RAL PPD Concerns
(Gareth Smith - last updated 2-Apr-2001)

• Staffing: We have been loosing people to the Grid. Now they are really leaving.....
  • Paul Jeffreys, Chris Brew, Lee Coles (0.5 SY) all left or leaving.
  • Robin Middleton 'lost' to Grid.
  • Remaining Group is Dave Kelsey, Barry Saunders and myself. Recruitment under way.
  • Some effort from ITD to support web. (Expertise for web support is a problem).

• LINUX on the desktop? We are aware that virtually all experiments (including Grid) are Unix (LINUX) based. However, NT (Windows 2000) needed for CLRC work. What future can we offer for desktops whilst minimising support load?

• We have achieved standardisation on the desktop, and as a result the desktop support load has reduced. BUT we new find ourselves supporting Laptops, access from home PCs, Videoconferencing, setting up meetings/conferences (e.g. Masterclass), sorting out laptop/projector/network access for meetings.....

• Security. An ongoing concern - in several fronts:
  • Physical secirity - we will bolt the servers down.
  • Virus checking (some central support)
  • Firewall - here we benefit from the CLRC organisation.
  • Many issues. We have had 2 incidents in PPD in the last year. Issues such as - access to NT file shares from offsite, transmission of plain text passwords. Filtering SPAM mail....

• Windows 2000 - will be a lot of work.  CLRC is looking at NT for workstations, but not planning to move to Active Directory for some years.  However, Windows 2000 seems less of an issue as it is not so important for HEP.