The infrastructure review process and aggregated results, by Rohan Slaughter
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Jisc's infrastructure review process involves subject specialists conducting on-site reviews of members' IT infrastructure. The reviews assess strategic, technical, and security aspects of members' infrastructure. Reviews identify pressures on members and opportunities for improvements. Aggregated findings from over 70 reviews show a range of infrastructure environments and needs across members. Reviews are welcomed by members and help Jisc better support members' IT needs.
The infrastructure review process and aggregated results, by Rohan Slaughter
- 1. The infrastructure review process and aggregated results Rohan Slaughter, Subject specialist (network, technologies and infrastructure), Jisc
- 2. > Jisc's infrastructure review is an inclusive service available to members and provided by the enterprise infrastructure team of subject specialists. > This session looks at what is involved in the process, which doesn't just check the physical infrastructure elements, but also addresses the true value of the wider IT infrastructure. > This session presents aggregated observations from circa 70 reviews over the past 18 months. Further addressing the ongoing value the review has brought to organisations. > Contributing to the pursuit of excellence > Speaker: Caroline Cooke, AECC University College. > Keeping FE on track and progressing > Speaker: Rob Rawlinson, Calderdale College. Jisc infrastructure reviews of member sites
- 3. >Most of the work of the enterprise infrastructure team of subject specialists centres around infrastructure reviews for member sites, consultancy that is offered as member inclusive practical support. >This activity involves member site staff who shape, deliver and manage the many essential components of infrastructure that enable the success of their organisations. >Infrastructure review is welcomed by members as a useful friendly assessment and serves as a vehicle to introduce additional Jisc services. Summary
- 4. > Our aims > To give members an independent review of their infrastructure > Gives Jisc improved ‘deep insight’ into the needs of members > Jisc Account Managers have found the reports useful for designing their account engagement moving forwards > Identifies the (significant) pressures on members > Allows us to signpost to other Jisc products and services, where relevant > IR was developed as a service based on member demand > Members were requesting this service for a range of reasons: > Change in staffing, change in service or due to other internally identified need for a review. Purpose
- 5. >Initial engagement, focusing on review overview document >Confirm review, agree dates, assign staff (two from team) >Arrange scoping online chat 4–6 weeks before visit date >Obtain any available relevant documentation and prepare >Meet range of member site staff during visit (at least one day) >Methodically discuss structured set of infrastructure related areas >Prepare review report, check draft with member, publish How we go about it
- 6. Areas covered 1. Strategic considerations 2. IT support team 3. Networks 4. Servers and storage 5. Core enterprise services 6. Enterprise applications 7. Device management 8. Security 9. Governance
- 7. Preparation
- 11. What are we learning…
- 12. > Welcomed by member representatives, with strong engagement > Emerging benchmark metrics, e.g. IT support staff to users ratio > Identifying funding, staffing and leadership pressures on members > We can mediate effectively between parties at a member site > Often a group wants objective confirmation of what they know > Well endowed server room resources exist and also the opposite > Opportunities for Jisc “match-making”, member savings and DR facilities > Some uncomfortable realities uncovered > Poor security, inadequate backups and disaster recovery arrangements General observations from ~70 reviews
- 13. > Server room resources > We have seen some outstanding data centre provision in FE and HE > We feel that there is the potential for Colleges and Universities to offer up their ‘spare’ data centre resources to other Jisc members > There may be the potential for two sites to host each other’s DR > We have suggested that Jisc could produce a template agreement that members could use to form their own agreements > There is the potential for Jisc staff to identify where the ‘spare’ resources may be General point
- 14. >Resources are highly constrained >Many IT Teams are too small >Difficult to maintain refresh schedules >Project work constantly delayed or not initiated >Strategic thinking takes a “back seat” >In some cases leading to high organisation viability risk >A large number of dedicated and highly skilled colleagues >Often working under substantial pressure >A little data warehouse “development” can go a long way Specific Further Education points
- 15. >Smaller organisations have similar issues to FE >Larger scale organisations usually have larger IT teams >Organisational structures often do not match systems use >There are significant cyber-security concerns >Managed desktops not as common as in FE >“Academic freedom” often cited as reason to not operate securely >Universities have central IT, but often departments run their own systems Specific Higher Education points
- 16. Concluding considerations Interaction with the right people Solutions in context Ideal basis for ongoing meaningful relations Significant value to member and Jisc Infrastructure review
- 17. Contact details: Enterprise infrastructure sub team of Jisc subject specialists enterpriseinfrastructure@jisc365.onmicrosoft.com