Systems Staff Meeting Notes 2/28/00

Systems Staff Meeting Notes
February 28, 2000

Present: Rich Bennett, Will Chaney, Bill Covey, Debra Harris, Winston Harris, Bobbie Meng, Suzy Shaw, Hilton Soto, Ying Tang
Ongoing Systems Updates
Equipment Received/Installed/Repaired
  1. We have placed an order for parts to assemble the TerraByte server - 4 Linux boxes which will run APACHE. IIS will link into NT9. The lowest bid for a pre-built that we could find was in the high $40,000's. The upper bid was over $200, 000. The order was submitted to Purchasing last Thursday afternoon. The server can be made larger - we can always throw another cabinet on it.
  2. Will is ordering more parts to build an NT server to replace Novell Smathers.
  3. Martha is considering another order of Gateways - in the two dozen range. The topic of Gateway led to a discussion about the possibility of changing vendors - perhaps Dell - since we have been experiencing a number of service, order & delivery problems with Gateway. Switching vendors could present its own batch of problems, but historically speaking, Dell service is known as the best - and Will can vouch for that. Bill says he will get in touch with Gateway & if we reach an impasse, then he'll look into switching.
  4. Looks like we got out of the SNA business just in time - D1 Systems are now defunct. There are no replacement companies. Journalism is our last holdout of SNAs - we need to get machines to replace the terminals. There is a dispute over whether or not the Control Unit is ours or not.
Security
  1. Pretty Park virus is rampant again. McAfee has put out a patch, but there's also a major upgrade to virus files due out on March 1.
Networking
  1. Proxy server - two outages occurred this morning. It was up, but not responsive. After rebooting, it is at 6% utilization.
  2. Switches - this morning at MSL we put in a multi fiber feed switch. The fiber converter it replaced will be moved to Music. Education needs an additional switch.
  3. A 7' wiring rack was found in Room 2, Library East. It was just lying there on the floor. We will put it to use in West.
  4. Switch inventory - we'll buy at least one more fiber farm to have for the shelf. We want to have one installed in MSL, one in West.
  5. Digital will start on the wiring project in West at the end of this week or the beginning of next. They're waiting for cable trays.
  6. AFA wiring - additional space has been added, and the quote received from Digital.
  7. Rewiring in Music is scheduled for the week of Spring Break.
Software Projects Status
  1. Preservation Q&A is ongoing.
  2. Library Statistics - Ying & Winston talked to Jack Waters & got the details on this project. He collects a range of Library statistics each year (including the Health Science Center & Law). There is difficulty because these branch libraries are on different networks and use different applications. It has to be run as standalone - Carol is adamant that she does not want to re-key anything. The original plan was to do it as a standalone spreadsheet, but we are currently investigating if it can be done via web interface.
  3. Hilton has been working on a revision to the Web to Database Web filtering scheme. It will include a file for HTML-ASP page - regular expression syntax.
  4. There have been a number of minor modifications on many small applications.
  5. The program designed for Resource Services that loads vendor mark record files is going SUS wide. Textual changes were made; Phek Su will present it in March.
  6. We have not received any word from the Health Center about ATC standalone.
DP Coordinator
  1. Look for the students to start dropping out by this Friday since Spring Break officially starts next Monday, March 6 and runs through March 10.
Calendar
  1. Suzy & Bill will be out most of Wednesday, March 1 - Microsoft conference in Tampa.
  2. Rich has jury duty on Monday, March 13.

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Last updated March 6, 2000
by Debra Harris
debharr@mail.uflib.ufl.edu