Emerging Technologies in Higher Education:  Big School Solutions to Small School Problems

John O’KeefeDirector, Academic Technology and Network Services Lafayette College

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What are “Small School Problems?”• Funding • ERP • Security • Teaching and Learning w/Tech • Infrastructure/Cyberinfrastructure • Agility/Adaptibility/Responsiveness• Governance, Organization, Leadership• Identity Management• Disaster Recovery• Strategic Planning• Web Systems• Information/Content management

Source: 2009 EDUCAUSE Current Issues Survey

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What are “Big School Solutions?”

• Internet2/NLR

• Shibboleth

• iTunesU

• MPLS

• IPv6

• Cloud Computing

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How Does This Fit Together?

• The problems aren’t necessarily different or unique to smaller schools

• Small schools can be more agile and able to implement solutions campus-wide

• Resources are available to help (Large developer community, conferences, CAMPs, etc)

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The Details Behind the Technologies

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Internet2/NLR

• High-Speed research networks

• Internet2 - A not-for-profit advanced networking consortium that leverages its high-performance network and worldwide partnerships to support and enhance the educational and research missions of its members.

• NLR - Ultra high-performance network infrastructure that makes possible many of the world’s most demanding research projects.

• I2 Only Applications (Remote instrumentation, Videoconferencing)

• NLR for Telepresence

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Shibboleth

• Shibboleth - A standards based, open source software package for web single sign-on across or within organizational boundaries.

• Federated Identity Management (FIdM) - Arrangements made among multiple organizations that lets subscribers use their institutional identification credentials to obtain access to applications outside their institution but within the Federation (InCommon, eAuth)

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iTunesU

• iTunesU - A section of Apple’s iTunes Store designed for higher education where institutional content, course work, or other multimedia materials may be stored and disseminated within the framework of iTunes.

• Can use Shibboleth

• Can be used to compliment Course Management System

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MPLS

• MPLS - Multi-Protocol Label Switching

• Layer 3 Virtualization creates highly secure virtual networks within one physical infrastructure

• Easier to manage than Layer 2 Virtualization (VLANs)

• Scales better (smaller broadcast domains)

• Cost savings

• VoIP

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IPv6

• IPv6 - Next-generation Internet Protocol version designed as the successor to IPv4.

• New IP addressing scheme

• Expanded allocation blocks (more addresses available)

• More secure (IPSec)

• Multicast

• Jumbograms

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Cloud Computing

• Cloud Computing - Environment where dynamically scalable and often virtualized resources are provided as a service over the Internet

• Obscures technology and infrastructure that supports the cloud, enabling end users to focus on applications

• Not just for CS any more

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Putting It All Together

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Security

• MPLS for network virtualization

• Separation of devices and users

• Network Admission Control

• Regulatory Compliance (PCI, HIPPA, CALEA, etc)

• Shibboleth

• Access to third party apps using institutional credentials

• Single Sign-On

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Teaching and Learning

• Internet2/NLR

• Access to resources/applications

• iTunesU

• Bowdoin, Penn State

• Offload multimedia content from CMS

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Infrastructure/Cyberinfrastructure

• Cloud Computing

• Virtualization lowers cooling demands, power requirements

• Provisioning new services easier

• Saves money

• IPv6

• It is coming, I promise!

• v6-only services, no more v4?

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Identity Management

• Shibboleth

• Policies and Procedures

• InCommon and eAuth LoA (Level of Assurance)

• Providing services to other schools (collaboration)

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Disaster Recovery

• Clustering and Cloud Computing

• Automatic failover

• Hardware independence

• MPLS

• Network failures converge faster (BGP)

• Broadcast domains limited

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Web Systems

• Cloud Computing

• Cloud platform very effective to deliver web applications

• Shibboleth

• Tailor made for web application authentication

• Internet2/NLR

• Applications may only be accessible via Internet2/NLR

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What Can You Do Now to Prepare?

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Internet2/NLR

• Cost of entry lower

• Membership has its privileges

• Find a GigaPOP near you

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Shibboleth

• How does your current IdM stack up?

• Look at LoA and policies required for InCommon

• Examine institutional practices

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iTunesU

• Sign up for an account

• Look at schools who have nice sites to get ideas

• Do you have Shibb?

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MPLS

• Review your current infrastructure

• BGP talent on staff

• Cost to prepare infrastructure

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IPv6

• Get an allocation

• Begin to familiarize yourself with it

• Know the problems

• Plan your budgets

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Cloud Computing

• Explore virtualization options (VMWare, Redhat, others)

• Insource or Outsource

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So What Has Lafayette Done?

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2005-2006

• Internet2 Connectivity 2005

• German Collaborative 2005

• Pasteur Institute and Bird Flu 2006

• Implemented iTunesU 2006

• Integrated with Moodle, used for coursework

• Commencement readings

• Communications multimedia content

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2007-2009

• Implemented Shibboleth 2007 (Library resources, Spaces, online ticketing)

• Implemented MPLS 2007

• IPv6 Allocation 2009

• Developed Web Cloud 2009

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Why Does This Matter?

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Set Apart From Other Small Schools

• Faculty and Staff recruitment

• Research incentives

• Competing for students

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Set Apart From Larger Schools

• Small school, big resources

• New market conditions put smaller schools in non-traditional competition from larger schools

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Questions?

John O’Keefeemail: okeefej@lafayette.eduweb: http://its.lafayette.edutwitter: okeefej_62

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