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Consortia; Elementary Secondary Education; Needs Assessment; Online Vendors; Shared Resources and Services; Information Technology; Computer Networks; Program Administration; Program Guides; Technology Planning

Abstract:
This article features a major statewide initiative in North Carolina that is showing how a consortium model can minimize risks for districts and help them exploit the advantages of cloud computing. Edgecombe County Public Schools in Tarboro, North Carolina, intends to exploit a major cloud initiative being refined in the state and involving every one of its districts. The North Carolina Education Cloud, or NCEdCloud, a multiyear project that started in late 2010, is designed to provide structure, processes, and assistance that districts require to identify IT needs, potential service providers, and even motivation for making the leap from on-premises to cloud-based operations. The author discusses five lessons for the aspiring consortium: (1) understand districts' needs; (2) focus goals on pain points; (3) clearly define the scope of service; (4) make the service opt-in and motivate first adopters; and (5) be prepared to educate cloud vendors on K-12. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Educational Finance; Financial Support; Computer Storage Devices; Information Storage; Technology Planning; Strategic Planning; Information Technology; Data; Program Administration

Abstract:
Colleges and universities are running out of closet space. With the amount of data predicted to grow 800 percent by 2016, higher education faces a desperate race to develop strategies to store and manage the tidal wave of information. Unfortunately, many IT departments, particularly those in the public sector, have flatlining budgets--and no money to build additional closets. The challenge lies in how to meet those needs efficiently and cost-effectively. While institutions now have a wide array of storage options from which to choose--including cloud-based operators--each solution comes with its own pros and cons. Indeed, many schools may find that no single storage solution meets all their needs. One thing is clear, though: IT departments and their constituents will have to find the money somewhere to tackle the challenge. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Accessibility (for Disabled); Assistive Technology; Technology Uses in Education; Change Strategies; Technology Planning; Program Administration; College Planning; Best Practices; Multimedia Instruction; Electronic Learning

Abstract:
As faculty members add online and multimedia elements to their courses, colleges and universities across the country are realizing that there is a lot of work to be done to ensure that disabled students (and employees) have equal access to course material and university websites. Unfortunately, far too few schools consider the task a top priority. Making university websites and course content accessible may be the law, but many institutions have a long way to go toward compliance. The author looks at three key elements of a more proactive approach to accessibility on campus: (1) Building accessibility considerations into the IT procurement process; (2) Developing tools and training to help faculty ensure that course content is accessible; and (3) Taking systemwide, long-term approaches to developing and sharing best practices. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Systems Development; Educational Technology; Technology Planning; Information Networks; Shared Resources and Services; Information Policy; Data Processing; Information Services; Cost Effectiveness; Online Vendors

Abstract:
"Rent or buy?" is a question people ask about everything from housing to textbooks. It is also a question universities must consider when it comes to high-performance computing (HPC). With the advent of Amazon's Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), Microsoft Windows HPC Server, Rackspace's OpenStack, and other cloud-based services, researchers now have the ability to quickly rent space and time on an HPC cluster, a collection of linked nodes that run as if they were one computer. Researchers who need to process vast amounts of data can buy an HPC cluster, rent a cloud-based solution, or opt for a hybrid approach. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Electronic Publishing; Data; Information Utilization; Information Management; Information Processing; Database Management Systems; Human Factors Engineering; Technology Planning; Information Theory; Influence of Technology

Abstract:
Colleges and universities are swimming in an ever-widening sea of data. Human beings and machines together generate about 2.5 "quintillion" (10[superscript 18]) bytes every day, according to IBM's latest estimate. The sources of all that data are dizzyingly diverse: e-mail, blogs, click streams, security cameras, weather sensors, social networks, academic research, and student portfolios, to name just a few. And it's all coming at warp speed: Google alone reportedly processes 24 petabytes (that's a "quadrillion"--10[superscript 15]--bytes) every day. The industry buzz phrase for this phenomenon is "Big Data," which loosely refers to data sets too large and/or diverse for conventional tools to manage and mine efficiently. For colleges and universities, Big Data presents a challenge that will only get...well..."bigger". But approached with the right tools and strategies, Big Data also offers an incredibly rich resource for improving retention rates, fine-tuning curricula, and supporting students, faculty, and administration in myriad ways. This article, the first installment of a two-part series, explains Big Data and its potential for improving student learning and success. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Misconceptions; Technology Planning; Best Practices; Technology Uses in Education; Delivery Systems; Gateway Systems; Information Systems; Human Factors Engineering; Performance Technology; Higher Education; Barriers; Performance Factors

Abstract:
Half of servers in higher ed are virtualized. But that number's not high enough for Link Alander, interim vice chancellor and CIO at the Lone Star College System (Texas). He aspires to see 100 percent of the system's infrastructure requirements delivered as IT services from its own virtualized data centers or other cloud-based operators. Back in 2008, Lone Star suffered from unreliable services with constant outages. Most of the hardware components in the data center were at end-of-life, and the student ERP system couldn't keep up during registration--a highly visible bruise to IT's reputation. Since then, Lone Star's IT has undergone a methodical transformation in its organization, infrastructure, and business operations, all in pursuit of hyper-virtualization. As a result, it can now boast "five nines" service levels, a standard set in 2009 and achieved regularly by late 2010. This level of performance allows for only six minutes of unplanned downtime for any given service each year. Getting to that point of IT maturity and high availability hasn't been without challenges. Typically, though, it's misplaced concerns about virtualization that get in the way. In this article, Alander and Cory Bradfield, Lone Star's infrastructure architect, address 10 common myths that can stop campuses from getting 100 percent out of their virtualization efforts. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Pilot Projects; Database Management Systems; Partnerships in Education; Best Practices; Technology Planning; Program Administration; Vendors; Information Technology

Abstract:
Why would schools consider partnering with a vendor to operate a pilot? Why not just wait until the final product is released? For starters, pilots provide schools with a golden opportunity to get an early look at the software, take it for a test flight, and ask for changes tailored to their operating environment and business needs. In some cases, too, there is a financial benefit, including free or discounted software, assistance in installation, or credit applied to an annual contract. To ensure a smooth flight, this article offers six tips for schools embarking on pilot projects. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Technology Planning; Information Networks; Systems Development; Computer Networks; Telecommunications; Information Technology; Program Administration; Program Implementation; Campuses

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Many institutions implement a distributed antenna system (DAS) as part of a holistic approach to providing better wireless coverage and capacity on campus. A DAS provides wireless service within a particular area or structure via a network of separate antenna nodes that are connected to a common source through fiber or coaxial cable. Because DAS antenna node installations are compact, they can be deployed either inside or outdoors. They are more expensive to deploy than macrocellular towers, however, so DAS networks are often used to augment coverage and address capacity constraints in a targeted area. For many institutions, the most economical way to obtain both coverage and capacity on campus is probably a hybrid approach that utilizes a variety of technologies, including DAS, other small cells, and even macrocellular towers. Universities can help bring down the cost of a DAS by contributing existing campus assets and resources such as fiber, space to house the DAS base-station hotel, and staff familiar with the existing IT infrastructure. Before a school deploys a DAS, administrators should consider what additional services they might want to provide via the network. Many colleges and universities use their DAS to add applications covering student safety, security, and event and transportation updates. Some schools even push courseware to wireless devices, while others use it to make money from third-party vendors by sharing revenues from apps designed for campus use or from advertising opportunities. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Computer Networks; Educational Technology; Telecommunications; Technology Planning; Change Strategies; Organizational Change; Performance Factors; Human Factors Engineering; Performance Technology; Information Technology

Abstract:
Colleges and universities have got a big problem: how to bake a wireless network as good as Mom's. The problem is that enterprise wireless networks "tend to be a little more finicky" than the home ones. While the home devices are plug-and-play, enterprise networks force IT departments to manage client issues such as drivers and settings. It's a problem, furthermore, that vendors have not fully solved--no matter what some may say. So, with students showing up with expectations of ubiquitous wireless, schools are scrambling to implement a variety of strategies to give them what they want. This article looks at the six biggest challenges to providing a reliable wireless network on campus--and how schools are addressing them: (1) access point placement; (2) identity management; (3) network security; (4) rogue networks; (5) privacy protection; and (6) lost connections. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Cost Effectiveness; Computer Software; Open Source Technology; Online Vendors; Database Management Systems; Technology Planning; Program Administration; Best Practices; Performance Factors; Information Technology; Strategic Planning

Abstract:
With their budgets under increasing pressure, many campus IT directors are considering open source projects for the first time. On the face of it, the savings can be significant. Commercial emergency-planning software can cost upward of six figures, for example, whereas the open source Kuali Ready might run as little as $15,000 per year when hosted by a consortium. But it's important not to be seduced by the numbers alone. While these vendors can save institutions time, money, and resources, it's important for IT leaders to clarify exactly how the relationship will work and what's included in the service contract. Many of the issues that IT departments routinely hash out with proprietary software vendors apply in the open source market, too. Total cost of ownership and return on investment are probably the two biggest, but there are some questions unique to the open source arena that need to be answered as well. This article discusses seven questions IT leaders must have answers to before taking the plunge: (1) Is there a rich ecosystem around the software?; (2) What type of governance structure does the open source project utilize?; (3) How active is the vendor in the open source community?; (4) What are the licensing options, and what are the exit costs?; (5) How flexible is the vendor?; (6) How engaged will the vendor be with IT staff?; and (7) Which charges are additional? Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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