SUMMER MAINTENANCE! -- Part 1

 

Well, folks... we are well underway with our 

Summer 2011 Maintenance!

In a previous post, we keyed you-in on some big changes that were happening, the biggest was catered around the pay-for-print system and its upgrades.  On 05/23, we began the server upgrade process which basically involved 10-steps from upgrading the existing server, installing a new server, then migrating all printer and user data across the different machines.... to upgrading and re-installing printers and servers to all of the schools across Lesley.  We finished Sherrill on the evening of 05/23 and AIB Library/AIB Computer Labs on 05/24--- then Kresge Media Center on 05/25.---  As of 05/26, we had begun the redeployment of all of the Cambridge Computer Labs starting with University Hall Reading Room (UNIV-3-069), Training Room (UNIV-3-084), and Doble Building Room#- 413 & 415.

As of yesterday, Tuesday, May 31, we had started another roll-out for the Mollye Lichter 24-hour Computer Lab, the Doble Information Commons, and the Doble Building Room# 309.

Later today and tomorrow (06/01 & 06/02), we will be rolling-out Wolfard 203 and Wolfard 204 which will complete the summer computer image deployment.

So what to expect?

Well, the latest computer images include a Dual-Boot OS set-up which allows users to choose between MacOSX 10.6.x and Windows 7 Professional SP1.

I know what you're thinking...

"but we are already used to having a dual-boot computer lab"

... as this is true, we were able to provide a few quality of life changes in the form of software upgrades.

Software Changes

Our basic software set includes (Mac/Win):

• Firefox 4.x
• DropBox
• Skype
• VLC Media Player
• RealPlayer
• Google Earth
• Microsoft Office 2007/2008
• Microsoft Office 2010/2011
• Adobe Creative Suite 3
• Acrobat Professional
• Bridge
• Dreamweaver
• Flash
• Illustrator
• InDesign
• Photoshop
• Adobe Reader X
• OpenSource Multimedia Software
• Audacity
• Blender
• Gimp
• InkScape
• Kompozer
• Processing
• Filezilla
• Flickr Uploadr
• iLife
• GarageBand
• iWeb
• iPhoto
• Inspiration
• InspireData
• Google Sketchup
• +*We've also added a few entertainment packages for you.

That's it.... very slim and trim.

The boot-times for Windows 7 are under a minute and shut-down times are just as efficient ~15-20 seconds.  *I know, this was a MAJOR problem we had in our last image set.

Overall, everything is clean and efficient... no added weight and a genuinely clean experience.

PaperCut & Lesley Printing

Papercut (Lesley Pay-for-Print) is extremely fast and efficient now.

We have upgraded to the latest client (11.2) which comes with improvements for page-counts, a cleaner interface, and faster printing.  Faster printing can also be attributed to our enhanced servers which are located in various locations (Doble Campus, Sherrill Campus, and AIB-Library)---

As far as the WebUI, we have kept it as close to stock as possible, but added some features like relevant links to help articles, LesleyCard, and secure password change.  We fixed cross-browser compatibility issues *which i know that must have been bothering a LOT of you.

...and???

Overall, it is our most sincere wish that everyone have a digital classroom/public computer terminal that is fast, friendly, and efficient.  Please know that we in the Labs & Classrooms Division of University Technology work hard to make things work well for you... with Students and Teachers in mind.  

Please feel free to let us know what you think!  And if there are ANY improvements, modifications, or suggestions otherwise you would like to offer, please feel free to contact us via facebook.

Stay tuned for more updates as the Summer Maintenance continues!

UPDATES TO 24-HOUR LAB

Howdy, everyone---
I am currently updating the Mollye Lichter 24-Hour Computer Lab.
It's not a brand-new image, rather, we are just updating the software and virus definitions.
Be sure to stop by to say hello!

Date:  Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Time:   9:00am-2:00pm

Mollye Lichter Block 24-hour Lab UPDATE

  Alright, ladies and gentlemen...

  The Mollye Lichter Block 24-hour lab has been freshly imaged and updated!  This will have been the first time in a year that maintenance of this scale has been performed in this area.

 Sorry for any inconveniences that our maintenance down-time may have caused.  We appreciate your patience!





Changes include:
OS Updates (OSX Leopard & WinXP SP3)
Office 2007/2008
IE7/8 & Firefox 3.6.3
FlashPlayer 10
Picasa 3.6
Adobe CS3+

Maintenance Halted!

Wow..
So it looks like the Maintenance for the Mollye Lichter Block 24-hour lab and the Doble Information commons has come to a screeching halt as the "higher-ups" have determined that labs should not be taken offline even in the summer time!
In fact, there's a policy in place that all of Lesley's Facilities should be ready to be utilized year-round, with zero-time allocated for maintenance.

But no sweat!

In order to get the software and features added to these spaces, the group responsible for maintenance and repair of those areas must go through the same booking procedures as any other department would if they are looking to hold a special event.
It's a little frustrating for me and my staff, but we make due.

I will post a maintenance schedule soon!
And THEN, I mean business!

Netboot Problems :(

So in my mad netboot/deploy craze, I find that there are a few machines in the Mollye Lichter Block 24-hour computer lab that won't netboot proper...

This has halted the imaging process and has thrown me into RAGE@#!&...
So we are circumventing this issue with other methods.




I would like to take this time to say "kudos" to Bombich's Carbon Copy Cloner...
It's a godsend.

Mollye Lichter Block 24-hour Lab Closed for Maintenance (Jun 3-4)

Sorry, boys and girls.
The Mollye Lichter Block 24-hour Computer Lab is closed for maintenance today (June 3, 2010) and tomorrow (June 4, 2010) for re-imaging.... this will include software updates, enhanced everything... and more reliable configurations.

Will post updates as they come.