CINECA for the Digital University · to enhance integration with U-GOV, ESSE3 and all the Cineca applications, as well as other external applica- tions, E-learning platforms, and

CINECA for the Digital University

CINECA for the Digital UniversityJanuary 2013

© CINECAThis document may not be copied or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, for any purpose, without prior authorisation from CINECA.

Written by the CINECA Department “Solution and Services for University Administration” E-mail: [email protected]

Introduction 5

The U-GOV solution 8

Additional services for the digital University 22

Infrastructural and Cloud Solutions 27

Table of Contents

CINECA for the Digital University 5

Cineca for the Digital University

Cineca designs information systems specifi cally to the requirements of Italian Universities and Research Bodies. It supports the deve-lopment of Higher Education and Research systems promoting in-novative technologies and continuous improvement of the quality of services provided by these institutions.

An in-depth knowledge of the academic world makes it possible to off er eff ective solutions for the administrative governance of Uni-versities, with integration of always-on information and work servi-ces and the simplifi cation of computer infrastructures.

CINECA for the Digital University6

The Universities in the digital era

In the new competitive context in which they operate, Universi-ties are called on to improve effi ciency in the defi nition and im-plementation of strategies, and the planning and control of re-sources, also in relation to the objectives and priorities defi ned by the Ministry of Education, University and Research. This process of rationalization requires both a schematic vision of the main strate-gic areas, and a capacity to exploit the specifi c attributes of each University.

Cineca is at the service of Universities and Research Bodies with solutions capable of supporting the administrative, research, and teaching processes. U-GOV is a component of this support, an in-tegrated computer governance system for Universities. Alongside U-GOV there are other solutions including Live to Learn for the development of remote teaching courses, the electronic voting system u-Vote, an fi nally SURplus, the solution for integrated ma-nagement of information regarding the activities and products of academic research.

The demand for high quality services and reduction in fi nancial resources, imposes substantial evolution on IT infrastructures. The response of the Universities to these changes include the rationa-lization, control, and consolidation of the resources and processes linked to their own Data Center. Cineca is committed to support the Universities in this process with U-Cloud, a new generation of infrastructural services.


The U-GOV solution

An integrated system for the governance of Universities.

U-GOV is an integrated management system for the governance of Universities, aimed at the defi nition of goals, strategies, and resources for the attainment and monitoring of results.

U-GOV is the new generation of Cineca solutions for University Governance and Administrative Bodies. It ori-ginates from an integration of the most innovative technologies, the most advanced development metho-dologies, and the heritage of expertise and best practice acquired by Cineca in collaboration with the Italian universities.

Solution Map U-GOV


IntegrationSimplify the complexity of information and processes

The management of Human Resources, Research, Accounting, and Student Services in Universities must be undertaken with system based on an inte-grated application architecture, which can exceed the limits of autonomous solutions. U-GOV was born out of this principle. U-GOV makes it possible to acti-vate diff erent levels of integration between the fun-ctional areas of the University utilizing the potential off ered by its own architecture. From simple sharing of information to the design of complex transverse processes.U-GOV also makes it possible to control the proces-ses that exceed the confi nes of the University itself, providing communication with information systems and databases of external institutions (public admini-strations, the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research, etc.).

FlexibilityFacilitate the design of the organizational model

Universities need information systems capable of adapting to the constant evolutions that occur insi-de each organization. U-GOV does not impose an a priori organizational scheme, and can be confi gured by Universities according to their individual structu-re and active processes. The high level of fl exibility permits U-GOV to sustain the evolution and transfor-mation through time of the University organization.

ServicesEnhance the services off ered by Universities

Universities are constantly called on to deal with the development of new services and applications that share data and functionality.

U-GOV provides a broad functional umbrella, coor-dinating and streamlining the services provided by University. The provision of functional U-GOV mo-dules extends the spectrum relative to the past and permits the University to develop new services.In U-GOV, an effi cient coordination of the didactic, research, and human resources, together with the administrative management processes, highlights the value of the services off ered by Universities in general.

ControlDevelop the University governance

A University’s ERP system, in addition to automating management processes, must also support decision making processes.U-GOV off ers the governing bodies the necessary in-struments to constantly monitor performance, plan, and assess the strategies adopted. At the same time a University may intervene directly on the organi-zational model, putting into practice any necessary corrective measures to enhance the services provi-ded, limit costs, and optimize the assignment of hu-man resources.

ContinuityExploiting investments

Universities are dedicating ever more attention to controlling costs and exploiting investments.The maximum compatibility of U-GOV with the pre-vious generation of Cineca applications provides Universities with an evolutionary path that protects and exploits their previous investments. The evo-lution of the information system foresees a gradual transition to the new U-GOV application architectu-re, providing Universities with a way to deal with the organizational changes in compliance with previous choices and safeguarding existing services and data.

Benefi ts and Advantages


For many years Cineca has off ered diff erent solutions to support Universities during the fi rst stages:such as Hosting, Training, Help Desk, and Consulting. These activities have been the key factors that helped the positive spread of Cineca applications among Italian Universities during the 1990s and 2000s. The process of consolidation started in 2006. with the start of the U-GOV project and the evolution towards a strongly integrated application format.

Training and Consulting

To support users during the stages of confi guration, start up, and day to day use of the U-GOV solutions, Cineca off ers training courses with a predefi ned structure and programme, or customizable accor-ding to the needs of the University. The training in-volves specifi c subjects both of a functional nature, with courses and seminars on issues regarding the functional areas of the University, and of a technical/technological nature.U-GOV training also includes consulting activities, in particular focused on defi ning operative practi-ces and interpretation of the regulatory limitations aff ecting the administration of Accounts, Human Resources, Students and Teaching, Research Ma-nagement, Planning and Control. A relevant part of specialized consulting is conducted at the University campus, with training activities and seminars, as well as support in the stricter sense and regarding specifi c activities, like for example drawing up a fi nancial ba-lance, or activation of optional modules.Within the training activities dedicated to U-GOV applications, Cineca has also implemented a Remote Teaching Training programme, designed to provide all University users with any-time access to an archive of information and tutorials that guide them in the use of the software. The content of the U-GOV E-lear-ning platform will be maintained and updated by Ci-neca, and in this way the University can be constantly informed about any new functions introduced in the U-GOV applications for administrative management.

The content of the U-GOV E-learning platform will be maintained and updated by Cineca, and in this way the University can be constantly informed of any functional novelties introduced in the U-GOV applications for administrative management.

Help desk

The Help Desk assistance service provides solutions for all the problems involving the systems, applica-tion functions, data, and technological infrastruc-ture. The basic application assistance deals with correct maintenance designed to eliminate any malfunctions of the Cineca systems. At the same time the Help Desk service deals with the dispatch and monitoring of application updates, which for some administrative areas occur almost weekly, gi-ven the frequency of changes in regulations or in the data utilized by users.The basic application assistance supports the Uni-versities in three specifi c contexts: in the initial sta-ges to customize the system, orienting them in the choice of the most opportune confi gurations to maximize the potential; for corrective maintenance aiming to eliminate any system malfunctions; for the dispatch of any system updates.

Cloud and Application Management

Infrastructural and Cloud services are another very important support area for U-GOV users. These the-mes are described in detail in the fi nal chapter of the present publication.

Support services

SERVICE

help deskSERVICE

SERVICE

consulting

training


A Portal with integrated information and servicesU-GOV Portal manages and provides easy access to all the University information and services supplied by the central administrative unit and peripheral structures. It facilitates organization of the work of lecturers, rese-archers, and administrative personnel, accompanying students in their study cycle, connecting and exploi-ting the informational heritage of the University and facilitating collaboration between students, lecturers, and researchers, with schools, companies, and other Universities. The U-GOV Portal technology is designed to enhance integration with U-GOV, ESSE3 and all the Cineca applications, as well as other external applica-tions, E-learning platforms, and systems for collabora-tion, messaging, and calendars.

A public Portal for eff ective presentation of the institutional activities of the UniversityThe Public Area module of U-GOV Portal is the section of the institutional Portal with free access, the main communication instrument for all the University users.The Portal consolidates the image of the Universi-ty, makes use of its informational heritage and steers communication by channel (teaching, research, orga-nization, structures, internationalization, etc.) and by target uses, with traditional, multi-channel, and social networking approaches.

Profi led service Areas for organizing services for usersThe U-GOV Profi led service Areas organize and distri-bute the services of the University, by web or mobile phone, intergrading and presenting them in a way de-signed and customized for each individual stakeholder

(student, lecturer, researcher, company). The services available off er data and functions provided by the ma-nagement in a form designed to support the continui-ty in the process of use.

Architecture on an open source, multilingual platformU-GOV Portal is based on open source platforms and consists of a series of modules (building blocks) and components realized specifi cally by Cineca for the University context. This approach made it possible to start from a defi ned and consolidated solution, com-pliant with regulations, confi gurable and customizable. In this way the University can save time and resources in the development of the portal, while improving the sustainability of the initiative through time. The IT staff of the University Communications section can concen-trate their resources on the aspects of customization and best express the unique aspects of the University. The U-GOV Portal is also based on a platform designed to satisfy the needs of an international public and de-livers a complete framework for creating a web portal and a multilingual content management system. The platform can be set up to permit the University to inte-grate additional languages over time.

Many federated sites, a single identityThe approach to federated sites provided by the U-GOV Portal makes it possible to promote the image of the University as a single entity, even when it is compo-sed by multiple areas that want to preserve their own autonomy. U-GOV Portal off ers the tool for interacting and sharing a common model to ensure a homoge-nous service off ering quality content and facilities.

University Portal

U-GOV Portal

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federatedsites

Content strategyand content migration

Distributedediting and workfl ow

mobile and multi-device


Accessibility and Usability in compliance with re-gulationsCineca pays great attention to standards for acces-sibility in compliance with Italian and international regulations (Legge “Stanca”, European Directives, re-commendations of the W3C). The U-GOV Portal solu-tion also foresees a methodology to guarantee com-plete usability in relation to the diff erent target users and their relative informational needs and contexts of use. Cineca bases its technological and project deve-lopment decisions on the criteria of accessibility and usability defi ned in current regulations.

Distributed editing and editing workfl owU-GOV Portal provides a particularly advanced editorial system, highly usable, fl exible, and multilingual. Distri-buted Editing comprises a Central Editorial Unit, respon-sible for the editorial and University communications plan, and diverse Peripheral Editorial Units, responsible for updating and/or publishing sections or the content of their assigned portal. The editorial workfl ow makes it possible to confi gure in a sophisticated manner the cycle of submission, approval, and publication of con-tents, and improves the operating and organizational standards of the University.

Participatory and user-centered designThanks to its internal laboratory, UXlab, Cineca applies to its development process principles and methods such as User Centered Design and Participatory De-

sign. UXlab applies techniques, processes, and instru-ments that put the needs of users at the centre of the project in relation to the context of use, and the aims and needs of the stakeholders inside and outside of the University. By placing the user experience and Informa-tion Architecture methodologies at the centre of de-sign, UXlab ensures the development of effi cient por-tals, easy to use and accessible from diff erent devices.

Moving data from previous portal platformCineca takes responsibility in an ad hoc project to gra-dually move all the content of the previous University portal in the new U-GOV platform, together with the addition of new sections and advanced services. In collaboration with the University, Cineca develops a content strategy and content migration plan defi ning methods and instruments for the migration of existing content to the new University Portal.

Modular solutionU-GOV Portal is a modular solution that the University can adopt gradually on the basis of its own priorities and strategies. University can implement independen-tly, and in complete or partial form, a public institutio-nal Portal, profi led service areas, federated sites of the diff erent structures, with multilingual management, ad hoc service integration, integration with social networ-ks and multi-cannel functionality, etc.

U-GOV modules

participatory and usercentered

designaccessibilityand usability

content strategy

and content migration

multilingual settings

mobile and multi-device public area profi led

service areas

federatedsites

serviceintegrationdistributed

editing andworkfl ow


Plaannning and Controlling

Analysis and rationalization of costs, linking re-sources and aimsThanks to U-GOV P&C the behaviour of the diff erent structures is measured and their performance com-pared. Monitoring and comparison systems are imple-mented in relation to other Universities. The goal is to provide management with a multidimensional data environment to assess current strategies, performance achieved, and the evolution of the context and market.

The Data Warehouse as information baseThe process of planning and control requires informa-tion in useful time, certifi ed, and coherent with the vision and strategy of the University governance. The U-GOV Data Warehouse is scaled to the specifi c needs of each University, off ering an analytic and integra-ted view both of the results of institutional processes of the University (Teaching and Research) and the ef-fectiveness of administrative activities (Personnel and Accounting). This facilitates multi-dimensional analysis that provides simple, real-time reports and indicators to assist decision makers.

Operational Data Store (ODS) to enhance and di-stribute operative reportingAs part of the University Data Warehouse, Cineca in-troduced an Operational Data Store that facilitates the creation of operative reports to support administrative action and encourage their distribution between the diff erent structures. Each U-GOV analysis module thus comprises a layer of reporting managed by the ODS, supported by the advance analysis functions of the de-veloped Data Marts.

Dashboards, simulations, programming, and budgeting: management instruments in a uni-fi ed visionThe planning and control cycle is structured around an integrated logic: defi nition of the aims of the Uni-versity, medium-long term planning, short term ope-rative budgeting, analytic accounting and assignment of indirect costs, performance assessment. Maximum integration and sharing of information between the accounting and planning instruments both in the esti-mation and accounting stages.

Support for decision makingOn one hand the system off ers practical advantages that streamline and improve the work of personnel managers and operative users. On the other hand the University management bodies have access to the huge volume of information and data to support their decision making process.

Immediate comparison of past and futureTo go beyond monitoring mode and move towards processes of strategic planning, requires applications that can trace out future scenarios and manage the distribution of objectives and resources. For this pur-pose Cineca has designed a series of best practices and what-if analysis tools fully integrated with the Data Warehouse to permit immediate comparison between past achievements and future forecasts results.

U-GOV modules

U-GOV Planning and Controlling

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human resourcesimulations

planning and budgeting

direct cost allocation inAccounting

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research analytics

dashboard & kpi

human resourcesimulations

planning and budgeting

accounting analytics

studentanalytics

costallocation

didacticanalytics

human resourceanalytics

researchanalytics

dashboard & kpi


U-GOV Accounting

Financial and Economic-Capital AccountingFinancial and General accounting coexist in U-GOV as diff erent integrated perspectives of the same reality, eliminating duplicate information and procedures. The two models can work together, separately, and operate in complete autonomy.

Independence in the defi nition of processesThe highly confi gurable management cycles of U-GOV off er free fl ow design of asset and liability cycles on the basis of internal administrative processes.

Parameterization of accountingThe U-GOV accounting system can not only be para-meterized but can also be confi gured in a dynamic and customized way without the imposition of rules prede-fi ned in the application. The University can freely choo-se from a range of models and “good practice” the best solution for their organization.

Integration with research projectsU-GOV coordinates projects (research or internal projects) in the two accounting worlds (fi nancial and general/analytic). This characteristic in particular allows projects accounting, off ering fundamental support for the que-stion of funding applications and fi nancing funds.

Budget, estimate, and planning stageU-GOV manages both the fi nancial estimate, annual or multi-year, and the budget breakdown. Management of workfl ows, analytic accounting, allocation of indirect costs, relative checks, what-if analys and forecasting.

Confi gurations for diff erent types of body, scho-ol, or institutionU-GOV Accounting off ers a vast range of confi gurations allowing it to adapt to contexts other than Universities: Schools and Research Institutes, non territorial Public Bodies, the IPAB, and National Health Service Agencies.

U-GOV modules

Accounting

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fi nancial accounting

general ac-counting

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asset andliability cycle

generalaccounting

fi nancialfl ows inventory fi scal

management


Research

From planning to performance assessmentU-GOV Research off ers complete management of the entire research chain. Programming and defi nition of objectives, development of activities, accounting, re-sult monitoring and assessment, management of rese-arch skills, groups, and laboratories.

Cataloguing scientifi c productionCreation of a centralized archive of scientifi c produc-tion. Single data input point for researchers, thanks to connection to databases and the Ministery systems and interoperability mechanisms (OAI-PMH and web services) and data import and export (various standard formats MODS, ISI, BibTex, Pubmed, etc.). Integration with U-GOV Human Resources for the acknowledgement of authors and utilization of histo-rical legal data. Advanced statistics and reporting for production analysis.

Internal assessment of scientifi c productionEffi cient management of the assessment process for products present in the University catalogue. Auto-matic assessment with bibliometrics and/or based on peer reviews, fl exible defi nition of the assessment ses-sion and workfl ow. Reporting and statistics.

Research projectsU-GOV off ers advanced management of research projects. Budget management and fi nancial accounting are enhanced by the complete integration with the Ac-counting system. Organization of resources and activi-ties are managed thanks to work packages, timesheets and the integration with Human Resources. The Univer-sity can have a global vision of the state of progress of projects, with details of resources and fi nancing.

Skills, resources, laboratoriesManagement of information regarding research struc-tures, groups, research themes, scientifi c skills, resour-ces, logistics, equipment, availability of technology and services.

Distribution and utilization of resultsU-GOV facilitates the tasks of the ILO offi ce by creating a showcase of results, resources, activities, and availa-ble services to promote interaction and collaboration with local companies and organizations. Support for the promotion of research results in Digital Libraries, Institutional Repositories, international harvesters, and search engines, through integration based on the mostcommonly used standards.

U-GOV modules

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U-GOV Research

projectmanagement

projectmanagement

research catalogue and

assessmentresearch asset management

research asset management


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Teaching and Students

Teaching, competitive factorESSE3 and U-GOV enhance the global management of the entire student life cycle and teaching activities. Program-ming, delivery, and assessment of teaching. Orientation and admission activities. Student career path. Management of work placements, apprenticeships and placements.

Course PlanningU-GOV covers the entire process from the establishment of a new course of study to the defi nition of the acade-mic content. Management of teaching islands and rules for study plans. Detailed defi nition of teaching, lecturer cover, didactic content. Integration with Student Secre-tarial Service and Italian Educational Off er promoted by the Ministry (OFF). database. Organization of teaching slots and calendars.

Strengthening orientation activitiesThe unifi ed management of student orientation acti-vities provided by ESSE3 increases admissions to study courses. During the admission orientation stage the po-tential student can be accompanied through the pro-cess of choice with dedicated sites, presence on social networks, ad hoc e-mail messages, and newsletters.

ESSE3 PA from the University to the Public Ad-ministrationThe career data of students are made available to Pu-blic Administrations accredited with the University, with the aim of eliminating certifi cation requirements, sim-

plifying processes, digitalizing documents and accele-rating data fl ows.

Complete student careerESSE3 supplies a complete suite of functionality and services to students upon application to a degree course: admission, transitions, transfers, mobility, fees, registration and recording of exams, awarding of titles. The range of services can be delivered both via the por-tal and the e-learning platform or over a mobile device.

Didactic qualityU-GOV simplifi es the course monitoring and quality as-sessment process by integrating diff erent data sources in a single point. It provides instruments for the mana-gement and evaluative analysis of the teaching activity eff ectively delivered, with easy monitoring of results.

Graduate placementsESSE3 supports relations with the world of work, the management of work placements and curricular and post grad apprenticeships. Integration with national graduate databases.

Bologna Process and student mobilityCineca and KION promote the development and the adoption within their own information systems of Eu-ropean standards to support the harmonization of stu-dy courses, academic credits, and student mobility.

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U-GOV modules

Add-On services

Student’s didactic scenarioInteractive maps and scenarios off er students a clear and precise view of the possible routes provided by a degree course and the remaining steps for graduation. Lecturers are supported for the construction of degree courses according to ministerial regulations.

Online student guideThe purpose of this service is to create an online guide to the academic contents that organically and rapidly combines study programmes, lecture, logistics, lectu-rer profi les, data on teaching assessments. Multilingual presentations, emphasis on accessibility and usability, support for the defi nition of teaching architecture and graphic style.

Design of communication campaignsConsulting for development of communication cam-paigns for students and other University stakeholders. Analysis, identifi cation of targets and collection of con-tacts, graphic design, channel studies and media plan-ning, SEO advertising, monitoring, and reporting.

Community designSupport for the University in the creation and ma-nagement of communities of Universities, lecturers, students. Training activities for lecturers for the mana-gement of teaching communities and for defi ning a continuous and advanced online presence.Ad hoc integration with portals, e-learning and social network platforms.

MIUR (Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research) complianceReporting services for statistical investigations of the university system (ANS, OFF, etc.), which MIUR requests from universities at specifi c times of year. Checking and verifying the accuracy and completeness of data, assi-stance with corrections.

Fees managementSpecifi c consulting and outsourcing for organizational optimization of specifi c processes involved in the ma-nagement of fees. Fee structuring, large scale creation of bulletins and MAV fi les, importing of bank fl ows, ba-lancing of accounts and accounting reporting, interfa-ce with external bodies.

Admission testsThis service off ers support for the organization for ad-mission tests to limited number graduate courses. Pre-paration of admission tests, anonymous processing of replies, provision of fi nal scores to the University, which ultimately defi nes the graded list of admissions. It is also possible to implement an online site where each can-didate can review their own test and score.

Management of doctorate, master, specialization schools, and specialization course admission testsInstruments for managing proposals for research docto-rates in accordance with the specifi c limitations defi ned by MIUR and by the instituting University. The activa-tion of master and specialization courses, and the entry test stages for specialization schools are managed.

Add O i

KION is a company entirely controlled by Cineca, and established for the design and realization of added value applications and solutions in the areas of administration, teaching, and services for students and lecturers. The management programmes currently distributed, ESSE3 and U-GOV Teaching and Students, are designed to support the implementation of didactic autonomy, the complete management of a student’s career, the improvement of administrative processes and services to students. KION operates as a “software factory” for Cineca receiving from Cineca the strategic guidelines for developing relations with Universities.

KION, a CINECA company

courseplanning

university planner

qualityassurance



my esse3mobile esse3 pa


U-GOV modules

Continuity with the applications already in useU-GOV consolidates what has already been achieved by Cineca in the area of human resource management (CSA) and provides new instruments to support mana-gement of organizational change. The management of Human Resources is strengthened in diff erent con-texts: Economic, Legal, Responsibility, and Planning.

Salaries, remunerations, and missionsManagement of numerous professional fi gures, rela-tions with the relevant bodies, dematerialization of documents and acts. Highly confi gurable processes of Remunerations and Missions.

Sharing of data on people and organizational unitsOne of the strategic aspect of U-GOV HR is the sharing of organisations and individuals details among diff e-rent modules. A strategic aspect is the sharing betwe-en all the U-GOV modules of the details of individuals and organizational units managed by U-GOV Human Resources. As a consequence it is possible in U-GOV to trace back to the same identity the subjects and struc-tures that participate in diff erent processes in diff erent functional areas.

From defi nition of strategic objectives to exploi-tation of resourcesThe suite of modules enables planning of a growth path for internal resources based on strategic objec-tives identifi ed by the University, delineating an ideal scenario.

Strategic management of the organization and skillsDefi nition of the internal organization in terms of rela-tions between functions, responsibilities, and activities. Complete management of the catalogue of skills ac-cording to University classes and typologies.

Assessment of performance, aims, and skillsThe assessment of performance is divided into two distinct but integrated areas: outcome aims and pro-fessional skills.

Automation of personnel training processesMonitoring of the development of individual resources in terms of skills and professional ability.

Human Resources

U-GOV Human Resources

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Organizational development Pay scales

Career management

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developmentand trainingpayroll remunerations missions and

transfers recruitmentcareers


U-GOV modules

Save resources and streamline bureaucracy in compliance with regulationsSupport for decisional processes and the conservation and utilization of the documental heritage. Reduction of paper documentation, rationalization of documen-tal fl ows, full compliance with regulations, improved administrative effi ciency and cost reductions, transpa-rency and access to documents. Simplifi cation of inte-ractions between students and the University.

Interconnection with the main management ap-plicationsU-GOV creates a single data base fed not only by the protocol but also by the management applications of the University. Easy and fast communication between internal units. Interoperation with other administra-tions using PEG mailboxes.

Management and fi ling of documentsProtocol registration, inclusion of all document case hi-stories, sorting, access management and user groups, check for duplicates on arrival, descriptive metadata, fi les associated to descriptions, versioning, indexing, case fi le management, search and reporting functions..

Documents of the academic bodiesTracing and monitoring of documental fl ows relative to proposals and communications, calendars of meetings, generation of agendas, letters, decisions, minutes.

Customization of the documental workfl owDesign of workfl ow and actions for one or more docu-ments: control over actors, document sharing, sorting, parallel processes, management of results conditional and non, case fi le management, attachments.

Student fi le and Personnel fi leManagement of student career documents integrated with the U-GOV, ESSE3, and GISS systems for the Stu-dent Secretarial Service. Creation and insertion of do-cuments regarding the career of personnel integrated with U-GOV Human Resources.

Integration with Cineca’s ConFirma and Digital Preservation servicesCertifi cation of the validity of documents through integration of a digital signature. Transmission of do-cuments and metadata to the digital preservation sy-stem. Filing of fi scal documents.

U-GOV Documental Management

Documental Management

digital signature

confi rma

CINECA applicationsThird PartyApplications

Computer protocoland fi ling processes

digital preservation

digitalpreservation

archives

titulus organi

titulus document management

personnelfi le

student fi le

documental workfl ow

archivestitulus organititulus document management

personnelfi le

student fi ledocumental workfl ow


Application and verifi cation of digital signature ConFirma permits application and verifi cation of a Di-gital Signature on any computer document drafted according to the standards and formats recognized under Italian regulations (PKCS#7, PDF, and XML). The choice of format for generating and mailing the docu-ment is determined by the specifi c context of use.

Full compliance with the laws in forceConFirma was developed on the basis of the specifi -cations indicated both in Italian Law 59/97 and subse-quent amendments and in the Digital Administration Code of DigitPa (ex CNIPA).

Advanced functionalityConFirma can also be used in the most complex si-gning procedures: it off ers the possibility of applying and checking multiple signatures, parallel signatures, and countersignatures in all the supported formats. It also provides specifi c functionality for the open for-mats PDF and XML.

Portability and interoperabilityOne of the primary objectives of ConFirma is to facilita-te the introduction of digital signatures in any operative environment. It is able to interoperate with numerous types of information system and is compatible with the majority of smart cards distributed by accredited cer-tifi ers and with any signature device equipped with a PKCS#11 driver (including JSB tokens and HSM systems).

Flexibility and cost reductionsConFirma can be used in diff erent ways. It can be in-tegrated within U-GOV and ESSE3. Installed at the user site and integrated with applications present in the lo-cal information system. It can be used in SaaS mode as a service provided by the Cineca Data Center, with an architecture designed to guarantee high effi ciency and cost reductions.

Digital Signature

U-GOV modules

INFOCAMERE POSTECOM ACTALISHSM

U-GOV ConFirma

INFORMATION SYSTEM

confi rma

DOCUMENTSTO SIGN

SIGNEDDOCUMENTS

ConFirma ServiceAd hoc solutions for signature and

verifi cation

confi rma


Digital Preservation

Complete cycle of legally validated document digitizing and storageDigital Preservation ensures digital preservation with legal validity using a digital signature and time stamp. Documents are saved together with a complete sy-stem of relations, information regarding context, clas-sifi cation and fi ling metadata. Stored documents can be searched in real time and can be consulted using a dedicated web interface available to specifi c user ap-plications. Improves the effi ciency of documental ma-nagement activities, security, and access controls.

Legally validated document digitizing and sto-rage in compliance with the regulations in forceU-GOV Digital Preservation complies with specifi ca-tions indicated in CNIPA Ruling no. 11/2004 and sum-marized in the Digital Administration Code.

Integration and interoperabilityDigital Preservation utilizes Cineca’s Digital Signatu-re and is easily integrated with the ESSE3 and U-GOV applications, adapting to the fi ling processes of the Universities. In addition to this, it can be used for fi ling any type of document and interfaces with information systems of various types.

Filing of exam results for ESSE3Digital Preservation manages the approved storage of exam results thanks to close integration with ESSE3. Exam results digitally signed on ESSE3 are transferred to Digital Preservation which implements time stam-ping of every lot received. The offi cial responsible for preservation checks the time stamp and the accuracy of the metadata, the readability of the documents, the formal correctness of the same, and then applies their own digital signature using a smart card.

Service hosting and outsourcingThe Digital Preservation service is available in SaaS mode, freeing the University from the burden of ma-naging the hardware and software. The University can also entrust responsibility for Digital Preservation to Cineca in outsourcing, when dedicated personnel will ensure the correct implementation of all the stages of document digitalization.

U-GOV modules

U-GOV Digital Preservationdo

cum

ent

acqu

isiti

on

adm

inis

trat

ion

fi lin

g

acce

ss a

ndco

nsul

ting

digitalpreservation

SOURCES

DocumentsProtocolHard copy scanningSimple document

COMMUNICATION CHANNELS

FTPWeb Services

digitalpreservation


Additional services for the digital University

Electronic voting, E-learning and Research management

The context in which Universities work is ever more complex due to the socio-economic changes underway. Delivering high quality teaching, research, and internal governance is a constant and increasingly diffi cult chal-lenge.

The need of solutions capable of accompanying Universities along their path of modernization includes the transfer of services that, created in diff erent contexts can then be adapted to the single Institution and be useful for the university world. An example is u-Vote, the result of a re-engineering of the electronic voting system used since 1998 by the Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR) and by many other Italian Universities.

Exploiting experience and encouraging information sharing with Universities to constantly improve the quality of services provided is another added value of the Consortium. This can be clearly seen in the context of E-learning, by which Cineca off ers methodological consulting and a suite of integrated services for the production of online courses. SURplus, the Best of Breed solution for Research, facilitates collection and integrated management of informa-tion relevant to research activities and products.

Cineca’s in-depth knowledge of the academic world allows it to off er management systems and services sup-porting tailored on Universities.

Additional services

u-Vote

SURplus

L2L


SURplus SURplus University Research System

Integrated management of research data SURplus facilitates the integrated collection and mana-gement of information related to research activities and products in order to allow aimproved accurate quantifi -cation based on shared metrics and indicators. It provi-des researchers, administrators, and assessors the tools for monitoring research’s results, increasing their visibili-ty, and to eff ectively assign the available resources.

Assessment of scientifi c productionSuitably organised and associated, data become infor-mation which can then be standardized and classifi ed. Reports and statistics, enhanced with bibliometric indi-cators, performance indicators, and other customized parameters, permit internal measuring and assessment of research activities. In this way information becomes knowledge and a competitive strategy for the University.

Process supportSURplus supports the confi guration of workfl ows so as to simplify management of functions and processes in use within the University and relevant to all aspects of the Research system (publications, projects, con-tracts, fundings, scholarships, etc.). For example, after submitting a funding application, on the basis of the confi gured workfl ows, this is subjected to quantitative and qualitative analysis (including the option of peer review by external experts), it then passes on to the re-sponsible and bodies assigned to validation and admi-nistrative management. Once an activity is underway, statistical indicators and elaborations allow constant monitoring and assessment.

Versatility and reuse of dataSURplus permits import, synchronized updating and export of data for the reuse of such information in

every context requested by a University. The system helps improve the availability, consistency, and quality of data, importing and exchanging both with Ministe-rial databases (PRIN, FIRB, Lecturers’ website, etc.) and other reputable databases (Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, etc.). The collected and validated information can then be reused in diff erent contexts, like annual re-ports, curriculum vitae, national assessment initiatives (e.g. VQR, ASN), web pages of the institution, research unit, and researchers.

Integration of the IT infrastructureThe modular architecture of the system and the fl exi-bility of the data model enable processing, organising, and transmitting information in compliance with inter-national CERA (Common European Research Informa-tion Format) standards. At the same time it is possible to easily confi gure it for local or national requirements. The modules can be directly integrated with,both legacy systems (human resource and accounting da-tabases) and external systems (regional, national, and international databases).All modules are based on open source components for best guaranteeing quality, economy, reusability, and protection of investment against obsolescence.

Open source standardsThe adoption of open-source solutions allows the SUR-plus team to customize and enhance the source code depending on Institutions’ needs.The OS community provides innovative, high-quality and safe software and CINECA considers working with and for the Community a very great challenge.

The Best of Breed solution for Research

Discovery Output

Data collection

Interoperabilitystandard &protocols

Input data reuse (ROI)

External

External Legacy Manual

Webrest

Expertise & Skills

ES

Gateway

GW

Resource Manager

RMWorkflow

WFOpen Archive

OA

Authentication

AU

Integration Management

Report Additions

RABusiness Intelligence

BIEvaluation & Rewiew

ER

DIGA

Preservation

Data warehouse

Access

AssesmentReporting

Statistics analysisDashboards

Evaluation & Review


E-learning

Modular and customized services since the 1980sCineca can boast a wide and long experience in E-lear-ning systems, developed since the 1980s and tested on large numbers of users. Cineca provides specifi c servi-ces that range from technical and methodological con-sulting, to realization of online courses with the support of multimedia tools, including the implementation and management of complete E-learning platforms. All this makes it possible to develop genuinely customized so-lutions on the basis of Universities’ needs.

Activation of a Learning Management SystemThe Consortium is capable of activating LMS envi-ronments that can be confi gured and customized according to the user’s needs. Cineca looks after the technical management of the LMS: controlling the technological infrastructure to host the platform cho-sen by the user; providing a well tested, integrated, and consistent platform with 24x7 technical support; ensu-ring data saving and physical and electronic security. The University is freed from the complexity and costs of management systems, issues of installation and pro-blems regarding the use of platforms and servers. Ci-neca‘s reference instruments are some of the most wi-dely known platforms in the world, both open source (Moodle) and commercial (Blackboard). In addition to this CINECA constantly conducts experiments with the latest solutions that appear each year in the ICT world of remote teaching.

An LMS environment integrated with the Uni-versity’s existing information resourcesThe e-learning system is part of the larger context of the organization’s information system. To avoid data

redundancy and wastage of resources, unifi ed mana-gement is necessary for the main information facilities to ensure close integration with the other information systems serving the University: U-GOV Portal, ESSE3 Student Management, U-GOV Human Resource and U-GOV Research management system and the Digital Libraries. Synchronous Tele-teaching, from video confe-rencing to virtual worldsSynchronous remote teaching is characterized by the presence of the lecturer and students at the same time. For this reason Cineca’s services can be divided into 3 levels: low or zero interactivity lessons, based on strea-ming technologies integrated with chat to allow direct communication between lecturer and students; tra-ditional videoconferencing and multi-videoconferen-cing, a web conference service between multiple par-ticipants located in diff erent places; fi nally the creation of virtual worlds developed around ad hoc projects.

Mixed skills workgroupIProgrammers, instructional designers, graphic desi-gners, experts in content accessibility and usability, specialists in the various platforms, help desk person-nel: this is the team that Cineca makes available for their E-learning solutions and services for Universities.

E-learning services

SystemIntegration

StudentSecretarial

System UniversityPortal

DigitalLibrary

Productionof content

ConversionIndexing

ProcessingStorage

of content

Content management and

Publication Teac

hing

Sync

hron

y an

din

tera

ctio

n

Production

Delivery

Digital AssetManagement

L2LCustomizedE-learningPlatform

L2LDigital AssetManagement

L2Lrecorder

Web and video-confe-

rencing

Streamingand chat

E-learningplatform

Web TV


Support servicesU-Cloud HostingHelp DeskTrainingMethodology Consulting

E-learning servicesE-learning platformTeleteaching L2L

A complete solution for the development of re-mote teaching courses from creation to deliveryL2L is an integrated set of services that Cineca has de-veloped to permit Universities, traditional and telema-tic, to create E-learning courses quickly and effi ciently starting from the recording of face to face lectures. In particular, L2L off ers solutions both for production of content and its delivery and publication, passing throu-gh an automatic process of processing, indexing, and conversion of the materials. L2L has also proven useful for recording with fast and effi cient publication of se-minars and conventions.

Investment modularity, towards a sustainable E-learning projectL2L enables Universities to develop E-learning projects with a customized approach. The University can easily establish a basic online course creation process, quickly developing the teaching materials required for a user service that can immediately deliver eff ective results. The University then has the option of improving the teaching materials delivered through time, with the addition of more articulated teaching materials enri-ched with animations, texts, interactive simulations, and much more.

Characteristics of L2L Recorder, DAM, E-learning platformThe L2L service is based on three modules. The Univer-sity is provided with L2L Recorder stations that record lectures and the didactic materials live. This material is then indexed and further enhanced with the addition of information and metadata. The E-learning output cre-ated in this way is stored in a centralized content reposi-tory (Digital Asset Management, DAM).The delivery of content to students is achieved using an E-learning platform based on Moodle and integrated with the DAM.

Automatic production of homogenous lecturesL2L Recorder enables production of large quantities of quality teaching content rapidly and semi-automatical-ly, recording events or lectures live and transforming

the material obtained into content ready for publica-tion. The aim of L2L Recorder is to increase the pro-ductivity of the process of didactic material creation at limited cost, minimising the intervention required from lecturers.

Transformation, processing, and indexing of contentThe material recorded by L2L Recorder is transformed into easily navigable content, synchronizing the audio-video fl ow with the slides presented during the lecture, from which an index is also extracted. The L2L service also utilizes the text contained in the slides to genera-te an analysis and map of the themes addressed. The engine for this analysis, known as “Concept Mapper”, was fi ne tuned by Cineca on the basis of knowledge management techniques. Thanks to this process, du-ring the delivery stage to fi nal users, a list of concepts is presented for navigating within the video and lesson materials.

Storage, Conversion and Reuse of teaching contentAll the content produced is stored in a repository called DAM, which deals with the cataloguing and codifi ca-tion of the materials. This approach, in addition to faci-litating centralized management of aspects like access authorization to content and versioning, also permits the publication and reuse of the content through dif-ferent channels (fi rstly the e-learning L2L platform, but also the University Portal, Digital Library, Web TV, and other applications including mobile) or the sharing of contents between Universities or diff erent research projects (reuse and harvesting).

E-learning L2L platformTo complete the system and off er a platform to di-stribute content to users, the L2L service includes the option of rapidly activating a Learning Management System integrated with the entire L2L system and ba-sed on an open source platform (Moodle) hosted at the Consortium Data Center. Forms of integration were also developed between LMS and the Student Secre-tarial Service (ESSE3 or GISS) or the University Portal.

25

L2L- Live to Learn


Electronic voting in the Universityu-Vote was developed from the re-engineering of the electronic voting system used by the Ministry od Education, University and Research (MIUR) since 1998 and by numerous Italian Universities. The new proto-col based on a blind signature, permits diff erent voting methods that overcome the limitations of the location of the voting stations. u-Vote can support the most complex electoral regulations and can thus be used for elections of various types: Academic Bodies, student representation bodies, and in general for all voting for the recruitment of teaching and research personnel.

Voting mobilityu-Vote supports various methods for vote submission. Cineca can support the University in the analysis of risks and for the choice of the most appropriate voting method in relation to the importance of the decisional process. Voting Booth: voters express their preference at public voting stations, in which the integrity and se-curity of the hardware and software is controlled and guaranteed by Cineca. Voting Kiosks: voters express their preferences at public voting stations, in which the integrity and security of the hardware and software is not controlled and guaranteed by Cineca. The voting stations can be connected to public networks pro-tected or otherwise. The physical environment in which they are located is supervised. Voting over Internet: vo-

ters vote from their PC’s connected to Internet. In this case there is no supervision at the location nor of voting rights, and so there is no guarantee of a secret vote.

Guarantees of voting security and secrecyu-Vote was developed following the principles defi ned in the recommendations of the Committee of the Mini-sters of the European Council on e-voting. These gua-rantee security and the robustness of the system of en-cryption of client/server connections, the encryption and digital signing of ballot papers. In support of the closed group ISDN network is the VPN network reali-zed using the University infrastructure. This guarantees integrity and anonymity of the voter in the booth, the protection of voting stations, supervision of the voting environment, and clear and precise voting procedures distributed to the voting booth offi cials. As a guarantee to clients, there is an Audit system for monitoring elec-tions and cross checking results.

Usability and accessibilityIn order to ensure universal suff rage, u-Vote was desi-gned according to specifi c requirements of functional, cognitive, perceptual, and interactive usability. The user interfaces of u-Vote are compliant with the guidelines of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), an in-dependent commission that has the aim of supervising American electronic voting systems.

Electronic voting

Support services

Help Desk Specialized ConsultingThroughout the electoral event Cineca provides the University with a qualifi ed help desk to support voters and booth offi cials.

u -Vote


U-Cloud, the new generation of Cineca infrastructural services

U-Cloud off ers Universities infrastructures and ICT technologies scalable on-demand as services. The aim is to provide University systems with the required enabling functionality, guaranteeing greater agility and speed in response to a more closely focused use of IT resources and a better understanding of the associated costs.

U-Cloud is not limited to delivering Cineca applications in hosting mode, but also off ers platforms and infrastruc-tural components usable as building blocks with which to fl exibly construct customized own solutions.

The wide range of services and specialized consulting is designed to provide support both to Universities that have decided to outsource their infrastructures, and to Universities who want to exploit their investment in their own Data Center, big or small as it is.

Infrastructural and Cloud Solutions

U-Cloud Solution Map


AgilityTechnological infrastructures on-demandCineca takes responsibility for managing all the issues of scalability and availability of the infrastructure, sha-ping the off er to the needs of the University, typically based on the number of users and applications in-cluded. The introduction of new systems thus has a smaller impact on the technical and logistical orga-nization of the University. The IT staff are freed from management of non essential processes and can focus their attention on new services and projects rather than operative management.

Dedicated supportOperative running and technical assistanceCineca’s Data Center services are founded on a ro-bust dedicated management, monitoring, and tech-nical support structure. The Cineca staff manages all operative aspects of the servers and application services for all components of the infrastructure; the staff also takes care of the fi ne tuning of all the neces-sary hardware and software components.

ReliabilityGuaranteed service with high standards of se-curity and privacyThe security of the Cineca Data Center includes sy-stems for fi re detection, fl ooding, anti-intrusion, with remote control of critical systems, security guards on site 24/7, redundant networking devices and wiring. Anti-intrusion computer systems, fi rewalls, ACL net-works, antivirus, data protection with fault-tolerance technologies (RAID), short and long term backup/archiving procedures, redundant server backup in-frastructure equipped with robotized library for the management of magnetic storage devices, fi reproof cabinets, remote backup copies at a secondary site. In this context of 100% security the University always maintains control over the identities of their users, administrative data, and sensitive personal details of staff , students, and lecturers, without entrusting them to third parties.

Cost limitationReduction of the economic demands of ITShifting costs from fi xed to fl exible, lowering the costs of development, production, licensing, ope-rative management and infrastructural change, simplifying and reducing acquisition procedures. U-Cloud permits University to reduce the overall costs of the management and maintenance of software, hardware, and the host facilities and Data Centers.

ClarityTransparency of agreements and servicesU-Cloud services permit measurement of the quanti-ty and quality of the service delivered. The reliability and performance are regulated by clear Service Level Agreements. The provision of services is recorded by use metering. The policies, support and security pro-cesses followed by Cineca are transparent to users.

ControlServices for the governance of the University IT systemsCineca assists the University in the planning and de-velopment of their IT facilities with targeted specia-lized consulting activities matured over 40 years of experience in the management of large scale Data Centers. Consulting for the management of the infra-structure, assessment of the University’s data centers, analysis of the processes of IT governance, consolida-tion and evolution projects. A wide spectrum of skills allows Cineca to support the University and follow a joint path of innovation and consolidation.

Benefi ts and Advantages


Fast times to production, reduced operative complexityU-GOV, CSA, CIA, ESSE3, email and messaging services, Confi rma and ConFirmaDoc, E-learning platform, Strea-ming, u-Vote. All Cineca’s solutions for Universities can be used in hosting mode, as services delivered directly from the Consortium’s Data Center.

Cost limitation for personnel, hardware, licences, maintenanceApplication Hosting services free the user from the burden of managing the technological infrastructure and application components. Flexibility and scalability on-demand, fast time to production, reduced initial investment and less risk associated with the initiative. Greater control over costs during the entire existence of the system, with an incentive to utilize standard ap-plications and resources.

LDAPLDAP in service mode includes complete manage-ment of an authentication service in hosting at the Consortium capable of delivering services to defi ne the policies for user access, authentication, and securi-ty. Alternatively Cineca can host at its own Data Center a local replica of the content of an authentication sy-stem managed by the University.

Integration with other IT systemsThe applications hosted in the Cineca Data Center can easily be integrated with other systems and programs, either installed in hosting at the Consortium, or at the University.

Privacy and data protectionCineca ensures data management in full compliance with Italian regulations regarding privacy for private and public bodies. The University maintains control over the identity and personal details of students and lecturers, without releasing them to third parties.

Security with a high level of Backup and Disaster Recovery included in the serviceCineca guarantees rapid response times and dedicated technical support for all applications delivered in servi-ce mode. In addition there are high security standards thanks to the top class systems of monitoring, backup, and disaster recovery.

Identity Management and Single Sign-on via ShibbolethProviding users with a single login for the numerous ap-plications and services online has become a strategic is-sue for University. The Shibboleth service permits access management by centralized authentication, possibly in federation, and Single Sign-On to protected resources off ered by one or more web sites or applications.

Application and Middleware Hosting Services

U-Cloud modules Support servicesHelp Desk and technical support 24/7TrainingDisaster Recovery

identity mgmtes ingle sign-on

U-Cloud Application and Middleware Hosting

u-govhosting

universityportal hosting

idap

csahosting

confi rma hosting

identity mgmt and single

sign-on

electronic mail hosting

digitalpreservation

hosting

esse3hosting

streaming hosting

u-votehosting

e-learning hosting


Collocation: Housing and NetworkingHousing and Networking services permit the Universi-ty to install and operate technological apparatus inside the Cineca Data Center, in specifi cally equipped areas. The hardware may be the property of the University or provided by Cineca. The networking services (connec-tivity to the various front-end and back-end networks) and basic facilities (electrical continuity, air conditio-ning, environmental safety, controlled physical access, etc.) are guaranteed. The University is responsible for complete systemic management of its own facilities, the IT managers can operate either in remote mode, or access the Data Center to carry out physical operations on the equipment.

Virtual Machine on-demandThe Cineca infrastructure off ers Virtual Machines in ho-sting, confi gurable according to specifi c demands and autonomously manageable by the University. The IT staff can thus rapidly start up new projects and focus on institutional activities, increasing the speed of time to production and reducing operating costs and com-plexity. The Virtual Machines are chosen from within a catalogue that defi nes their characteristics in terms of operating system, installed applications, memory and disk space, functionality, architectural layout. All the parameters are confi gured and optimized according to the foreseen use. The Virtual Machines are preinstalled and preconfi gured with the LAMP stack (Linux Apache MySQL PHP/PERL), or with other vertical applications (so-called “virtual appliances”).

Backup/Archiving and Remote Backup The Universities that have installed Cineca applications in their own data center can guarantee the security of their data using Cineca’s Backup and Archiving archi-tecture. The high operating standards of the Cineca platforms permits very rapid safe data recovery.

Disaster recovery on-demand to guarantee con-tinuity of serviceThe Universities who have opted to implement Cine-ca applications in their own local Data Center need to guarantee the continuity of services even in the case of serious problems and extended interruptions. To cover this necessity the Consortium off ers a Disaster Recove-ry service that allows the University, in cases of disaster, to rapidly restore their services, restarting them from the Cineca infrastructure until the local structures have been reactivated.

Disk space via Storage Area Network and ftp/httpThe storage space can be off ered in diff erent modes. The University can connect the server devices in hou-sing at Cineca to the infrastructure of the Storage Area Network of the Consortium for disk space, easily scala-ble with high grades of reliability, capacity, performan-ce, and connectivity. Alternatively the University can use allotted sections of disk space for the exchange of large dimension fi les via FTP or http (WebDAV), with diff erent sizes in terms of disk space allotment.

IT infrastructure services

U-Cloud modules Support services

Help Desk and technical support 24/7 Training

networking virtual machineon-demand

disaster recoveryon-demandnetworking virtual machine

on-demanddisaster recovery

on-demand

storage areanetwork

backup &archive housing

storage areanetwork housing

Locationas a service

Storageas a service

housing networking storage areanetwork

backup & disaster recoveryon-demand

virtual machineon-demand

System as a service

U-Cloud IT Infrastructure

archiving

backup & archiving


Development of operative managementCineca supports the University’s ICT staff in the choice of operative management instruments for the Universi-ty infrastructure and proposes incidental improvement projects. The consulting areas range through networks, storage, systems, databases, middleware, monitoring, reporting and security, authentication, authorization, and accounting. Cineca specifi cally applies the good management practices defi ned for its own applications.

Projects for deployment of specifi c infrastructu-res for hosting Cineca applicationsThe Cineca staff helps the University design envi-ronments for hosting Consortium’s applications (U-GOV, ESSE3, etc.) according to the good practice developed, structured, and tested by Cineca in hundreds of installa-tions. Turnstile delivery to the University IT staff , classro-om and on-the-job training, post start up support.

Assessment, consolidation and evolution of the University Data Center infrastructureRapid changes in the University’s scenarios often ge-nerate problems linked to an increasing fragmentation and decentralization of the ICT. The Cineca services for Assessment and Consolidation of the University Data Center aim to optimize the performance of the ICT fa-cilities and reduce management costs.The University can defi ne a customized path starting from an assessment of the state of fact, passing on to complete projects for consolidation and evolution of the Data Center.

Remote systems management serviceThis service consists in monitoring the Cineca applica-tion infrastructures installed at the University. In critical situations remote intervention is foreseen by speciali-zed technicians for an immediate restoration of servi-ces. Remote management of systems is also available for numerous widely distributed technologies and platforms, in which Cineca has specialized know how.

Analysis of IT processes, calculation of TCOCineca off ers a complete approach for assessing the processes and life cycle of all the services connected to the University IT infrastructure and for analyzing adhe-rence to ITIL best practice. It also off ers models for Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) consolidated and fi ne tunea-ble to an individual context and specifi c aims, also valid as a base for the development of a management con-trol activity regarding the costs of IT.

Design of disaster recovery for the University Data CenterThese activities aim to assess and defi ne a correct plan for disaster recovery for the University data center. The initial stages include the collection and analysis of the University’s needs, including expected Recovery Time Objective (RTO), and Recovery Point Objective (RPO), the delimitation of services included and technologies utilized, and identifi cation of the main obstacles. Final-ly the proposed reference scenarios and calculation of foreseen investment and management costs, essential for choosing the best solution.

IT Consulting services

U-Cloud modules

esse3cha

nge

man

agem

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plan

ning

remote systemmanagement

data centermanagement

data centerassessment

compli anceitil

compliance

disaster recoverydesign

data centerconsolidation

depl

oym

ent

infrastructuredeployment

tcoinfrastructure

data centerconsolidation

data centermanagement

data centerassessment

itilcompliance

remote systemmanagementinfrastructure

tco disaster recoverydesign

infrastructuredeployment

Registered, Administrative and Operational Offi ce: Via Magnanelli, 6/3 40033 Casalecchio di Reno (BO)

Tel. + 39 051 [email protected]

Other operational offi ces:Via R. Sanzio, 420090 Segrate (MI) Tel. + 39 02 269951

Via Ciro il Grande, 16 00144 RomaTel. + 39 06 5929281

Via dei Tizii, 6 00185 RomaTel. + 39 06 444861

Registered, Administrativeand Operational Offi ce: Via Magnanelli, 6/3 40033 Casalecchio di Reno (BO)

Tel. + 39 051 [email protected]

Other operational offi ces:Via R. Sanzio, 420090 Segrate (MI) Tel. + 39 02 269951

Via Ciro il Grande, 16 00144 RomaTel. + 39 06 5929281

Via dei Tizii, 6 00185 RomaTel. + 39 06 444861

Interuniversity Consortium