Information Technology Cost PoolCouncil of Research Associate Deans

March 12, 2009

OIT vision, mission, goal

Vision: To be one of the best information technology support organizations in higher education.

Mission: Serve as a catalyst for innovatively leveraging technology to advance and support extraordinary education, breakthrough research, and dynamic public engagement.

Goal: Advance the University of Minnesota’s goal of becoming one of the top three public research universities through the innovative and strategic application of information technologies.

FY09 OIT Budgetby Revenue Source

FY09 OIT Budgetby Expense Category

FY09 OIT Common Good / Budget Allocation Service Portfolio

Student,Faculty,Staff Support

• Helpdesk (1-HELP)• Training• Digital Media Center• Computer Labs• Security• MS license• Back-Up• Automated Desk-top

Computer Management (AD)

• Data Base (Oracle)

Communications

• Data Network• Telephones• Wireless• Unified Messaging• VOIP

ProductivityApplications

• Operating System• MS Office• File Systems (AD)• Web Collaboration (UMConnect)• Email• Calendar (UMCal)• Portal• File Storage (SAN)

• Personal space• Enterprise storage

• Web Content Management• Wiki

BusinessApplications

• PeopleSoft• Campus Solutions• Financials

• WebCT Vista• Moodle• Imaging (ImageNow)• Library Automation• E-Research• IMS Reporting• GradPlanner• Portfolio• GoldPass II

President Bruininks:10.20.08 “We must look for opportunities to

consolidate administrative offices and academic units, reform major cost centers, and reinvest the savings in mission-critical academic priorities.”

12.4.08“As solutions to the current state financial crisis emerge from Minnesota's elected political leaders, we will continue to focus our efforts on reducing costs, increasing productivity, streamlining operations, and avoiding unnecessary job losses.”

OIT – FY09 changes• Reorganize OIT to align services, promote communication and

coordination, create greater capacity, efficiency and effectiveness, and provide “one OIT” for faculty/students/staff. Specifically, we are– Consolidating

• Finances, HR, Communications, Training, Helpline, Video, Server administration– Discontinuing some services

• University computer services (used equipment & repair service)– Launching cross-OIT and cross-University working groups

• Identity management, Google, disaster recovery– Providing IT service agreements in partnership with colleges

http://www1.umn.edu/oit/planning/servicestatements/index.htm – Partnering locally and nationally on academic priority initiatives

• Research Cyberinfrastructure Alliance, Learning platform, Internet2, CIC cloud computing

Challenges• Increasing capacity for transformative technologies;

implementation of Common Methodology• Partnering in the design, implementation, and

evaluation of transformational digital environments• Strengthening Common Good technologies within

the budget constraints– Storage, capacity, authentication, architecture, data

center, Coordinate campus infrastructure• Leveraging distributed IT leadership

Challenge: Shifting enterprise development effort from operational activities into more strategic activities.

Savings• Partnership with State of Minnesota, WiscNet for bandwidth purchasing. Dropping cost for

internet bandwidth almost in half/mb. This allows us to expand use of the internet while still dropping overall cost.

• Switch warranty upgrade - extends the lifespan of our existing distribution and aggregation electronics by another 5 years, representing a saving off of purchase of approximately $11M-$12M.

• Reclamation project (to be started early next year) - reclamation of unused network ports (when implemented) will be able to furnish the University with expansion for several years of purchasing.

• PBX longevity - The PBX, which has been in service since our last upgrade, is allowing the University to migrate new installations where it makes sense and is cost effective to supporting VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) utilizing the same wiring and labor for connections to support both the voice and data, utilizing existing network infrastructure, avoiding the duplication of separate wiring and labor for voice and data connections.

Savings• Storage: Implementing lower cost infrastructure components and completing

analysis of our data usage so as to be able to migrate to the new infrastructure. Additionally, a renewed focus on data management practices such as retention rules so to reduce operating costs.

• Server Admin: Re-architecting our virtualization environment so that it can be extended to a much broader user base. This includes analysis to determine the viability of using our legacy mainframe infrastructure.

• Server Consolidation: Consolidation of services across all of OIT to gain economies of scale.

• Legacy infrastructure retirement as part of the implementation of the new PeopleSoft Financials system.

Future Strategies

• Changes in software licenses• Continue to look for opportunities to reinvest

savings into critical areas • Position changes across OIT– We are closing/eliminating 21.75 positions• 11.75 RIO plus 10 open positions

– Savings from 21.75 positions = $2.8M

Future Strategies• Common methodology; disciplined

management of ERP, reducing operational overhead of PeopleSoft projects

• Improved capacity planning• Transparency with costs/benefits• Best practices in data management• Commitment to common good support