video players
and computer hookups: PL101, 102, 103; LA116, 118, 216, 218; A201; PE Annex.
Most of these installations will be completed by the end of August; the rest
should be completed by the end of September.
Thanks
to our new Audio Technician, Guy Lento, the recording studio control room has
been re-wired and re-configured. This was a major undertaking that expands the
capabilities of the recording studio and provides a better learning environment
for our students. Good work, Guy!
Thanks
to the work of Richard Woodruff, (Video Specialist, Substitute) the television
studio control panel has been reworked to provide a better control facility and
instructional space. Thanks, Richard!
·
Classroom
Video Projectors
Thanks
to Azim Rafaat and Jeff Jewell for servicing all of the classroom video
projectors with clean filters and routine upkeep.
·
Media
Services
Media
Services has a new laminator for posters, etc. The digital media studio has a
new slide converter for digitizing a carousel of slides automatically. Contact
Toni Magaldi to make arrangements for using either of these resources. Thanks,
Toni!
·
The
instructional lab for students was upgraded with new computer monitors.
Student Computer Lab and Server Installations
This summer, thanks to the outstanding
work of technical staff in Computer Services, Physical Science &
Engineering, Research, and Multimedia: Michael Gong, Ed Oswald, Mike Aber,
Chuck Patterson, Martin Iglesias, Matt Anderson, Willie Mack, Yahya Fahimuddin,
Eng Saw
and Yosef Ebrat, we upgraded the following student lab computers and network servers:
·
Library: 35 replacement computers with
existing monitors
·
Architecture: 60 replacement computers with
existing monitors
·
Writing Lab: 7 replacement computers and
with existing monitors
·
Music Technology Lab: 28 new flat-panel monitors, new
computer, server and switch
·
Electronics: 40 new motherboards
·
Multimedia: 14 new computers, 30 new
monitors and new software
·
Computer Science: Two new instructional servers and
34 removable hard drives
·
GIS Lab: New software
·
WebCT: New CMS server and software
·
Network storage: New network storage server
installed for P drive
·
Research: New server and SharePoint web software
Faculty and Staff Computer
Installations
This summer, we made great
headway towards installing over 70 faculty computers, 50 replacement computers
for staff/managers, ~20 special project computers, ~30 printers and several surplus
computers. Since many of you were out of the office during the summer, we have not
completed the installation of all of the faculty/staff computers, but we intend
to complete them all by the end of September. Thanks for your patience and
understanding as we roll out these computers in addition to addressing daily
activities and unscheduled emergencies. A special thanks to John Vohs, Don
Farrar, Martin Iglesias, Ed Oswald, Michael Gong, Matt Anderson and Willie Mack!
Wireless and Network Upgrades
On July 27th, we took
the wireless controller off the network so that we could upgrade it and move it
to a different part of the network. As of this date, we are still working on
completing the configuration of the wireless controller. Once that is finished,
we will restore the wireless access points throughout campus and begin adding
more access points to new locations such as: LHS, BFL, ET, PE, MTC and others
throughout the semester.
For a
status report on the wireless project, go to
http://www.dvc.edu/network.
Wireless is also planned for SRC. In addition to
wireless upgrades, we added a new switch and re-wired the network cabling for
four buildings: BE, Counseling, FO and LA. We still need to activate these
switches for layer three VLANS, but the difficult work has been done. A special
thanks to Matt, Martin and Ed!
DVC Help Desk (L112)
We remodeled the Help Desk this
summer with a new service counter for better walk-in support and a new layout
to provide more work space. The Help Desk hours are M-F, 8:00 to 4:30 p.m. You
may reach the Help Desk at x2245, helpdesk@dvc.edu or drop-in at L112. Please
direct all of your support requests to the Help Desk instead of to individuals
as this makes it easier for us to assign and track all requests.
Information Technology & Services Staff
Over the past year, there have
been several staffing changes. For an update of current IT staff, go to http://www.dvc.edu/technology/staff.htm.
·
Kappu
Durai, Administrative Assistant (ATC 101A, x2156), on maternity leave through
8/31/07
·
Triveni
Gorur, Web Application Specialist (ATC 108A, x2189)
·
Guy
Lento, Audio Technician, (L108, x2087)
·
Joe
Tapia,
·
Linelle
Woods,
·
Rafique
Bhuiyan,
·
Jeanette
Peavler, Interim Web Application Developer (50%), and, for the summer, interim
Administrative Assistant (50%)
·
Catalina
Torres, Substitute Administrative Assistant (50%)
·
Computer
& Network Services Supervisor Recruitment underway
·
Electronics
Specialist (video) Recruitment underway
Tech Tips & Resources
1.
As
a district employee, you may order Microsoft
Office software for work-at-home purposes at a greatly reduced cost. To do
so, go to http://www.foundationccc.org/default.aspx?tabid=179.
2.
As
a district employee, you may check-out the Norton
Anti-virus software for installation on one home computer for work-at-home
purposes. Its free. The CD is for Windows only and is available for check-out at the Help Desk (L112).
3.
Office Outlook: If you cannot read or send
email via Office Outlook, you be disconnected from the email server. To
reconnect, to the File menu and deselect Work
Offline.
4.
The
Windows operating system standard continues to be XP. Given the hardware and software
incompatibilities with Windows Vista,
we do not plan to migrate to it anytime soon.
5.
You
can request a WebCT shell for your
campus course and use it to send email to your students or host discussion
groups between class meetings, etc. http://www.dvc.edu/technology/webctrequest.htm.
6.
To
request an instructional website account, go to http://www.dvc.edu/technology/account.htm.
7.
http://www.cccetc.org/: The