copyright 2000 building whistler city: from concept to real world kari branjord, director, web...
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Copyright 2000
Building Building Whistler City: Whistler City: From Concept From Concept to Real Worldto Real World
Kari Branjord,Kari Branjord,
Director, Web Development, Director, Web Development,
University of MinnesotaUniversity of Minnesota
EDUCAUSE 2000EDUCAUSE 2000
Jim Hall,Jim Hall,
Web Production Support, Web Production Support,
University of MinnesotaUniversity of Minnesota
Copyright 2000
Famous QuotesFamous Quotes
““I think there is a world market for maybe five I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.”computers.”
-Thomas Watson (chairman of IBM) -Thomas Watson (chairman of IBM) 19431943
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Famous QuotesFamous Quotes
““There is no reason anyone would want a There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.”computer in their home.”
-Ken Olson (president of DEC) 1977-Ken Olson (president of DEC) 1977
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Famous QuotesFamous Quotes
““640k ought to be enough for anybody.”640k ought to be enough for anybody.”
-Bill Gates (CEO of Microsoft) 1981-Bill Gates (CEO of Microsoft) 1981
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Famous QuotesFamous Quotes
““Linux will have no place in the University of Linux will have no place in the University of Minnesota enterprise.”Minnesota enterprise.”
-Steve Cawley (CIO at U of M) 1999-Steve Cawley (CIO at U of M) 1999
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The BeginningThe Beginning
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Web RegistrationWeb Registration
• Part of student culturePart of student culture• First web registration: 1996First web registration: 1996• 95% students used web registration95% students used web registration• Implemented Peoplesoft registration: 1999Implemented Peoplesoft registration: 1999• New web registration system requiredNew web registration system required
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Student Administration Student Administration FunctionsFunctions
• View enrollment appointment (queue time)View enrollment appointment (queue time)• View holdsView holds• Class schedule / course guideClass schedule / course guide• Add/drop classesAdd/drop classes• Update personal informationUpdate personal information• View gradesView grades
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CapacityCapacity
• Capacity = 240 usersCapacity = 240 users• 70,000+ students at U of M70,000+ students at U of M
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Improvement NeededImprovement Needed
• Poor performancePoor performance• InstabilityInstability• Students hated the systemStudents hated the system• Support staff restart systems Support staff restart systems all dayall day
– Can’t do other work!Can’t do other work!
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Poor PerformancePoor Performance
• Students see “Access denied”Students see “Access denied”• 10-30 seconds add/drop time = “good”10-30 seconds add/drop time = “good”• 2 minutes not unusual2 minutes not unusual
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InstabilityInstability
• Multiple crashes per dayMultiple crashes per day• One crash induces another to failOne crash induces another to fail• All servers are down!All servers are down!
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Staff MoraleStaff Morale• Incentive to improve things for ourselvesIncentive to improve things for ourselves• Stability and performance are keyStability and performance are key• Separate effort to improve PS performanceSeparate effort to improve PS performance• Unable to improve web application capacity Unable to improve web application capacity
issuesissues• Registration cycle starts in 2 months!Registration cycle starts in 2 months!
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The CultureThe Culture
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CultureCulture
• Creative atmosphereCreative atmosphere• Encourage experimentationEncourage experimentation• Performance-based vs. clock-puncherPerformance-based vs. clock-puncher• Web is an open bookWeb is an open book
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CultureCulture
• GamesGames• FunFun• RewardReward• RecognitionRecognition
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CultureCulture
• Staff are responsible, professionalStaff are responsible, professional• Innovative thinking!Innovative thinking!• Gets results!Gets results!
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CultureCulture
• ““Outside the box”Outside the box”• Free / open-source software often a way to Free / open-source software often a way to
explore new possibilitiesexplore new possibilities
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New, ImprovedNew, ImprovedWeb RegistrationWeb Registration
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Web RegistrationWeb Registrationon Linux?on Linux?
““All the components to run web registration All the components to run web registration are now available for Linux!”are now available for Linux!”
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Web Registration Web Registration (AIX)(AIX)
In ternet Peoplesofte-N etworkD ispatch W eb
Server
W ebServer
W ebServer
A IXW eb serverW ebS phere
S P hardw are ($$$)
80
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Web Registration Web Registration (Linux)(Linux)
In ternet Peoplesofte-N etworkD ispatch W eb
Server
W ebServer
W ebServer
LinuxW eb serverW ebS phere
PC hardw are ($)
80
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Web RegistrationWeb Registrationon Linux?on Linux?
• Linux runs well on IBM hardwareLinux runs well on IBM hardware• IBM support for all componentsIBM support for all components• Server management tools:Server management tools:
– RPM, KickstartRPM, Kickstart
• Ensure Linux hardware compatibility before Ensure Linux hardware compatibility before you start:you start:– SCSI, network, videoSCSI, network, video
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RequirementsRequirements
• Support for all componentsSupport for all components• StabilityStability• ScalabilityScalability
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Web Registration Web Registration (AIX)(AIX)
In ternet Peoplesofte-N etworkD ispatch W eb
Server
W ebServer
W ebServer
A IXW eb serverW ebS phere
S P hardw are ($$$)
$50,000+
$50,000+
$50,000+
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Web Registration Web Registration (Linux)(Linux)
LinuxW eb serverW ebS phere
PC hardw are ($)
In ternet Peoplesofte-N etworkD ispatch W eb
Server
W ebServer
W ebServer
$5,000
$5,000
$5,000
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OptionsOptions• Web registration tied to Web SphereWeb registration tied to Web Sphere• Web Sphere supported on these platforms:Web Sphere supported on these platforms:
– AIXAIX– SolarisSolaris– Windows NTWindows NT– Red Hat LinuxRed Hat Linux
• Linux is best choice for short timeframeLinux is best choice for short timeframe
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Project Project ManagementManagement
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Project TeamProject Team
• A multi-team effortA multi-team effort• Web Development:Web Development:
– Systems AdministratorSystems Administrator– ManagerManager
• Central Computing:Central Computing:– HardwareHardware
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How To Implement How To Implement To Build ConfidenceTo Build Confidence
• Change as little as possibleChange as little as possible• Test before you implementTest before you implement• Burn-in periodBurn-in period• Phased deploymentPhased deployment• Isolate moving partsIsolate moving parts
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Project ManagementProject Management
• Keep the project in scopeKeep the project in scope• BudgetBudget• Time frameTime frame• Features vs. effortFeatures vs. effort
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Project ManagementProject Management
• Create a schedule, stick to itCreate a schedule, stick to it• Regular meetings for progressRegular meetings for progress• Emails with daily statusEmails with daily status• Be honest with respect to risks, delaysBe honest with respect to risks, delays
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Overcoming FearOvercoming Fear
• Challenge to the status quoChallenge to the status quo• Free / open source is new conceptFree / open source is new concept• New paradigmNew paradigm
– CIOCIO– CustomerCustomer– Security staffSecurity staff– Our own staffOur own staff– AuditorsAuditors
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Overcoming FearOvercoming Fear
• Document the workDocument the work– TestingTesting– SupportSupport– CostsCosts– DeploymentDeployment– StatisticsStatistics– Make information available on the webMake information available on the web
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Overcoming FearOvercoming Fear
• Communicate key messageCommunicate key message– In-house expertiseIn-house expertise– Confidence in productConfidence in product– Confidence in scalabilityConfidence in scalability– Cost effectiveCost effective– Constant involvement of customerConstant involvement of customer– Opportunity to pull “big red handle”Opportunity to pull “big red handle”
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ResultsResults
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Performance ImprovedPerformance Improved
• (AIX) Web registration:(AIX) Web registration:– 10-30 seconds response time = “good”10-30 seconds response time = “good”– 2 minutes not unusual2 minutes not unusual
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Performance ImprovedPerformance Improved
• (Linux) Web registration:(Linux) Web registration:– 74% 0-5 sec. Add/drop74% 0-5 sec. Add/drop– 95% 0-10 sec. Add/drop95% 0-10 sec. Add/drop
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Stability ImprovedStability Improved
• (AIX) Web registration:(AIX) Web registration:– Multiple crashes per dayMultiple crashes per day– All servers down not uncommonAll servers down not uncommon
(“cascade failure”)(“cascade failure”)
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Stability ImprovedStability Improved
• (Linux) Web registration:(Linux) Web registration:– 5 burps (Java process died)5 burps (Java process died)– e-Network Dispatch routes traffic automatically across e-Network Dispatch routes traffic automatically across
redundant serversredundant servers– No crashes visible to userNo crashes visible to user
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IBM SupportIBM Support
• IBM’s Linux support is excellentIBM’s Linux support is excellent• Fast customer responseFast customer response• Good customer contactGood customer contact• Very knowledgeable support staffVery knowledgeable support staff
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Findings About JavaFindings About Java
• Garbage collection is exponential with more Garbage collection is exponential with more memory (AIX)memory (AIX)
• Garbage collection allows Java to recover Garbage collection allows Java to recover more memorymore memory
• All other operating systems, garbage All other operating systems, garbage collection works correctlycollection works correctly
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ResultsResults
• U of M more receptive to Open Source:U of M more receptive to Open Source:– BugzillaBugzilla– Additional Linux solutionsAdditional Linux solutions– Continue to derive cost benefitsContinue to derive cost benefits
• Improved team reputationImproved team reputation• Boosted team confidenceBoosted team confidence
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Questions?Questions?Jim Hall <[email protected]>Jim Hall <[email protected]>
Kari Branjord <[email protected]>Kari Branjord <[email protected]>
http://web.umn.edu/webteam/educause/2000.ppthttp://web.umn.edu/webteam/educause/2000.ppt