This first full year under the leadership of President Spanier has seen much change in the realm of telecommunications. Coincident with his interests, ongoing work to lower international calling rates was completed, and lower rates were announced mid-year. Similarly, there was a flurry of activity by various groups throughout the university related to use of the network, and over 48 LAN designs with over 1,700 nodes were completed by OTC. Many of these are being or have been put in place, increasing the number of registered nodes connected via the University's high-speed data backbone to more than 32,000, an increase of 40% since the end of 1995/96. Increases of similar measures of the use of telecommunication services were also noted for interactive video, voice mail, and dial in modem services. The number of residence hall network connections doubled. Continued, and in some cases exponential, growth projections are envisioned for many measures of the use of OTC's services.
At the same time, even with an increase in centrally funded staff levels, effects of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 resulted in a decrease in funds available to support telecommunications services and staff. Implementation of a previously approved change to the Penn State funding model has again been requested. Thus far, the financial impact has been absorbed by reduced accumulation rates of funds to meet future needs. However, additional measures may be required if the issue is not resolved prior to definition and implementation of other expected changes due to the Telecommunications Act, which itself offers the promise of substantial savings to Penn State for the services managed by OTC.
On a more pragmatic basis, this period included the first equipment installations and service offerings supported by the Information Infrastructure Upgrade program funded by the Commonwealth's Department of General Services (DGS), and continued planning and design of subsequent phases of that program. Coincident with that work, and leveraged by Penn State's involvement with national Internet 2 initiatives and planning, the concept and architecture of an "Integrated Backbone" was developed, as the next evolution in data networking services. Initial service offerings were put in place to serve the computer lab installed in the Undergraduate Library at University Park, and plans developed for extension of such services to other areas of University Park, and to other Penn State campuses, in future years. Discussions continued with a number of strategically important partners and firms, including AT&T, Vanguard/Cellular One, IBM, Bell Atlantic, Cisco, FORE Systems, and Hyperion and Commonwealth Communications, related to these and other evolutionary and revolutionary services.
CQI
Two OTC staff personnel are members of the Computer and Information Systems Continuous Quality Improvement (C&IS CQI) team. The C&IS CQI group is interested in general customer service issues and has recently focused their attention towards the World Wide Web, with the intention of developing a solution that will allow C&IS customers to quickly locate any of the services offered by C&IS, regardless of the provider of that service. A meeting was held in May to review and discuss C&IS Web use and search engines to better meet all of C&IS customer's questions and needs. The OTC Webmaster attended this meeting to provide a demonstration of the OTC Web site.
OTC Web Site
The OTC Web site, located at http://www.otc.psu.edu,went into production in January 1996. The site is currently reporting over 1,000 "hits" per week. Documents describing OTC's organization and services continue to be added to the OTC Web site. This increase of documents has instigated the need to implement the Microsoft Index Server Search Engine on our Web site. A new forms mailer program was also written by the OTC Webmaster to accommodate expansion of existing and creation of new web-based electronic forms.
AT&T Alliance
By the beginning of 1997, AT&T had transformed itself into a smaller, more tightly focused company. Two new organizations, Lucent Technologies and NCR were created from the former AT&T.
AT&T named Harry Bennett, VP and General Manager of local services, as the new AT&T corporate executive. He visited Penn State's University Park campus in May and agreed to continue to cultivate the alliance established in 1994. A list of broad topical areas was established for continuing development. These include Infrastructure topics, Application topics, Policy and Research topics, Alumni and Student topics, and Educational topics. A joint meeting will be held in late July to establish project teams to work on each of these topics. The plan is to determine the potential projects within each broad topic that can bring benefit to each organization. At least some of these are expected to be ready for implementation by late fall 1997.
Lucent Technologies
As a new company, Lucent Technologies (Lucent) is interested in working more closely with the University. Dr. Graham Spanier visited Henry Schacht, the CEO of Lucent earlier this spring. Following this visit, a group of Lucent executives came to University Park to learn about specific areas of research being conducted at Penn State. A number of areas of interest to Lucent are in Engineering, Business, and Material Sciences, as well as the potential for service trials to be conducted on campus. Additional follow-up meetings are expected early in the new academic year. As a result of the Lucent Alliance, extending from the original 1994 AT&T Alliance, six Penn State locations have received over $180,000.00 in savings on their new Enterprise Communications Server (ECS/PBX) and Intuity Audix Voice Mail systems.
Wireless Project
One result of the 1994 AT&T Alliance has been an interest from other technology firms in creating similar relationships. Recently, an alliance was established with Vanguard Cellular Services, Inc. (Vanguard) for a trial of digital cellular services at University Park campus. This multi-year alliance will create a student scholarship funded by Vanguard, provide for summer student interns to be hired by Vanguard, and provide funds to offset some of the University's cost involved with the service trials.
Vanguard Cellular Services, Inc. trades under the Cellular One name, and is one of three companies that share ownership of this name (the other two are SBC, formerly known as Southwestern Bell Co., and AT&T). Headquartered in North Carolina, Vanguard's largest territory is Pennsylvania.
The digital radio systems deployed on campus will use the IS-136 standards for TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) signaling. Among the services on trial are: short message service, on-air activation, personal number service, zone billing, and cellular digital packet data (CDPD) service. Preferential airtime rates will apply to on campus and local area wireless calls during this trial period. Construction of the digital sites will begin in July 1997 and is expected to be completed by the end of October 1997. The preferential rates will begin in July 1997.
IBM
In addition to a visit to one of IBM's facilities in New York to discuss strategic directions, research activities, and to strengthen our corporate and personal ties with their executives, numerous discussions occurred during the year regarding potential arrangements with TCI pertaining to cable modem services, PC introductions, and other areas involving telecommunications and networking.
DEC
Following a trip to discuss strategic issues with DEC in Massachusetts, ongoing activities included investigations on the use of their services for support of our needs at all campuses, procurement of a number of desktop PC's, and discussions of various types of services and equipment related to telecommunications and networking needs.
Internet 2
Penn State's Internet connection underwent dramatic changes during the first half of this year. A DS3 (45Mbps) circuit was installed between Penn State and the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center. This circuit was the basis for our new connection to the existing Internet (in production last fall) and our connection to the first generation of Internet 2 (in production last spring). The circuit allows a significant improvement, noticed by anyone that uses the Internet, to our normal Internet connection as well as providing better connectivity to other Internet 2 sites. Many Internet 2-project related activities continue to involve OTC staff. These include building the Internet 2 gigapop that Penn State will use and working with other Internet 2 sites on Internet 2 engineering issues.
Long Distance Programs
Penn State Corporate Calling Card
To reduce the cost of calls made by University faculty and staff while travelling away from campus, Bell Atlantic (Bell) calling cards were replaced with AT&T calling cards. Most faculty and staff already have AT&T cards, but the remaining few Bell cards were discontinued in April.
University ID
As part of the planned new University ID card, all ID cards can be used as a calling card using the AT&T network. While new ID cards are not expected to be distributed until mid-year 1998, plans are now underway to make this new card a calling card for faculty, staff, and students.
True PSU
In October 1996, AT&T announced a new consumer long distance calling program offering rates of $.15 per minute for domestic calls. Following this announcement, OTC worked with AT&T, our long distance provider, and lowered rates for our True PSU callers to a similar rate structure. True PSU clients are charged rates that are discounted 51% from AT&T standard rates (not the $.15 per minute charge) for daytime domestic calls made outside the local calling area and discounted 30% for all other AT&T calls. Regular full-time faculty and staff, and some retirees are eligible for the True PSU service.
International Calling
International calling is increasing and with it more attention is given to international calling rates. International call rates are complex and much of the international rate is dependent upon the foreign country's approach to long distance rates. To help departments make more use of international calling, OTC announced that it would drop all overhead requirements on these calls and charge at the same rates billed to OTC by international carriers.
ACUS Programs
The Off campus student long distance calling program was introduced in fall semester of this reporting period. Penn State's off campus program initially provided a 25% discount off domestic and international AT&T direct dial rates. However, during the 1997/98 academic year, the service will provide increased discounted long distance calling at 51% off AT&T direct dial rates for daytime calls made outside the local calling region, but within the continental USA, and 30% off all other AT&T domestic and international direct dial rates. The increased discounts will now provide full-time students living off campus the same discounts provided to students living on campus.
Link-to-Learn
While the University's support of the Commonwealth's Link-to-Learn initiative continues, OTC involvement has decreased as the project has transitioned from the conceptual/planning to the implementation phase. Information was provided relative to the project's focus upon inventorying technology throughout the state, and support offered to meet occasional needs that arose. It is anticipated that OTC involvement will continue at a modest level as the project proceeds.
Access Modem Project/Internet Access Services
OTC, in conjunction with the Center for Academic Computing (CAC), completed upgrading the dial-up access modem capabilities in place at seven Penn State campuses. These upgrades allow for faster access speeds, as well as decrease the possibility of acquiring a busy tone upon dial-up. Each campus received new digital dial-up capability using Ascend ISDN MAX units, model 4002 or 4004, that supports dial-up connections over ISDN lines. The new ISDN units will support ISDN dial-up connections at speeds up to 128Kbps and analog dial-up connections of speeds up to 33.6Kbps. Penn State campuses affected by this upgrade are Altoona, Abington, Behrend, Delaware, Great Valley, Harrisburg, and York. Additionally, during the summer of 1997, those campuses that currently have only eight analog modems will receive additional modems, and all 14.4 Kbps access modems will be replaced with 28.8 Kbps modems.
Additional lines were added to the CAC dial-up service at University Park to bring the total modem count to 840.
Penn State Information Operators
Plans are underway to provide enhanced Operator assisted service to the Penn State community through a new Penn State Call Center. The Penn State Call Center services include general University information, phone listings for faculty, staff, and students, departmental listings, call completion, audio conferencing, and OTC videoconference room scheduling. University Operators handle an average of 2 calls per minute to check numbers in the directory, which is updated weekly. During this reporting period the Operators handled roughly 600,000 requests for directory assistance and continued to provide Audio Conference Calling services ("Meet Me" and Operator Assisted Conference calling) as illustrated in the charts in Appendix A.
OTC Videoconference rooms (located at USB2 rooms 105 and 120) continue to be utilized by staff and faculty as per the chart in Appendix B. Scheduling of these rooms is handled by the OTC Video Reservations Department of Penn State Call Center Services. In an effort to increase efficiency and ease of scheduling for these rooms, an on-line reservation form was implemented on the OTC Web site. Although most requests are still received via fax or phone call to the Video Reservations Desk, the Web form has been utilized on occasion.
At a media briefing after a tragic shooting on the HUB lawn at the University Park campus on Tuesday morning, September 17th, which left one person dead and a second wounded, President Graham Spanier urged parents concerned about their children to call the Penn State Information Operators (814 865-4700) for information. The Operators consoled frantic parents until detailed information about the shooting (names, etc.) from the Penn State Department of Public Information was released. Both the quantity and duration of telephone calls to 865-4700 were significantly increased, in some cases almost double that of a normal day.
Voice Mail
Voicemail capabilities were implemented at Harrisburg, New Kensington, Philadelphia Urban Resource Center, Shenango, and the Nittany Lion Inn (University Park campus) during this reporting period. The installations at these locations bring the total number of Penn State locations having voice mail capabilities to 13. All of these Penn State locations have been networked to allow a more transparent use of the messaging capabilities among the voice mail systems and to facilitate closer communications among Penn State locations. The charts in Appendix C show the total number of Penn State voice mailboxes currently active (the voicemail boxes for the Nittany Lion Inn have been included in with the University Park number).
Training
As a result of the recent campus voicemail and switch upgrades, many Penn State personnel attended training on voice messaging and new telephone set features. As evidenced in the charts in Appendix D, others in the Penn State community continue to take advantage of the no-fee telecommunications training services offered by OTC.
Video Services
In February, the OTC Video Systems group entered into an agreement with the College of Agricultural Sciences to perform annual preventative maintenance site visits on the downlinks located at 42 of Pennsylvania's County Agricultural Extension Offices. The work being done includes inspection and repair coordination of the hardware as well as programming checks and updates on the receivers, and meeting with the Office staff members to answer questions and provide information on the systems. At the completion of this reporting period, half of the site visits had been completed.
Work also commenced on a broad range of video projects that are all designed to use enhanced network capabilities. All are intended to use the Integrated Backbone (IB) and some combination of IP (Internet Protocol) and/or ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode). These projects include: desktop conferencing, linking desktops and traditional videoconference rooms, a live feed of real-time satellite derived regional weather loop, and linking traditional conference rooms to each other.
The Penn State Videoconferencing Users Group (PSUVUG) was formed in August of this reporting year to serve as a forum to enable videoconferencing users to get together for peer-to-peer networking, to share applications, and to discuss issues on emerging videoconferencing technologies pertaining to the Penn State community. The PSUVUG, which is sponsored by OTC, had their first open meeting in March. The meeting was well received by participants and the Group is scheduled to meet on a quarterly basis.
Local Area Networks
Ten Local Area Networks (LANs) were installed during this reporting year, bringing the total number of OTC installed and supported LANs to 85. The chart in Appendix E illustrates the continued growth trend for requests for OTC LAN installations and support.
Asynchronous Services
As planned, the DCA Network, which utilized 324 connections, was almost completely decommissioned by the end of this reporting period. As of June 30, 1997 all OAS connections and General User connections have been disconnected. It is expected that the remainder of the DCA connections will be discontinued during the next quarter.
Data Backbone Services
The Data Backbone Services directorate, which existed since OTC was first formed, was reorganized and given a new charge and group title. The group's charge was expanded to include video and voice applications that use the Integrated Backbone (IB) as well as taking over many of the existing video networking technologies. To better support the new charge, the group was reorganized into three areas: Data Backbone Services, Network Design Services, and Network Applications Services. The group's new title is Network Planning and Integration. Several personnel changes were made including, two new hires, an internal OTC transfer, and some internal reassignments.
Statistical counts showing a growth trend over a seven year period on the number of Penn State Data Backbone connections, hosts, and packets have been charted in Appendix F.
The newly reorganized Network Planning and Integration Services group began planning for an extensive and large-scale test of a new ATM Forum protocol specification. The new protocol, called MPOA (Multi-Protocol Over ATM) offers some key features that should more effectively integrate the IP and ATM portions of the Integrated Backbone. In particular, the routing information known to the IP portion of the backbone is available to compliant devices. In theory, this will allow the IP routing model to be enforced while at the same time allowing ATM speeds between two ATM attached devices-a significant gain in performance while maintaining our Penn State Data Backbone Trust Model. Consequently, a project related to the $15.8M Telecommunications Infrastructure Upgrade, will also involve adding new components to the new IP routers and converting existing Data Backbone connections off of the existing, and soon to be obsolete, routers. This is a much needed upgrade and will result in improved performance for existing connections. About half of the eight University Park hubs have completed all of the following steps: new ATM switches, routers, and the upgrade of existing connections, with the remaining hubs scheduled to be completed during the next reporting period.
The conceptual design of a new inter-campus network was completed. As conceived, the network will extend the Integrated Backbone to each campus and provide at least twice as much bandwidth as is currently available. The new network will retain the most of the existing "hub" model but takes into account the reorganization of CES and the new relationships between some of the campuses. For example, multi-campus colleges are linked directly together. The next step in preparing this model for full deployment will be a live test at one campus, tentatively scheduled for the late summer or early fall 1997 time-frame.
Design work was completed on a system that will provide automatic backup for Data Backbone traffic at non-University Park campuses. The system uses multiple ISDN lines at each campus and will use those lines to re-establish connectivity with University Park when a loss of connectivity has been detected. The system has been designed with enough capacity at each campus to provide .5Mbps of service during an emergency situation. The capacity at University Park is enough to support at least an entire hub (up to six campuses) in the event that connectivity to an entire hub should be lost. A test with one campus is scheduled for summer 1997.
Network Operations Center (NOC)
Substantial growth in voice, video, and data services, augmented by the installation and activation of residence hall data connections during the 96/97 fiscal year, resulted in almost a 50% increase in calls received and trouble tickets issued by the NOC as compared to the previous reporting year. The chart in Appendix G illustrates this increase.
Residence Hall Data Services
As of the close of the 1997 Spring Semester, 3,730 residence hall connections had been activated at University Park, and 434 connections had been activated in the residence halls at non-University Park locations. The chart in Appendix H illustrates the growth trend in residence hall activation at University Park campus over the past four fiscal years and at non-University Park campuses. As of the beginning of 1997 Summer Session, 88 residence hall connections at University Park and 8 residence hall connections at Behrend have been activated. To further minimize the time to activate services, students will be allowed to register for residence hall backbone connections via a World Wide Web (WWW) page, developed by OTC, beginning with the Fall Semester 1997. Requests for new connections, relocation of existing connections, disconnect, and renewal of connections between spring and Fall Semesters will be processed by the WWW application. The page resides on the OTC server and is accessed through the "Student Services" page.
$15.8M Telecommunications Infrastructure Upgrade Project (DGS 800-243)
Following the release of $1.7M from the state budget office in September, actual construction work and purchase of much needed equipment for the Infrastructure Upgrade Project at University Park finally began. As of the close of this reporting period, installation of new voice, video, and data wiring in Willard Building and Eisenhower Auditorium is nearing completion, which is scheduled for August 1, 1997. The installation of electronics for new and upgraded LAN's and backbone connections in Willard, Eisenhower, and Lasch Football Building (formerly known as the East Area Locker Room) is scheduled for completion during the next reporting period. This will wrap up the first phase of the project.
In addition to the new wiring upgrades, new ATM hub electronics for the Integrated Backbone (IB) are being installed at Research Park, Walker, Rider I, and Pattee Library. The new routers and ATM switches are being deployed in advance of locations that will need them. Equipment needed to upgrade and modernize the existing video uplink equipment located at the Telecommunications Building was purchased and is in the process of being installed. In addition to this, equipment for one new Interactive Videoconference room was purchased, along with upgrades for existing room systems located at 120 University Support Building 2, 404 Old Main, Conference Room C in the Telecommunications Building, Penn State Conference Center Hotel (formerly know as Scanticon), and 106 Mitchell Building. The PictureTel LiveScheduler videoconferencing scheduling system was also purchased through the $15.8M project and is planned for installation in July 1997. The OTC Video Systems group will be responsible for coordinating the installation of this product as well as the on-site training by the vendor. After the installation and training is completed, OTC will use the system in production mode. Access to the scheduling system and training will be offered for use by Penn State's remaining public videoconferencing rooms after OTC Video Systems and OTC Video Scheduling have become familiar with all aspects of the system. A listing of the current Penn State Videoconferencing Room Systems is available in Appendix I.
A Design for phase A2 of the Infrastructure project has been completed and will be submitted to DGS for review and release of funds in July 1997. This request amounts to approximately $2.7M. Construction for this phase is scheduled for completion by June 1998. Included in the request for phase A2 are funds to continue with the first part of the telecommunications room security project, which allows for the installation of a card reader on each telecommunications room door. As an added security measure, a controller in each building will allow the telecommunications room doors to be monitored for alarm purposes. Administrators will be able to grant access to appropriate personnel on an individual basis, based on time-of-day or on which individual doors each person may access. The personnel accessing a particular door will use their University ID card as the "key" to gain access to the room. All entries, exits, and alarms are recorded on a server for reporting and historical purposes.
Phase B has moved into the design phase. Design for phase B is scheduled to be completed by June 1998, with construction to begin in October 1998.
The inclusion of the funding for the $15.8M Telecommunications Infrastructure project in the University's five-year Capital Plan, along with the commitment from the Commonwealth for their portion of the funding for this plan, should provide stability in the planning and scheduling for the remainder of the project.
BAB II
An OTC funded fiber to the desktop trial in Business Administration Building II (BAB II) was completed at the end of this reporting period. Fiber systems have the capability of exceeding 1000 MHz. The reason for the trial was to compare costs associated with providing fiber to the desktop as opposed to wiring copper. Although fiber costs have been continually dropping, they still remain comparatively expensive at more than double the cost of copper. A total of 43 outlets in BAB II were wired with fiber and copper associated components. OTC will continue to monitor the installation to ascertain suitable application trials.
Pattee Library Addition
As part of the ongoing renovation of Pattee Library (Pattee) and the creation of the Paterno Library (a 100,000-square-foot, multistory addition to Pattee), work was required by OTC to clear the construction site of existing utilities. As a result, the out-of-service transfers for relocation of backbone connections served out of the Pattee Library hub took place from May 20th through May 23rd. Relocation and transfer of voice services occurred between May 26th and May 30th.
As part of the preliminary work for the Library Addition, construction of temporary space in the basement of the Thomas Building was also completed. This space was designed as a student data lab, to be administered by CAC but will be used in the interim as temporary office space for Library staff displaced by the construction project.
West Campus Expansion
Planning and design of telecommunications services for the West Campus expansion continued during this reporting period. Designs include both site distribution and designs for three new buildings. New buildings include a New Research Center, the William E. Leonhard Building, and a Chiller Plant. The Chiller Plant will also house an electric substation and serve as a voice, data, and video hub location for telecommunications services for the West Campus. The first phases of the West Campus expansion are scheduled to begin construction in fiscal year 1997/98 and should be completed by the start of the next Century.
Nittany Lion Inn/Penn State Conference Center Hotel (formerly Scanticon)
In March, a new Lucent Definity ECS telephone system with ISDN PRI trunking (digital dial tone) and a Lucent Intuity Audix voicemail system were installed and equipment training was provided at the Nittany Lion Inn. The new voicemail system provides access to voicemail for both guests and staff at the Nittany Lion Inn. As a result of guest needs and requests, the guestroom phones were upgraded to two-port sets (one voice and one data port) to enable simultaneous voice and data connectivity. The new sets also provide one-touch easy access to certain guest services (i.e. housekeeping, room service, emergency, maintenance, front desk, etc.). The merger of the Nittany Lion Inn and the Penn State Conference Center Hotel (PSCCH) enabled the installation of an ISDN PRI T-1 link between the two telephone systems. This now provides the capability of dialing from room-to-room between the two sites. Each telephone system was also loaded with Distributed Communications System software that allows calls to be forwarded between the two properties. The capability for 5-digit dialing and the sharing of digital trunk facilities between systems will provide cost savings. Plans to change the Cable TV service from TCI to the Housing and Foods Cable service were also initiated for the Nittany Lion Inn.
Cable TV
OTC is in the process of planning for the near and long term direction of the University Park Cable system as a whole. The goal is to combine the two existing systems (Housing and Foods Cable system and the Campus Cable system) into one and to forge the direction that this technology should be taking.
County Extension Office Networking
The upgrade of the networking service to eleven PA County Ag. Extension Offices was completed. Previous services to staff members at these sites had been via individual 4800 bps asynchronous ports on the DCA network (which was decommissioned on June 30th). Each of the eleven sites now has 56Kbps backbone connections. The remaining State Ag. Extension sites (56) are planning to either dial into local Penn State campuses or use 800 numbers to reach University Park.
Upgrades and Switch Enhancements
The Shenango campus re-wiring project was completed during this reporting period. Design work continues for the Wilkes-Barre and Worthington Scranton campus cable upgrades (scheduled for completion summer 1997). Upon completion of these campuses, all of the Penn State campus locations will have received a cable upgrade within the last eleven years.
Planning is also underway to meet the telecommunications needs of a new Library and a new addition to the Science and Technology Building at the Capital College.
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College
Significant upgrades and planning have been underway for The Behrend College. A new satellite downlink and Cable TV and DMX distribution for the residence halls has been designed and is currently in the process of being installed. The new honors residence, Almy Hall, is expected to be completed by the start of fall 1997 semester. Working in conjunction with private developers, infrastructure planning is underway for a new Knowledge Park which is to be located on the south side of the college.
A new PictureTel videoconferencing unit was also installed, and funded by OTC, to replace the current Compression Labs, Inc. unit. The campus switch is being utilized to provide ISDN BRI for this unit.
Penn State Altoona
The work for the new Cedar Hall residence hall is nearing completion at the Altoona College. Each room has been wired for voice, data, and video service, which has become standard procedure. Voice mail for approximately 1,200 on campus students will be available for fall semester 1997. Minor upgrades to the college distribution systems were included to provide service to the new residence hall. The Definity ECS was upgraded to Release 5 software which gives the campus enhanced capability for voice, video and data. In addition, an expansion cabinet was added to the Definity to accommodate the 200 additional ports needed for Cedar Hall. The campus also added desktop videoconferencing capability that is using the ISDN trunking provided by the switch.
Dickinson School of Law
Through a technology plan developed jointly by The Dickinson School of Law of The Pennsylvania State University and Computer & Information Systems, the Dickinson School of Law will be receiving improvements in technology. Part of the improvements include the installation of enhanced electronics to allow for higher speed data communications in the residence halls, expanded data connectivity for up to 200 ports, an upgrade to the dial-in modem capabilities, Room System Videoconferencing equipment, and a Satellite downlink receiver. Site surveys and planning for connecting the Dickinson School of Law to the Penn State network during the next reporting year has already begun. Future enhancements, to include ATM switching capabilities as well as an additional T-1 to support high bandwidth requirements, are also being planned.
The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
The creation of the newly organized Penn State Geisinger Health Systems (PSGHS) provided a challenge due to the need for data network security to both Penn State and non-Penn State users. As a result, three groups of users were identified: (1) those students, staff, and faculty remaining in Penn State's College of Medicine (COM), (2) those who were destined to become PSGHS (non-Penn State) and would require data services from PSGHS (Geisinger at Danville) and, (3) users who would be PSGHS and require Penn State access because they still report to Penn State faculty or staff. A committee from OTC worked closely with PSGHS network staff to precisely define issues of timing, related to users scheduled to lose Penn State access accounts, and those who would require a secure method of continuing to access AIS (Administrative Information Systems). The Center for Academic Computing (CAC) and The Office of Administrative Systems (OAS) staff working with the OTC committee provided expertise in formulation of solutions to meet these challenges of mixed access requirements.
Quality Initiatives
Electronic Keysheets
Keysheets are schematic representations of electronic telephone systems such as Merlin and Meridian systems. Keysheets have traditionally been kept on mylar sheets and updated manually. An OTC team designed an electronic version of these key sheets using Excel and the majority of the existing mylar keysheets have been loaded into the format of Excel spreadsheets. The automation of these records has provided significant improvement in their accuracy, accessibility, and ease with which they are maintained.
Electronic Mail System
Conversion from a 5-year old departmental email system to Microsoft Exchange with the Microsoft Outlook '97 mail client was accomplished during this reporting period. The exchange engine also supports POP3 clients such as Eudora and those found in some more popular Web browsers. In-house, hands-on training was held in Wagner training lab and users were converted by June 30th.
Business Office
The OTC Business Office Quality Improvement committee has completed phases one and two of a three-phase quality implementation plan. As a result, the general policies and procedures of the Business Office have been documented. Each Business Office Staff Assistant has also been partnered with an assigned Communications Analyst to take advantage of the benefits of the team approach to getting customer requests completed in a more efficient manner. A color coding system, which is beneficial for prompt customer financial reconciliation, was established to aid in the separation of the pending and incoming telecommunications service requisitions (TSR). A procedure manual detailing all duties and procedures performed in the Business Office will be completed in phase 3 of the quality implementation plan. This manual will serve as a guide for current and incoming staff.
Video Systems Group
The OTC Video Systems group received a quality award from AT&T Skynet for making over 50 consecutive perfect satellite accesses in 1996. Video Systems completed 64 consecutive perfect satellite uplinks using AT&T transponders (the number could have been higher, but AT&T transponders were only used for 64 uplinks in 1996.) The award was presented to OTC at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Conference.
Administrative Computing VLAN
OTC has begun the production use of the first OTC-installed implementation of a Virtual LAN (VLAN) using Switched EtherNet and ATM technology. The new network provides approximately a ten-fold improvement in performance without the need to change network interface cards in microcomputers. The VLAN allows LANs in separate geographic areas to function as a single subnet. The locations are tied together by the new Integrated Backbone.
ATM to the desktop microcomputer is being tried in a few limited installations. Fiber connects a special network interface card to the ATM network without going through Switched EtherNet.
Hardware Upgrades
A study was undertaken to determine an upgrade path for OTC's network servers. It was decided that the Digital AlphaServer in an NT cluster would be the best configuration to support current and future demand for reliable, high availability network services. An AlphaServer cluster with StorageWorks was installed.
An order for Pentium desktop systems was placed to upgrade all remaining 486 processors still in use among OTC staff.
OTC Audit
OTC was audited during this reporting period by the University Internal Auditing Department. A report of the findings was received and reviewed. OTC responses were submitted to the auditors on May 12th. Some action items have been accomplished and others are in progress.
Sexual Harassment Sensitivity Presentation
The OTC Sexual Harassment Resource Person presented a video and led an open discussion on "Sexual Harassment, a new look at an old problem" to the Client Services and Administrative Support staff of OTC. The presentation was well received. Other groups within OTC have scheduled the video and open discussion forum to be presented to their personnel.
Appendix A -- Penn State Audio Conference Call Statistics
Appendix B -- OTC Videoconference Room Summary
Appendix C -- Penn State Voice Mail Statistics
Appendix D -- Penn State Training Summary
Appendix E -- Penn State OTC Installed and Supported LANs
Appendix F -- Penn State Data Backbone Statistics
Appendix G -- NMC Trouble Call Statistics
Appendix H -- Penn State Student Residence Hall Internet Connections
Appendix I -- Penn State Videoconferencing Room Systems
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