Emerging Technologies in Higher Education: Big School
Solutions to Small School Problems
John O’Keefe
Director, Academic Technology and Network Services
Lafayette College
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What are “Small School Problems?”
• Funding
• ERP
• Security
• Teaching and Learning w/Tech
• Infrastructure/Cyberinfrastructure
• Agility/Adaptibility/Responsiveness
• Governance, Organization, Leadership
• Identity Management
• Disaster Recovery
• Strategic Planning
• Web Systems
• Information/Content management
Source: 2009 EDUCAUSE Current Issues Survey
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What are “Big School Solutions?”
• Internet2/NLR
• Shibboleth
• iTunesU
• MPLS
• IPv6
• Cloud Computing
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How Does This Fit Together?
• The problems aren’t necessarily different or unique to smaller schools
• Small schools can be more agile and able to implement solutions campuswide
• Resources are available to help (Large developer community, conferences,
CAMPs, etc)
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The Details Behind the Technologies
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Internet2/NLR
• High-Speed research networks
• Internet2 - A not-for-profit advanced networking consortium that leverages its
high-performance network and worldwide partnerships to support and
enhance the educational and research missions of its members.
• NLR - Ultra high-performance network infrastructure that makes possible
many of the world’s most demanding research projects.
• I2 Only Applications (Remote instrumentation, Videoconferencing)
• NLR for Telepresence
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Shibboleth
• Shibboleth - A standards based, open source software package for web single
sign-on across or within organizational boundaries.
• Federated Identity Management (FIdM) - Arrangements made among multiple
organizations that lets subscribers use their institutional identification
credentials to obtain access to applications outside their institution but within
the Federation (InCommon, eAuth)
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iTunesU
• iTunesU - A section of Apple’s iTunes Store designed for higher education
where institutional content, course work, or other multimedia materials may be
stored and disseminated within the framework of iTunes.
• Can use Shibboleth
• Can be used to compliment Course Management System
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MPLS
• MPLS - Multi-Protocol Label Switching
• Layer 3 Virtualization creates highly secure virtual networks within one
physical infrastructure
• Easier to manage than Layer 2 Virtualization (VLANs)
• Scales better (smaller broadcast domains)
• Cost savings
• VoIP
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IPv6
• IPv6 - Next-generation Internet Protocol version designed as the successor to
IPv4.
• New IP addressing scheme
• Expanded allocation blocks (more addresses available)
• More secure (IPSec)
• Multicast
• Jumbograms
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Cloud Computing
• Cloud Computing - Environment where dynamically scalable and often
virtualized resources are provided as a service over the Internet
• Obscures technology and infrastructure that supports the cloud, enabling end
users to focus on applications
• Not just for CS any more
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Putting It All Together
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Security
• MPLS for network virtualization
• Separation of devices and users
• Network Admission Control
• Regulatory Compliance (PCI, HIPPA, CALEA, etc)
• Shibboleth
• Access to third party apps using institutional credentials
• Single Sign-On
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Teaching and Learning
• Internet2/NLR
• Access to resources/applications
• iTunesU
• Bowdoin, Penn State
• Offload multimedia content from CMS
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Infrastructure/Cyberinfrastructure
• Cloud Computing
• Virtualization lowers cooling demands, power requirements
• Provisioning new services easier
• Saves money
• IPv6
• It is coming, I promise!
• v6-only services, no more v4?
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Identity Management
• Shibboleth
• Policies and Procedures
• InCommon and eAuth LoA (Level of Assurance)
• Providing services to other schools (collaboration)
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Disaster Recovery
• Clustering and Cloud Computing
• Automatic failover
• Hardware independence
• MPLS
• Network failures converge faster (BGP)
• Broadcast domains limited
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Web Systems
• Cloud Computing
• Cloud platform very effective to deliver web applications
• Shibboleth
• Tailor made for web application authentication
• Internet2/NLR
• Applications may only be accessible via Internet2/NLR
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What Can You Do Now to Prepare?
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Internet2/NLR
• Cost of entry lower
• Membership has its privileges
• Find a GigaPOP near you
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Shibboleth
• How does your current IdM stack up?
• Look at LoA and policies required for InCommon
• Examine institutional practices
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iTunesU
• Sign up for an account
• Look at schools who have nice sites to get ideas
• Do you have Shibb?
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MPLS
• Review your current infrastructure
• BGP talent on staff
• Cost to prepare infrastructure
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IPv6
• Get an allocation
• Begin to familiarize yourself with it
• Know the problems
• Plan your budgets
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Cloud Computing
• Explore virtualization options (VMWare, Redhat, others)
• Insource or Outsource
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So What Has Lafayette Done?
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2005-2006
• Internet2 Connectivity 2005
• German Collaborative 2005
• Pasteur Institute and Bird Flu 2006
• Implemented iTunesU 2006
• Integrated with Moodle, used for coursework
• Commencement readings
• Communications multimedia content
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2007-2009
• Implemented Shibboleth 2007 (Library resources, Spaces, online ticketing)
• Implemented MPLS 2007
• IPv6 Allocation 2009
• Developed Web Cloud 2009
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Why Does This Matter?
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Set Apart From Other Small Schools
• Faculty and Staff recruitment
• Research incentives
• Competing for students
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Set Apart From Larger Schools
• Small school, big resources
• New market conditions put smaller schools in non-traditional competition from
larger schools
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Questions?
John O’Keefe
email: okeefej@lafayette.edu
web: http://its.lafayette.edu
twitter: okeefej_62
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