1. Natick Public Schools Technology Update September 11, 2006 Dennis Roche, CISA Director of Technology

2. Technology Update 2006 -2007 Technology Vision Summer 2006 Update Updated Technology Plan Challenges & Goals

3. Technology Vision Implement best of breed solutions from K-12, higher education and the business world. Create an open environment that embraces multiple platforms and multiple clients. Allow use of personal computing devices and in safe and secure fashion.

4. Technology Department Mission Establish and maintain a reliable and secure technology infrastructure. Provide technical support and on-going training to all faculty and staff. Manage third party technology vendors and service providers. Collaborate with faculty, staff and administrators on new technologies.

5. Summer 2006 Update New Technology Staff –Steve McGrath, Help Desk Manager –LaKisha Wilson, Technician –Chris Kiepert, Web & Data Base Administrator Open Positions –Technical Support Specialist –Network Administrator

6. New On-Line Resources

9. First Class Rebuilt a server with internal hardware redundancy (Hardware level RAID) to maximize uptime. Upgraded First Class Server Software to current release. Ran Repair Utilities on First Class Data Base. Conferences within First Class re-organized. New SPAM filter implemented.

10. Backend Server Work & Computer Room All servers relocated main computer room at Natick High School. All MAC servers upgraded to newest version of Operating System. New storage, backup and fiber switches purchased and installed. New faculty currently on new storage solution. New dedicated electrical service installed and protected by electrical generator.

11. Elementary Software Re-installed 500 elementary computers with a standard suite of software. MicroSoft Office now available to all faculty. Students have access to Appleworks, Inspiration, Kid Pix, Neighborhood Map Machines, Sammy’s Science House and the Internet.

12. Business & Science Departments Business Lab A107 cabled and added to network. Cabling for managed wired access points completed in the S wing. Access points to be configured and piloted later in the school year. Licenses for Microsoft Windows XP and Office 2003 purchased for student use.

13. Nurses Upgrade Phased out Citrix Server based solution which was only required to provide a Windows application to MAC clients. Replaced all Nurses machines with PCs which greatly decreased login time and minimize printing issues. Worked with Town IT Department on upgrading SNAP Data Base and providing access.

14. Technology Plan Year 1 - FY06 Project Original EstimateActualStatus Rebuild Network Servers & Domain 75,000105,444In Process MS Office Tools 33,0000Complete NHS Business & Science Labs 28,00020,189Complete Wiring Closets 46,0000Deferred Email System SPAM Filter 04,721Complete Anti-Spyware & Policy based Content Filter 016,208Evaluating Funding Summary Beginning Balance 10,800 Town Meeting Funding 182,000 Total 192,800146,562 Balance 46,238

15. Steps to Rebuild Network Servers & Domain 1.Production Environment 2.New Storage & Backup Infrastructure 3.Domain Controller Replacement 4. Windows & MAC Integration

16. Production Environment Step 1 By end of 2005 - 2006 School Year, 36 MAC OSX and 11 Windows Servers centralized at Natick High School. Rebuilt and repurposed 6 existing servers to retired 6 of the oldest servers. Additional memory and internal hard drives purchased to sustain existing environment until data migration conducted. Rebuilt 2 Servers for DNS. All MAC OSX servers upgraded to latest version of MAC OSX (10.4.7) to ease migration process and secure backup of directory information. Production environment currently consists of 18 MAC OSX and 7 Windows Servers.

17. New Storage and Backup Infrastructure Step 2 Purchased and installed new storage, backup library and fiber optic switches. (9) existing servers rebuilt & repurposed to serve as file servers to storage arrays. Additional servers to be rebuilt as we migrate. Each server can manage 100-150 active connections. Purchased and installed fiber optic cards in all servers for optimum access to storage arrays. New faculty added to new storage system this school year.

18. Domain Controller Replacement Step 3 Purchased (2) additional MAC servers to continue testing without impacting production. Conducted tests of rebuilding new domain controller from scratch. Purchased block of phone and on-site support consulting time with Apple to verify approach and minimize disruption.

19. Windows & MAC Integration Step 4 An Active Directory environment is our long term goal to achieve seamless integration of MAC and Windows clients. A second migration will be required to achieve this goal after completion of the current migration.

20. Technology Plan Year 2 - FY07 Project Original Estimate Revised Estimate Rebuild Network Servers & Domain - Step 3 050,000 Wiring Closets 50,000 Website Development 50,00025,000 Student Information System 150,000200,000 Equipment Replacement 100,00050,000 Automated Communication System 20,20025,000 Total 370,200400,000

21. Technology Plan Year 3 - FY08 Project Original Estimate Revised Estimate Rebuild Network Servers & Domain - Step 4 050,000 Wiring Closets 050,000 Classroom Technologies 100,000 Equipment Replacement 200,000 Total 300,000400,000

22. Challenges for 2006 - 2007 Nurses Upgrade & Science Department Wireless Pilot delayed due to Network Administrator departure. Printing at Elementary Schools limited. Can’t add new Lilja faculty to network due MAC Manager Data Base Issue. Email problem with SPAM filter and Comcast blacklisting us. Login issues at Wilson Middle School - Discovered loose connections on a stack of switches in a wiring closet.

23. Current High Priority Issues Fifth and Sixth graders not able to access home directories. Pending Patron Upload to Library Circulation Systems delaying book circulation. Java Programming class - students unable to run compiled applications.

24. Summary of Goals for 2006 - 2007 Complete data migration to new storage device, rebuild servers and domain controller. Separate Website from First Class and redesign district level and school level sites. Upgrade wiring closets based on priority and need. Complete due diligence on SIS system and implement best solution. Implement emergency notification system. Pilot interactive white board solution.