1. Platform Architecture and Features for Thin-Client Application and Tool Delivery and Integration in Internet Based Distance Education
Samuel Conn, Asst. Professor
Regis University MSCIT Program
Denver, Colorado
ISECON 2002
November 3, 2002

2. Agenda Introduction Problem Definition Three Part Solution
Architectures & Technologies
Next Stage of Evolution

3. Introduction
Regis University in Denver, Colorado MSCIT program areas of emphasis in Database Technology, Network Engineering, e-Commerce, and Software Engineering

4. Problem Definition Maintenance & support of lab environment
Lab environment for distance education students
Integration of lab environment with content delivery

5. Three Part Solution
Merge classroom based courses & online courses into one “virtual lab” or v-Lab environment.
Create global delivery system for virtual lab that works with content delivery
Utilize graduate students as a resource to support and maintain the platform via an Information Systems Practicum

6. Selection of thin-client technology
Citrix Independent Computing Architecture (ICA)
OS Independent
Small footprint client
Emulation via pixel streaming
Success at low bandwidth
Server side administration
Expansion to portal technologies
Affordable

7. Network evolution
LAN
LAN
LAN
LAN
LAN
LAN
WAN ?

8. Academic Research Network (Virtual) V-Lab environment
Distance Education Student
at Home
Academic Research Network
(Virtual) V-Lab environment
Distance Education Student
at Work
Network Operations Center (NOC)
Lowell Campus
Land-based MSCIT
Student on Campus
Oracle Servers
Application Servers
Internet
Land-based MSCIT
Student at Home
Citrix Server(s)
Land-based MSCIT
Student at Work
Simplified Diagram
“ARN Architecture”
Faculty & SPS Users
ARN Administrators
Storage Arrays

9. Support Model Student Practicums Database and Network Engineering
6 months in length
Graduate Student Capstone
Support for infrastructure
Support for virtual lab
Support for applications
Support for Oracle accounts
Frankfurt, Germany
Student DBA
Logs Support Request
Resolves Problem
Denver
Los Angeles
Student
Service Restored

10. Student logon

11. Student portal interface

12. Content delivery system & virtual lab merged environment
Student toggles between environments

13. Portal Integration MSCIT Portal MSIS Portal Corp Partners CRM Partners
(Sun, IBM…)
MSCIT
Portal
Outlook Express
WebCT
BlackBoard
eCollege
Content
System
Database
OS environments
Tools
MSIS
Portal
Students
Faculty
Administrators
Partners
Virtual
Lab
Workflow
Utilities
Custom Dev
Libraries
Services/
Applications
Corp
Partners
Student Profile
Outbound direct
Administration
CRM
Collaborative Portals

14. Evolution of e-Learning Platform
Academic Delivery Migration Path
Integration w/
External Digital
& Virtual
Knowledge
Bases / Content
Repositories
Portal
Integration,
Workflow
& CRM
Content
Delivery
System
Audio
Enhancement
To Content
Video
Enhancement
To Content
Virtual
Lab
Academic Infomediary
Outlook Express
(total asynchronous)
WebCT
BlackBoard
eCollege
Middleware
services
Profile schema
Application SW
Broadband Backbone
Infrastructure
Managed Bandwidth
QoS
Compression/Streaming
Software
Proxy Services
Enterprise Application
Integration
Access Protocols
Thin-client
technology
Technology Migration Path

15. Thank you….. Questions or Comments? This presentation available at