The academic server known as “CLEM” is being replaced by a new server called “Rowdy” to ensure that services to students and faculty continue uninterrupted.
The switch to the new hardware and operating system became necessary once CLEM’s hardware was no longer supported. But while Rowdy is new, all of its components such as the software, services, file and library structures will remain the same.
“We’re working with IT to do everything we can to provide the best possible service and an easy transition,” says Ben Zastrocky, director of the Educational Technology Center (ETC).
The first phase of this project will be a basic migration of all current services to the new hardware platform and will not address any new faculty and student needs, such as account management issues, but will at least put the current services on a stable environment. Once the initial migration is complete, the ETC will work with faculty and the Division of Information Technology to develop an account management solution.
Zastrocky and his staff were brought in to work with IT for the past several weeks to advise and help ensure that the system would be up and running for the start of the fall semester.
Timeline
Starting next week, IT will migrate all the production data from CLEM onto Rowdy, therefore all services will be unavailable Aug. 3-8.
The weekend of Aug. 8-9, CLEM will be taken out of production and its address will be redirected to Rowdy so that all faculty materials and programs will automatically access Rowdy.
Then, the week of Aug. 10, Rowdy will be available for faculty to test. All faculty who will be using the system for fall are encouraged to test the system. A testing checklist will be available for faculty online at www.mscd.edu/rowdy.
Professors who want the accounts for their students pre-populated before the semester starts should contact the IT Service Center at 303-352-7548 with their Course Reference Number (CRN) so that rosters for those classes can be uploaded.
An informational Web page, www.mscd.edu/rowdy, with instructional manuals and other resources is available for faculty and students to learn more about the system. In addition, Zastrocky has agreed to answer faculty concerns and questions other than account requests. Contact him at zastrocb@mscd.edu or 303-556-5062.
Students will also be notified of the change through e-mail, personal announcements and brochures in the student labs. As always, help will also be available through the Help Service Centers in AD 480 and WC 241.
Phase II
Once Rowdy is fully operational, Zastrocky says that the project’s second phase will begin. “Faculty input will be the highest priority to ensure the Rowdy system provides the necessary functions and services for teaching and learning."
Watch @Metro for additional information as it becomes available.
