Update on Sheslow Auditorium improvements
ITS staff has been working on upgrading the audio and video capabilities of Sheslow Auditorium.
The improved system debuted at Iowa Private College Week, with the new high definition projection and full range sound system allowing the Office of Admission to feature the auditorium’s enhancements. Designed with both musical performances and speakers in mind, the new audio system allows for more customization of sound levels from the booth, backstage, or via a tablet from anywhere in the auditorium. More audio speakers, color-matched in order to blend in with the historic space, have been added to ensure that every person in the room has quality sound from his or her seat. The installed screen allows video projection to be used without bringing in a portable screen. After some fine tuning, Sheslow will be ready with better audio, video, and easier controls for all future campus and community events.
Wireless project update
ITS has been making significant progress on this summer’s wireless upgrade project. Contractors continue to work on the wiring needed to increase the number of access points installed across campus as well as installing new access points in both existing and additional locations. Work in the residence halls is complete and contractors have moved on to other campus buildings. ITS staff and contractors have a goal of completing installations by Aug. 12. Care is being taken to avoid impacting activities across campus while updates are being done.
Watch for more information in future issues of OnCampus as well as on the ITS Major Projects page.
—Carla Herling, ITS Communications Manager
Information security update
This week’s Information Security article is on a slightly different theme than what I’ve talked about the past few issues. Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Planning (BCP/DRP) is not always thought of as connected with information security, but it is an important measure to keep our information safe.
A general principle of information security is the CIA triad, which stands for confidentiality, integrity, and availability. BCP/DRP primarily affects the integrity and availability of University information. If a disaster were to strike Drake and affect our technology infrastructure, reducing the impact to our critical processes and quickly restoring service would be the two main goals after ensuring the safety of the campus community.
Business continuity planning mainly involves the different business and academic units at Drake. In 2015, departments created plans containing contact information, critical processes and systems, and plans on how to proceed during the loss of systems or physical space. These plans were tested over the winter using a hypothetical scenario and walking through actions and responsibilities.
Disaster recovery planning typically refers to the capacity to restore technology infrastructure. In Drake’s case, a portion of our servers and network equipment have been relocated to an off-site datacenter, allowing the rapid restoration of data or systems in the event of a disaster affecting our on-campus datacenter.
We also maintain a prioritized list of systems and applications, with a primary focus on student health and safety. This documentation allows staff in multiple roles to assist with system recovery, if needed, and is updated periodically as Drake’s infrastructure changes.
ITS will be conducting additional BCP/DRP testing this winter to ensure our plans are current and that technologies are working as intended.
While a rare occurrence, disasters do occur, and their impact on a campus is only increased without plans in place. For more information about how crisis management and BCP/DRP might fit into a large-scale disaster, see this Educause bulletin. In 2009, Notre Dame had a fire inside a tunnel containing communications wiring. Using plans developed several years in advance, they were able to quickly establish control of the incident and recover operations efficiently.
Have questions or want to know more about BCP/DRP? Contact me at informationsecurity@drake.edu.
—Peter Lundstedt, Information Security Manager
