On Beyond Z Building a Directory Service educause presentation #074 University of Colorado at Boulder Deborah Keyek-Franssen Marin Stanek Paula J. Vaughan with thanks to Dr.Seuss

“In the places I go there are things that I see That I never could spell if I stopped with the Z. I’m telling you this ’cause you’re one of my friends. My alphabet starts where your alphabet ends!” On Beyond Zebra! by Dr. Seuss On Beyond Z at the University of Colorado:  Collaboration across boundaries  Cultural Fit  Design for strength and potential Why this presentation? On Beyond Z

Why This Project Now??  Numerous application-specific directories  Multiple sources of disparate data  Data reconciliation difficult - or nonexistent  No one authoritative source for access control  Increasing application need for directory service

Directory Service Project Project goals:  Trusted, authoritative source of data  Identity, data and relationship management  Usable by a variety of applications and services  Authentication services Project commissioning statement: Establish a framework for deploying and maintaining general purpose directory services for the University of Colorado at Boulder within the context of the University- wide environment.

The Original Alphabet University of Colorado:  Four campuses plus Central Administration.  Centrally-managed Student Information System, PeopleSoft HR and PeopleSoft GL.  CU-Boulder: ~29,000 students, 2,400 faculty +, 2,600 staff.  CU-Boulder Information Technology Services (ITS).  Department-specific expertise, systems and processes within each campus  environment of independence.

Big “Team” Project Champion Political conduit. Sustains momentum. Steering Team Key decision-makers. Communication thru monthly meetings Technical Team Provides analysis, design, development, testing. Core Team Provides detailed project work & conducts regular meetings Project Team Structure

Directory Vision Silo-based functional expertise Big “Team ” Departments Systems People Processes Campuses Cultural boundaries Fiefdoms Technical Team Steering Team Core Team Project Champion Project Culture

Schema, logic, data and security technical Proposal, design,& issues list Continuous Communication with expertise-based silos Technical Team Steering Team Core Team Project Champion Iterative Process Education and commitment communication Process, policy & design

technical communication Process, policy & design TRUST  RISK-TAKING FOR DIRECTORY-ENABLED APPLICATIONS! Trust to risk

Build for Strength and Potential StrengthPotential - Adhere to LDAP standards- Maximize ability to extend directory - Adhere to I2 standards- Enhance inter-institutional work - Common schema for CU data- Common platform for CU use - Standard for campus objects- Enable campus specific uses - Standards for governing - Collaborative policy making

On Beyond Z Measures of success  Technical & administrative silos engaged, not threatened.  Representatives from all hierarchies ask to learn more.  Community members ask to be involved.  Application owners ask to use directory.  Directory praises sung on the campus grapevine.

Project Contacts  Project Web Page  Paula Vaughan, Project Manager  Deborah Keyek-Franssen  Marin Stanek