ICT Operations

Operations Overview

ICT Operations is responsible for networking and servers. The operations team is based in the central ICT office. Questions or comments about the service should be directed to the helpdesk in the LRC. Please report problems and faults through the service desk.

Service Areas

ICT Operation's team of two is responsible for a range of key services that support the College's ICT systems. Services marked (*) are experimental services, or currently under development.

Networking Services

Networking Services
Service Group	Service	Description
Wide area networking	Border router	Provides connection to the London MAN and JANET.
Local area networking	Firewall and NAT	Provides security at the WAN boundary. Network address translation (NAT) allows the College to support more networking clients than we have public IP addresses.
	Core switching	Redundant, multi-gigabit Ethernet switched core for network backbone.
	Distribution switching	Aggregates the network at logical blocks.
	Server farm switching	High-speed, redundant gigabit Ethernet switching for server connections to the network
	Access switching	Local network switching connected to the distribution backbone. Each College block has a dedicated connection.
	Wireless networking	Access connections are also available via 802.11b/g wireless networking on the CAMPUS and RAVE SSIDs. The CAMPUS service covers the entire site, and is open to everyone registered for the 802.1x service.
	Experimental network	A ring-fenced private network for postgraduate studies and other experimental use.
Names and Addresses	DHCP	Provides IP addresses for network devices.
	DNS	Name services. ICT Operations maintains the public rave.ac.uk namespace, as well as private DNS servers for clients on site.
	WINS	Some older Windows clients also need WINS servers to handle name resolution.
Network Performance	QoS	Qos - Quality of Service - the experimental network is subject to QoS restrictions to emulate an ADSL connection.
	Web Proxy	All web connections are passed through proxy caches to increase the performance of the WAN connection.

Backup and Disaster Recovery Services

Backup and DR Services
Service Group	Service	Description
Backup	Tape-backup	We make daily tape backups of enterprise databases and staff shared file storage.
Disaster Recovery	VBAK	VBAK is an off-site backup and disaster recovery service. Daily backups are made of enterprise databases and staff file storage. VBAK uses the London MAN connection to transfer critical data to secure off-site storage.
Archival storage	VBAK ILM	Unused files are moved to offsite storage after a pre-determined time. These files are reloaded on demand if their placeholder is selected, so the archive service is transparent to use.
	Recovery site*	We are developing a recovery site in collaboration with Rose Bruford college.

Authentication, Authorisation, and Access Services

AAA Services
Service Group	Service	Description
Directory Services	LDAP directory	The LDAP directories provide the central location for user identity creation and management. Many applications use the LDAP directories for authentication. OS X clients log on directly to the LDAP directories.
	Windows directory services	Windows directory services are synchronised automatically with the LDAP directories. Windows directory services provide log on for Windows clients.
Authentication and Authorisation	RADIUS servers	RADIUS servers support the 802.1x infrastructure for network access. The RADIUS servers are integrated with the LDAP directories so that your normal username and password is used for network access.
	Contribute publishing services	Web publishing for staff is managed through Contribute Publishing Services. CPS also uses the LDAP directories for authentication.

Enterprise Data Services

Data Services
Service Group	Service	Description
SQL Server	Enterprise cluster	Many key institutional databases are stored on a fully redundant SAN-attached SQL database cluster.
	QL	Another SQL database supports the Financial and Student records systems. This service is also SAN-attached.
	Building access control	A smaller-scale SQL database controls printing of ID cards and the swipe-locks around the building.
	Library management system	The Library Management System is backed by an SQL database. This is due to be migrated to the SAN-attached cluster.
Other databases	PostgreSQL	The Moodle Learning Management System Learn@Rave uses a PostgreSQL database for storing learning content.

Communications and Collaboration Services

Communications Services
Service Group	Service	Description
Email	Mailbox servers	Mailbox servers for staff and students are SAN attached, and provide IMAP access to your email.
	Webmail	The Webmail server provides web access to your IMAP mailbox.
	IMAP proxy services	IMAP proxy servers allow you to connect to your IMAP mailbox from off-site, and simplify the presentation of the IMAP service to users.
	SMTP relay	SMTP relay servers send email off site, and receive email destined for the site. Inbound email is also scanned for viruses and spam.
Calendaring	Oracle Calendar	The Oracle Calendar server provides diary and calendaring services to all full-time and fractional staff. The service is currently being upgraded to offer calendaring services to all staff.
Collaboration	Blogging*	The IS-ICT team currently operates an internal blogging service. A blogging service for staff and students is under development thanks to funding from the JISC.
	Forums	Forums is a web-based noticeboard system covering topics of interest to Ravensbourne and its stakeholders. The forums service helps the institution embrace transparency and openness in all its operations.
	Wiki	Confluence - the Ravensbourne Wiki is a web-based enterprise wiki for students and staff at Ravensbourne College.
Instant Messaging	Wildfire XMPP	The XMPP service is a standards-compliant Jabber instant messaging service for members of the Ravensbourne community.
Learning Management Systems	Moodle	Learn@Rave uses Moodle, an open-source learning content management server.
News	NNTP	College newsgroups are available through the NNTP service. These newsgroups are gradually being integrated into the Forums, and this service will be withdrawn by academic year 2007-2008.
Web	Web-application farm	The College hosts its own web-servers. ASP, ASP.NET, Java, and PHP application servers are available. Most enterprise web applications are developed in ASP.NET or Java. Where possible, we offer communications services over the web.
WebDAV	Contribute	Contribute publishing clients use WebDAV - a web-based filing system - to upload and manipuate content.
	Sharepoint	Sharepoint is a WebDAV service integrated with Microsoft Office. The Sharepoint services allow staff to collaborate on key business tasks.
Streaming	Quicktime streaming	Two dedicated QuickTime streaming servers host live and pre-recorded internal and external audio and video streams.
	Origin streaming	You can transmit two simultaneous live streams with the VBrick MPEG4 origin streamer.
	MP3 streaming	R-Radio is live on net thanks to IceCast MP3 streaming services.

File and Print Services

File and Print Services
Service Group	Service	Description
File Sharing	Structured AFP services	Staff and student home folders, as well as a range of workgroup shared folders are available via AFP (Mac OS X compatible Apple Filing Protocol) file sharing. Home folders and Workgroup folders are SAN-attached.
	Structured SMB services	Staff and student home folders, as well as a range of workgroup shared folders are available via SMB (Windows compatible Server Message Block) file sharing. Home folders and Workgroup folders are SAN-attached.
	DFS	Distributed Filing Services present a uniform facade to simplify file-sharing access for Windows clients.
	Unstructured storage	Unstructured storage is available through DFS or Mac OS X mount maps. This storage is unmanaged and unbacked-up, and its usage is at the discretion of its users.
	Quota server	Quota server limits users' total storage usage to ensure that file storage resources are fairly shared amongst community members.
Printing	Redundant print servers	The College's shared printing resources are supported by redundant print servers that accept IPP, LPR, and SMB connections.

Software Deployment, Licensing and Client Management Services

Software Services
Service Group	Service	Description
Client Management	MCX	MCX is a desktop management service for Mac OS X.
	Policies and Profiles	Policies and profiles are a desktop management service for Windows.
	Login scripts	Login scripts for OS X and Windows fine-tune the user experience and run certain configuration tasks.
License Management	KeyServer K2	The K2 server audits software on College computers, and manages concurrent software usage.
	LMGRD	LMGRD provides site licensing for AutoDesk products and Maya.
	Quark Licensing servers	Quark licensing servers provide site licensing for the desktop publishing system Quark.
Software Deployment	Ghost servers	Ghost allows the duplication of standard Windows system images.
	PrismDeploy	PrismDeploy manages the deployment of Windows software
	NetBoot images	NetBoot images provide rapid installation of base OS X clients.
	Radmind	Radmind enables automatic updating of OS X computers.
	WUS	Windows Update Server manages the deployment of critical Windows updates and security fixes.