IT > Office of the Vice President > Strategic Plan

IT Strategic Plan: Strategic Initiatives 2004-2007

Revised April 2005

Strategic Initiatives 11 - 12 - 13 (2004-2007)

11. Maintain and enhance the campus network infrastructure.

    The University of Nevada, Reno, is a network-centric campus. A functional network that supports integration of data, voice, and video technologies is the backbone on which all information services are built. Network bandwidth and speed must continually be increased to accommodate increased demand and new initiatives such as Access Grid Nodes, Internet2 advanced research projects, digital video, and telephony. It is the goal to bring the network to a level that is redundant in the core, redundant to the distribution layer, with gigabit uplinks to all appropriate buildings.

1. Upgrade telecommunications rooms. Telecommunications rooms in all buildings on campus need to be brought to minimum level of standards to support effective network services. According to a Western Telecommunication Consulting survey in 2001, it was estimated that it will cost approximately $666,000 to upgrade or replace substandard telecommunications rooms. IT plans to build and upgrade telecommunications rooms over a six-year period (2002-2007), to bring all telecommunications rooms up to levels that support telephony and other expanded network needs. [2002-2007; VPIT; additional funding required, but should be covered by comprehensive campus telephony project]
   1. Funding in the amount of $215,000 is required to upgrade the network aggregation points and fiber end point rooms for a new campus telephone system. [2005-2006; TEL; additional funding required, but should be covered by comprehensive campus telephony project]
   2. ii) Create a policy requiring that appropriate telecommunications rooms and pathways be constructed whenever building renovations are planned. Telecommunications rooms must be a fundamental priority. Building networks are at risk without a permanent suitable location for supporting the data/voice wiring and equipment. [2005; VPIT]
2. Replace outdated network wiring and electronics.
   1. Replace core network routing hardware to support lossless failover, internal firewall services between subnets and 10 Gigabit links to data centers. [2005; CIS]
   2. Relocate core network functions to a generator/UPS power protected room with restricted access. [2005; CIS]
3. Expand the capacity and redundancy of the fiber network. IT recently purchased the equipment needed to install and terminate all indoor and outdoor fiber plants. This will allow repair or installation of fiber optic cable without long lead times.
   1. Upgrade the fiber optic backbone to provide single-mode interconnections that can support 10 Gigabit Ethernet links between all network aggregation points. [2004-2007; CIS]
   2. Add network redundancy. This includes upgrading the links with System Computing Services to accommodate the new OC48 link to CENIC and SCS's location of a second switch outside of the SCS Computing Center building. IT will activate a second core to provide core routing and link redundancy. Scheduled for summer 2005. [2005; CIS]
   3. Upgrade the fiber link from the Medical complex to the SCS Computing Center. [2005; CIS]
   4. Activate a second link to NevadaNet for redundancy. [2005; CIS]
4. Complete installation of wireless network services. Implementation of wireless services began in 2003. Complete the installation of wireless networks in all scheduled buildings. [2003-2005; CIS, CC]
5. Explore solutions for improving off-site networking. Examine strategies for extending networking to the Manogue property and providing services to buildings on Evans Avenue. [2004-2005; CIS]
6. Improve network performance and operational responsiveness.
   1. Improve centralized logging and analysis of network monitoring and auditing data related to network performance. Improving analysis of this data requires robust database services and use of high-performance storage (SAN). Development of appropriate backup strategies for offline storage and retention of network monitoring data is also essential. [2004-2005; CC, CIS]
   2. Expand real-time network monitoring. Evaluate the concept of placing network computers around campus in critical locations to gather applications performance metrics such as latency, throughput, and loss. [2005; CIS]
7. Create private VLANs for appropriate network traffic. Create a VLAN for the building security systems and for the heat plant network. Migrate Metasys and Perimeter Security devices to protected networks. [2004-2005; CIS]
8. Begin to provide DHCP services to allow for easier desktop management and to use IP address space more efficiently. This project requires considerable programming and depends on filling the internal IT programming position. [2005-2006; CIS, CC]
9. Convert services formerly provided via analog video to digital video. The 20 year-old analog broadband network is failing. The digital network will replace the broadband network as the means for delivering video services. Phase one is to conduct a pilot project for distributing local commercial cable television (Charter Communications) over the digital fiber network, with the goal of becoming operational by the start of fall semester, 2005. [2005-2007; CIS, TLT]
10. Develop a structure to support increased use of streaming services. A working group from CIS, CC, and TLT will address the technical issues surrounding streaming services. Identify scaled-down applications to test the viability of various models. [2005-2007; CIS, TLT, CC]
11. Explore the use of Wimax technology for its potential to deliver broadband connectivity to areas of northern Nevada that have no access to broadband. WiMAX is a standards-based wireless technology that provides high-throughput broadband connections over long distances. [2005-2006; TLT, CIS]

12. Modernize voice (telephone) services on campus.

    1. Replace the current Centrex telephone switch and the diverse and aging telephone equipment on campus with a modern unified telephone/voice mail system.
       1. Develop a business plan to finance a new telephone system. Work with Western Telecommunication Consultants, Inc. to negotiate a final agreement with one of two telephone equipment providers remaining in the RFI process. [2005; TEL; additional funding required, but should be covered by comprehensive campus telephony project] Develop a detailed implementation plan for the new telephone system. [2005; TEL]
       2. Create a new position in Telecom Services to oversee the voice services project and manage the new PBX and related services. The position will require campus or corporate PBX experience, with the candidate being well grounded in traditional telephony as well being open to emerging telephony technology. [2005; TEL, VPIT; additional funding required, but should be covered by comprehensive campus telephony project]
    2. Complete the 911 emergency database update project for 4,000+ telephone lines. [2003-2005; TEL with Facilities and SBC]
    3. Implement a new call accounting package for Centrex services. Eliminate use of the SBC magnetic tape by the end of 2005. [2004-2005; TEL, CIS]
    4. Develop a method for ensuring audit control for long distance bills. [2005; TEL, CIS]
    5. Begin experimentation with voice over Internet protocol (VoIP). The University’s most recent accreditation report suggests that faculty should be able to place calls from classrooms to request technical assistance. Explore the feasibility of using VoIP telephony for this purpose. [2005-2006; CIS, TEL, TLT]

13. Assess, promote, preserve, and provide access to unique and regionally oriented materials; identify, organize and customize the delivery of local and regional information resources.

1. Update collection policies as appropriate and reassess collections in terms of revised policies. [2005; LIB]
   1. Develop a comprehensive vision for Basque collection development, assessment, and management in order to provide effective access to unique materials for local and international researchers. Compile a detailed inventory of Basque archival materials. [2004-2005; LIB]
   2. Analyze collections for gaps in regionally oriented materials and create a plan for enhancing collections in these subjects. [2005-2006; LIB]
   3. Produce a collection-level inventory of unique and regionally oriented materials that are not represented in the public online catalog. [2005; LIB]
2. Identify unique materials that are at risk of deterioration.
   1. Develop a preservation plan for selected materials. [2005-2006; LIB]
   2. Investigate and make recommendations about preservation metadata for the Library’s “born digital” collections. [2005; LIB]
   3. Seek outside funding for preservation projects. Submit grant proposals for preservation of Basque and Special Collections materials. [2005; LIB]
   4. Investigate partnerships and grant funding for digitizing unique and important materials. [2005-2007; LIB]
3. Determine appropriate levels of access for uncataloged materials in Special Collections and the Basque Library and Nevada materials in the Business and Government Information Center.
   1. Where appropriate, provide collection-level access to these materials through the online public access catalog. [2005-2006; LIB]
   2. Provide more granular access to these collections through finding aids, local databases, and Web exhibits. [2005-2007; LIB]
   3. Investigate strategies for creating access to the Libraries’ backlog of uncataloged materials in foreign languages. Hire a Knowledge Access Librarian to catalog materials (primarily Spanish language). [2005; LIB; new position required]
4. Provide organized access to Web-based resources of regional interest.
   1. Develop a bioregional Web site to support the Academy for the Environment and integrate it with existing regional collections, such as the Keck digital maps collection. [2005; LIB]
   2. Develop a Web site to highlight and present the University's Tahoe-related research, publications, and outreach activities as well as library materials related to Lake Tahoe. [2004-2005; LIB]