CIS news...
Find out more... visit www.durham.ac.uk/cis/nwp
THE NEW WORLD PROGRAMME Delivering more for the University in 2016 The end of 2015 saw the New World Programme (NWP) enter a phase of increased delivery which will continue throughout 2016 and into 2017. Since NWP commenced in 2013, CIS have undertaken the infrastructure work vital to providing a sound foundation upon which to build the University’s new IT services.
To date we have... •B uilt the first of two new data centres: the initial stage in providing the University with secure, compliant, managed storage services for all our data and IT services. • I mproved services to students by completing network improvements that enabled wireless access in all University buildings, and responded to their evolving working patterns by implementing BlackBoard mobile which provides access to key duo features on their mobile devices, wherever and whenever they want. • I ncreased the security of access to University information by implementing a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service and two-factor authentication, and enabling a University approved alternative to commercial file transfer services giving improved security and greater transparency around access and storage location. • I nvited students to participate in shaping services with a pilot for the first phase of a single, flexible desktop service to replace NPCS (Networked PC Service for students) and MDS (Managed Desktop Service for staff). • Contributed to supporting Durham’s research community and beyond by enabling a collaborative portal to support doctoral training centres. • Provided the means to save time, money and reduce travel by supporting virtual meeting attendance through the delivery of Skype for Business (providing video conferencing and desktop sharing functions).
2016 will see us... •B uild the second of our data centres at St Mary’s College and increase protection to the University’s operational and research activities by moving the University’s data, IT applications and services to their new, resilient and energy efficient homes (the two new data centres). •E xtend the invitation to staff to contribute to shaping the new desktop service and then deliver it to the University towards the end of 2016. •C ontinue removing risk and eliminating single points of failure in the network’s infrastructure to reduce the instances and impacts of unplanned network disruption. •S treamline and reduce errors and anomalies when different systems interact around a user’s identity (e.g. finance system and student records systems) with a ‘single version of the truth’ for staff and student records.
Keep a look-out for progress reports and updates via our newsfeed on the programme’s dedicated webpages and in the weekly Signposts mailers throughout the course of the year. In the meantime, take a look at our website; www.durham.ac.uk/cis/nwp to catch up with how our progress and our activities in the coming year are providing the University and you with more reliable, secure and flexible IT services.