CFI Project tasks
INFOWAY
The CFI¡¦s first major task is to develop INFOWAY, a 7x24 knowledge-based system
for information delivery and communication. INFOWAY will link all information
repositories, support services and upgraded OUHK staff computers together using
middleware. This will provide a universal information highway to attain end-to-end
integration and seamless information access throughout the network.
The seamless information access provided by INFOWAY will be essential for the
creation of innovative teaching and learning tools and other new projects.
The creation of INFOWAY involves:
| Tasks |
Details |
Current status |
Upgrade |
| Internet service enhancement |
| - |
Increase Internet bandwidth |
|
40Mbps |
Upgrade to 105Mbps |
| Campus network and WiFi enhancement |
| - |
Upgrade existing campus backbone, student backbone and Internet
server farm networks to high performance and create more reliable
network ready for converged data and voice communications |
| - |
Extend WiFi with coverage to all staff offices |
|
| - |
Insufficient bandwidth and sometimes unstable |
| - |
Available in public and student areas |
|
| - |
10x increase in campus backbone network speed, 10x increase in certain areas such as PC labs and server farm |
| - |
Staff network can handle IP telephony |
| - |
WiFi access anywhere on campus |
|
| Network security enhancement |
| - |
Upgrade firewall system and intrusion prevention system |
|
| - |
Aging and cannot support existing and new network requirements |
|
| - |
Upgrade two firewall systems and one intrusion prevention system. |
| - |
Restructure server farm to isolate important administrative systems |
|
| Storage and server virtualization |
| - |
Provide storage area network and consolidate physical servers
to enhance the efficiency of administration by saving power, physical space
and time for system backup |
| - |
Provide storage area network and consolidate physical servers
to enhance the efficiency of administration by saving power, physical space
and time for system backup |
| - |
Provide appropriate IT storage and server resources at the right time |
|
| - |
A storage area network of 50TB is servicing more than 40 systems |
| - |
Two virtualization servers accommodate 28 different sets of production
systems |
|
| - |
Add seven new virtualization servers and 30TB of new storage |
|
| Resilient systems |
| - |
Upgrade existing resilient Oracle Database system |
| - |
Provide a resilient solution to several systems |
|
| - |
Oracle Database system is unable to handle current loading |
| - |
Several systems such as MIS application system and e-Library web system
are not resilient |
|
| - |
Upgrade to a resilient configuration |
|
| Enterprise backup system |
| - |
Implement a new backup solution |
|
| - |
No comprehensive backup solution available |
|
| - |
New backup solution which covers both backend computing systems and user data |
|
| PC upgrade |
| - |
Replace staff CRT monitors |
|
| - |
70% of our staff use CRT monitors |
|
19¡¨ LCD monitors installed for all staff (completed: September
2007) |
|
|
| - |
Majority of staff use Pentium III PC with 256MB RAM |
|
CPU will be upgraded to Dual Core Pentium with 2GB RAM (to
be completed: first quarter of 2008) |
| - |
Replace computers in student PC labs |
|
| - |
Approximately 500 PCs in PC labs have Pentium III as CPU |
|
All 500 PCs in the PC labs upgraded to Dual Core Pentium with
2GB RAM (completed: September 2007) |
| Directory service and single sign-on |
| - |
New development and enhancement to the OUHK Staff Portal and single sign-on needed to fit into the new framework and to integrate with other systems |
|
|
|
| Tasks |
Details |
Current status
|
Upgrade |
Integrated communication system
(1st stage)
| - |
New Exchange email system |
|
| - |
Existing Microsoft Exchange email system cannot cope with
office productivity software such as Microsoft Office, Microsoft SharePoint
Server and convergence products which provide data, voice, instant messaging
and mobility integration. |
|
Exchange 2000, used for 750 mailboxes (staff and departmental
email accounts, with 100GB data) |
Exchange 2007 platform
(around 1000 mailboxes, with 12TB data) |
Integrated communication system (2nd stage)
| - |
IP telephony, unified messaging and communica-tions systems |
|
| - |
The PABX telephone system cannot cope with the new converged communications
requirements and is obsolete in terms of product development. Investment
in an IP telephony system is required to keep up-to-date and take advantage
of improved and new messaging infrastructure technology.
Deliverables:
IP telephony will replace the PBX telephone system.
Unified Messaging (UM) combines several communication channels including
telephony, email, voice mail, fax, into a single inbox.
Unified Communications System (UC) is provided to users of an integrated
communications system. Instant messaging, web conferencing, VoIP and mobile
phone support are implemented where needed.
|
|
Separate communication channels, such as PBX telephone, email
system, fax machine, web conferencing |
| - |
IP telephony, voice-over-IP (VoIP) services, unified messaging (UM)
together with a unified communication system |
| - |
OUHK staff will have a single inbox with email, voice mail and fax in
Microsoft Outlook |
|
| Sharing and collaboration platform |
| - |
SharePoint Services is a self-service team collaboration
and document management platform. Staff can create team sites and workspaces
under their own departmental site and invite members to participate.
Deliverables:
Enhanced sharing and collaboration platform which includes portal, collaboration,
content management, search and business intelligence. Initially for staff,
but can be extended to students and tutors.
|
|
SharePoint Services 2.0 |
SharePoint Server 2007 |