Institute of Technology
Minutes of the ITICC Meeting,
October 17, 2002
3:35 p.m., 3-230 EE/CS
Present: Rahul Akolkar (ME), Bill Arnold (CE), Christopher Bingham (Stat), Evan Bollig (ITSB), Peter Davis (Geol), Tracey DeLaney (Astro), John Hall (Math), Peter Hudleston (IT Stud Aff), Phil Kachelmyer (ADCS), Larry LeMay (ADCS, Dan MacEwan (Chem), Kent Mann (Chem), Kent Mein (ITLabs ), Mark Nicosia (BME), Lucas Veverka (ITSB), Fred Wentorf (BME)
1) Status Reports from CSciE and ADCS
Mein reported that MSDN software is now available to students through the ITICC website. It can be obtained by clicking on “Get Free Microsoftware” at <http://www.itlabs.umn.edu/> by any IT student with an ITlabs account, removing the need for burning a CD. Kachelmyer noted that Symantec AntiVirus 8.0 is now available for Windows. It's available from <http://www.umn.edu/adcs/ >. Follow the Software link. This software can be installed on all computers owned by the University of Minnesota, and students, faculty, and staff have rights to use it on one computer that they own.
Hudleston said that it is time to review usage statistics in the IT labs. Doing this periodically helps planning which types of machines to purchase and how to structure lab opening hours. We have for several years now been collecting information on computer activity automatically every 15 minutes; we will be compiling a summary of this in the near future
2) Air Conditioning in CE 230
Arnold reported that the problems of air conditioning in CE 230 were severe, with the added load created by the additional computers installed in the lab over the summer. He said that recently the temperature in the room has been reaching 85 degrees. LeMay explained that air conditioning in this room had been a long-term problem even before the new computers were installed. The building air conditioning fought with the room air conditioning unit (which is excessively loud) placed in the room before it became a computer lab. The only solution currently is to run the noisy cooling unit overnight when the lab is empty.
Arnold said that an initial assessment of the situation by is that air flow in the room is too small by a factor of five. It has a capacity of 900 CFM and needs a capacity of 5,000 CFM. The (very rough) estimate of the cost to rectify this is $150,000. Hudleston said that this is a problem ITICC is going to have to face. The lab is an important part of our current facilities, now with 47 computers (38 before the additional ones were installed). The air conditioning has to be fixed. It is too late this year to apply for PAR funds, and in any case demand from departments for these funds always exceeds the amount available. He said he thought this fall, with the modest improvements needed for the lab, might be the best time to attend to the situation in CE 230.
3) Bulk Ordering of Dell Computers
Hudleston said he had received an e-mail from Swanberg (sick today) suggesting this item for the agenda. She had learned that various colleges on the St. Paul campus had combined their orders of Dell computers to get large discounts. She thought ITICC and the IT departments should be doing the same. Mein said he was sure MacDonald took advantage of discounts when ordering computers for ITICC and for Computer Science & Engineering, combining with other departmental orders on occasion. Other departments in IT probably also take advantage of similar arrangements. All agreed that this procedure makes sense and should be followed whenever possible. The minimum order at which a deep discount can be obtained appears to be about 50.
4) Fall 2002 Lab Improvements – Initial Thoughts
Hudleston said he had not yet received any recommendations from the ITICC Tech Committee, but that we should get these at the next meeting. He noted that there we are up to date with the 4-year cycle of replacing computers in the labs; there are no machines that need immediate replacement. Mein said that the main needs are likely to be replacing routers and improving the network. Hudleston said we should now include the air conditioning in CE 230 as an improvement to consider his fall.
5) Other Business
MacEwan asked if there was any reason why his department should have received so far only 50% of the year’s allocation. Hudleston said that in one year cash flow was a concern, and that the allocations were made in two parts. This is not the case this year and the whole allocation should have come in one transfer. He said he would check on the this with Madonna.
Hudleston reminded the committee that ITICC had set up a subcommittee at the end of spring semester to review the way in which the labs are run, seeking improvements and greater efficiencies. The subcommittee had not convened over the summer. Hudleston said he would ask the group to convene now. Chase is the chair.