1. September 1, 1998IT System for CIMSS, IISc1 By the IT Subcommittee of the CIMSS Project –Jayant Haritsa (SERC) –R. Krishnamurthy (SERC) –Anurag Kumar (ECE, Convener) –V. Kumaran (Chem. Engg.) –Y.N. Srikanth (CSA) –V. Vinay (CSA)

2. September 1, 1998IT System for CIMSS, IISc2 IT System Functions System users –faculty, admin officers, and case workers Document preparation, movement, storage, access and manipulation Implementation of office workflow –e.g., indent “flows” from faculty to chairman to purchase to audit,…etc. –authentication, annotation, and signatures at each step –tracking of workflows The “IT System” is the platform on which these functions are implemented

3. September 1, 1998IT System for CIMSS, IISc3 Design Considerations Client independence –variety of hardware and operating systems on campus –system should not be client dependent Difficult to maintain security and integrity of multiple servers in multiple locations –power supply, air-conditioning, cleanliness, etc. Work should not actually flow to the clients –messy to recover from client crash –harder to track status of work Aim for completely paperless system

4. September 1, 1998IT System for CIMSS, IISc4 Design Decisions Web based client server interaction –clients only need a web browser –plug -ins needed for digital signatures, and document upload Central server –with redundant hardware and storage –in a well prepared site All data and work-in-progress resides in data-base in central server –workflow implemented by manipulating references to the documents

5. September 1, 1998IT System for CIMSS, IISc5 CIMSS Network Architecture client Scanner and fax modem Typical dept. LAN client Scanner and fax modem Typical admin workstation Server LAN firewall Admin LAN CIMSS central server Campus network backbone (optical fibre) Existing systems Proposed systems Server LAN

6. September 1, 1998IT System for CIMSS, IISc6 CIMSS Central Server UNIX operating system Web server with security features Secure socket layer TCP/IP Workflow software and database management system CIMSS server LAN Redundant disks with CIMSS database Server machine to/from campus LAN Off-the-shelf proprietary Standard UNIX system Programmable/configurable application software

7. September 1, 1998IT System for CIMSS, IISc7 Virtual Workflow CIMSS central server Work does not “flow” between server and clients; only references change in data-base forms Requests, and data entry Requests, data entry Faculty member Admin officer Case worker

8. September 1, 1998IT System for CIMSS, IISc8 Layers of Security firewall secure socket layer secure socket layer authenticated login; secret key session security, with key aging web browser with authentication plugin web server with public key certificate server digital signatures blocks unauthorised packets campus network client central server fingerprint-based security for console access

9. September 1, 1998IT System for CIMSS, IISc9 Product Selection (Hardware) Central CIMSS server –SUN Ultra Sparc 450, with Solaris (UNIX) –redundant disk drives (RAID) –redundant power supply, ethernet controller, disk controller Firewall –Cisco PIX –proprietary hardware and operating system –high performance Clients –PCs with Windows 95/98, NT –PCs with Linux –Standard UNIX workstations

10. September 1, 1998IT System for CIMSS, IISc10 Product Selection (Software) Data base system –ORACLE enterprise server Workflow definition software –ORACLE workflow Web server –NETSCAPE Public key server (Certification Authority) –included in the NETSCAPE server Client web browser –Netscape or (MS) Internet Explorer

11. September 1, 1998IT System for CIMSS, IISc11 Application Development Server software –implementation of workflows –development of forms and interfaces Client software –browser plug-ins for supporting: digital signatures upload of scanned documents (e.g., quotations)

12. September 1, 1998IT System for CIMSS, IISc12 Central server location –stable power supply –prevention of fire, dampness, lightning strike, etc. Data back-up –back-up copies should be stored in separate site Security and authentication –at present only 40-bit security available, owing to US export restrictions –this should be upgraded as and when available –key-aging, within sessions, is an interim solution Some Implementation Concerns

13. September 1, 1998IT System for CIMSS, IISc13 Vendor Selection First round of vendor proposals –Tata Consultancy Services –CMC –Planetasia –Faculties India –Tata Infotech –Logic Point Short list; second round –Planetasia –Tata Infotech Final negotiations are under way with –Tata Infotech