RAL PPD Plans and concerns
(D.P.Kelsey - last updated 15-Nov-1999)
General plans
- complete Y2K upgrades, e.g. NT desktops via cloning
- equip public terminal area with more PCs
Desktop and Laptop plans
- remove remaining MACs, VMS and Xterminals from desktops (replace by NT PC's)
- install AFS clients on all NT desktops that need it
- equip more desktop PC's with Video Conferencing (as needed)
- try to avoid LINUX on the desktop!
- purchase more laptops for PPD loan pool
Server plans
- No further development of HP-UX
- Test and then move Unix file serving to LINUX
- Replace NTrigue server with MS Terminal Server (to serve apps not on desktops)
- Purchase MS Terminal Server, to be run by ITD, to supply Office 2000 (for tests)
- Participate in HEPNT and CLRC Windows 2000 tests and planning
- Complete installation of new NT web servers
- Work on PPD web-based document repository (using Docushare)
- Keep VMS running for those who still need it, but with no development
Mail plans
- Move all remaining PPD users to Exchange.
- Turn off all other mailers (keep access to archived mail)
CONCERNS
- As ever: lack of effort and increasing complexity, in spite off our efforts to
standardise!
- Y2K: still quite some work left to complete the upgrades, especially on the NT desktops
- Security. An ongoing concern, e.g. wish to implement remote logging on NT.
- Will LINUX take over from HP-UX smoothly?
- Can we keep LINUX off the desktop?
- Testing of and planning for Windows 2000 will be a lot of work
- No. of servers is increasing fast (MS Terminal servers, Web servers ...) can we cope?
- Can we run a viable colour printing service? (colour laser doesn't work well on
transparencies and ink-jets are difficult to run for departmental use)
- Is LHC++ software needed?