Wireless Network Issues
We have experienced a hardware failure with our wireless network which is causing diminished wireless access on campus. We are working with the manufacture, and will have the problem corrected as soon as possible.
If you are having access problems in your dorm room and have wired connections available (most dorms on campus do) please use those connections until wireless service returns.
We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.
Summer Projects: QuickTime Streaming Server Upgrade
This is another of the many upgrades that we are making this summer. The server that was replaced was installed and ran without trouble for four solid years. ITS replace is an Apple xServe with 2 Gigs of RAM, dual multi-core processors and 2TB of usable space. It is running OSX server 10.5 and its primary roll as a QuickTime streaming media server for the Academic program and the main campus web site.
Failed hardware replacement
This morning we replaced the failing switch power supply that caused yesterday’s outage.
Network problem this afternoon
For several minutes this afternoon we experienced wide spread outage to campus network services. This outage was caused by a failing power supply in one of our main campus switches. We have been able to work around the problem, and a new unit should arrive first thing in the morning.
We apologize for any inconvenience this outage may have caused.
Summer Projects: Chowan
Chowan, the new temporary home of Centre’s dinning services was opened for operations June 22, 2008. Information Technology Services’ part of the facility was providing cabling and equipment for voice and data.
We installed 1 Cisco 3560 24 port PoE (Power over Ethernet) switch as well as two Cisco 1242 A/G wireless access points. The switch is connected by fiber optic cable to both of Centre’s core backbone switches located in McReynolds Hall and Olin Hall at 1Gbit speed. ITS also provided IP and analog phone service for the building though our network backbone. The Sodexho staff will have access to wired and wireless data, while the students will be able to access Centre’s network service though wireless while visiting Chowan.
Wireless Wireless Wireless
With the addition of more wireless coverage in our residential halls, I don’t want to use the term “complete coverage”, we’ve had an amazing uptake in use of our wireless network. During last year the highest number of wireless clients connected was around 300, this year it has topped 600. This has lead to more questions and time spent managing the wireless network. (more…)
Development Office Server Upgrade
Today we worked with Sage Software, makers of Millennium, to move the Development office’s database system to new hardware. The old (very old) system had suffered a disk failure earlier in the summer and since it was about time for an upgrade, we moved it to our VMware based virtual server environment.
The move has seemed to go well, I provided a pre-configured server using Windows 2003 R2 and MSSQL server 2000 (required for this install), the tech from Sage has done most of the work of moving the database from the old system and installing and configuring all the software. We will be keeping the IP address and name of the server the same, when the work is done the goal is for the end user to connect to the system without seeing anything different.
The move to Windows 2003 R2 from Windows 2000 Server should provide a gain in security with the deprecation of Windows 2000 Server soon by Microsoft. Also the move to our virtual environment should see a gain in efficiency of resource use.