User Support Unit SL7 Project

• dice-invtools - Done (in dice_sl7_env_common.rpms)
• server upgrades - see table below
• podium machines - Done
• webkiosk machines - Done

Servers to Scientific Linux 7 2016

Touchscreens

All touchscreen machines were replaced with slightly newer models. Thanks to Ian for his help in upgrading these machines.

Institute Machines

We were able to negotiate the retiral of a number of machines - see the table above.

Although upgrading our Institute machines was not necessarily technically challenging, preparing for the upgrade is what took the time and effort in most cases. The challenges included:

• Negotiating retirals!
• Encountering data on machines 'owned' by staff who have left Informatics
• We had to find temporary alternative space for user data (with disk sizes generally increasing, this will be a continuing problem)
• Negotiating suitable time slots for upgrades

The three ANC jupiter machines were re-purposed and taken off our list.

Observations

• We still have a number of machines that are only used by a few users (and infrequently at that)
• Despite best efforts at keeping inventory information up to date, we don't always have the correct details for the owner of the machines.
• We are not given sufficient notice (if any) when people leave. This needs to be addressed.

Discussion Forum

We have now removed EASE authentication. This was only required for the IJP course. There is only 1 course using the site now (inf2b) so we should consider whether to re-advertise the site or retire it and recommend that users use an alternative. Piazza seems to be used by a number of our courses.

Effort

• CO effort: - 17 days
• CSO effort: - 30 days

-- AlisonDownie - 06 Apr 2016