Computers up and Running

The four new computers are up and running. The display drivers are installed and functioning. A guest account is active and Internet Explorer has been installed. This blog has been set as the home page.

There are still more software updates to implement, but I'll leave the computers running and people can start using them.

Contact Brian Payne (payne6 at illinois.edu) or myself (ladner at illinois.edu) if you have questions. We're in office numbers 4129 and 4125.

Fridge Czar

One of the issues with the collaboratory will be maintenance. The refrigerator is one item that will need regular care. Here is a proposed maintenance organizational plan.

The EES Student Advisory Committee is in charge of the Collaboratory, so refrigerator care and maintenance should fall under their stewardship. Each semester (including summers), the committee should designate a student as the “Fridge Czar” who will organize care and maintenance. The Fridge Czar will not have to do all the work; he or she will simply oversee it.

Refrigerator Use Guidelines

The refrigerator is for short-term use. All items will be removed weekly on a designated day by a student volunteer. Once per semester, the refrigerator will be thoroughly cleaned by student volunteers.

Fridge Czar Duties

--Create a schedule and solicit volunteers for weekly care. Look for volunteers first among the student advisory committee, and have group representatives ask other students for help.

--Check each week to be sure the task has been completed.

--Assign the refrigerator cleaning task to one or a few students per semester.

--Check to be sure the task has been completed. 

More Comp. Support Info

I just received this follow up to my request for estimates to manage our Collaboratory Computers. It is from ECE Computer and Technology Services:

I think what you are proposing is an outstanding idea and we’d love to help you. I’ll hit you with the dollars up front and then we can get into the rest. Our service charge model has a category specifically for computer labs. We charge $500 per lab (based on unique software image that can be used across all machines) + $200 per machine annually. So for a lab of just 4 machines you’re talking $1300 per year for us to manage it. If you add or subtract from the number of machines then it goes up or down by $200 each.

For that amount you get total support for the lab. We’ll help you spec out the machines to put in there and get them ordered for you if you like. We’ll round up and install all the software you need (there are probably license fees you’ll have to pay for some things, but Windows, Matlab, and a variety of other things are site-licensed on campus.) We’ll manage the printer and handle setting up logins and all that on the lab machines. We’ll fix them if they break down or if there is a problem with the software on them. We have direct access to warranty parts from both Dell and HP so we can fix broken hardware quickly and efficiently in-house. And when they are ready to be replaced we’ll wipe them of all data to be ready for surplus and help purchase and set up the replacements.

If you would like to see some samples of our work we run similar student labs for ECE, Material Sciences and a few other departments that I could show you. If this sounds of interest to you and you think the price is do-able, let me know and we can discuss details. Jeremy Bird is the primary network admin at Civil these days so he’ll probably be your primary day-to-day contact if we do go forward with this. Fair warning, he’s very busy at the moment since we just took over up there and there are a lot of details to work out. Thanks for your interest, and good luck with your lab.

--Jim Hurst

Manager of Systems and Services

ECE Computer and Technology Services

jhurst@illinois.edu

217-244-3617

Computer Support Information

I wanted to post the information that Brian Payne collected about computer support. Here is the text of his email.

I met today with the EWS manager and the assistant dean (not sure of the title here, but which ever "dean" oversees IT issues for the campus). I showed them our current computer lab as well as updated them on our future plans for the collaboratory. Joe Zalabak, the EWS manager was helpful and supportive and even pledged 4 former EWS computers to our lab.

He explained that they're 3 years old, but were top of the line when purchased. This would not include monitors, software, or maintenance all which we would still need to look into. The assistant dean had also expressed that as we move forward we should inform the CEE department head. Specifically as energy use is a big issue for departments, purchasing computers, refrigerators and other equipments would impact this (we can argue it'll be positive as we get more efficient computers and replace all the mini fridges with a big one!).

Lastly, I've got requests out to CITES and the ECE IT folks about info regarding maintenance of the collaboratory and will keep you all informed on what I hear back. 

Joe had asked our timeline and I'd told him that we'd be on the ball if we we're ready for his computers by the end of the semester. So, I think it's time to start pricing monitors and furniture!

Cheers,
Brian

Meeting Notes, Oct 31

These notes are available in Word document format in the link at the right. However, I wanted to post them here for quick access and to allow comments directly related to today's meeting.

10/31/2008 Meeting w/ Dr. Eberhard:

1. The EES faculty appreciates our proposal and provided us a budget of $7,500.

It was suggested we develop a staged approach keep Eberhard (and the EES faculty) involved in terms of your decisions, the timing, and the budget. We determined a blog would be best for this.

2. Additional notes discussed:

Consider reducing the number of computers from 8 to 6 or 4.

Need to include printer in floor plan.

Suggestion to add computer projector so that students can practice presentations.

Provide connectivity for laptops instead of just desktops

Continuous bench instead of individual desks.

High quality furniture instead of cheap.

Need management plan for fridge and food.

Need management plan for computers and printer.

Staged constructions: (1) Furniture, (2) computers, [if feasible (3) sink]

Maintain the Collaboratory title…don’t refer it as a lounge.

10/31/2008 Collaboratory Committee Meeting (held after meeting with Eberhard):

1. Divided most immediate tasks into two groups: computers and furniture/furnishings

Computers – Brian and Dave will coordinate on a management planning

Brian
    Follow up with EWS
     Contact CITES 

Dave
   Follow up with 3CS

Furniture/furnishings – Azam & Derek coordinate

Azam
   What sink would require
   Facilities management planning

Derek
   Start blog (threads for different groups)
   Add printer to collaboratory drawings

2. Other general notes:

Meet up again in about a week

Come up with “wish lists” of items to start watching for purchase

Make sure each research group has a representative involved (4th floor Advisory Committee)

Blog name? Eventually turn into general blog for 4th floor?

Status Updates

Note the newside bar for links to notes from the latest meeting....
Also there is a voting poll on the sidebar for the overhead, so cast your VOTE!

Lab Management

Refrigerator Policy, Printing Quota, Computer Admin Privileges