Distance Education

SNA step 1

Team membersStep 1 experts

Adrian Sia Xavier Appé

Step 2 experts Anoop Georges Salvador Gonzales

Step 3 experts Augustine Ani (Team leader) Zijian Cao

Step 4 experts Smit Gupta Joe Ondercin

ScheduleOne meeting every two weeks at 1PM on Saturday09/15/01 1st project meeting – step 1 discussion (completed)09/20/01 client interview with Mel Rosso (completed)09/22/01 2nd project meeting – step 1 presentation dry run (completed)09/25/01 client interview with Michael Carriger (completed)09/26/01 Step 1 presentation10/13/01 3rd project meeting – step 2 discussion10/27/01 4th project meeting – step 2 presentation dry run10/31/01 Step 2 presentation11/10/01 5th project meeting – step 3 presentation dry run 11/14/01 Step 3 presentation11/24/01 6th project meeting – step 4 and final report discussion12/1/01 7th project meeting – step 4 presentation dry run12/5/01 Step 4 presentation12/12/01 Project report submittalNote: additional client interview(s) may be conducted when deemed necessary.

Business mission

To offer the same high quality MSE courses currently available to resident students, to distance education students

Network topology

Ethernet 100Mb/s

Software components

Admin server Product server

Admin serverWin NT 4.0 last Service packOracle 7.0

Product serverLinuxApache, MySQLImeet, IRCd as backup

Server functionsAdmin serverWin NTOracle

Product serverLinuxApache, MySQL Admin server

Course ManagementProgram managementBillingStudent information

Product server CalendarAssignmentFilesReadingForum

List of user

Director, associate directorAdministrative staffTechnical staffDE instructorCourseware specialistContent developerStudents

Organisation Chart

A d m in is tra tive s ta ff x 2C h erylL in d a

Tech n ica l su p p ort x 2X u n

Ju lian

C ou rseware D eve lop er/W eb ad m in x 2

D aw nJen

A ssoc ia te D irec to rM ich ae l

D irec to rM e l

Video grapher

Content Developer

DE instructor

Role: Director

Spearheads the Distance-Education (DE) initiative

Evaluates new & relevant technologies to improve quality of course delivery &

better interactivity reduce turn-around time for course

content preparation

Role: Technical Support

Maintains Admin and Products servers and its web services.

Updates information at the Product Server (Student registration info, Coursewares).

Tracks all emails that send to the course site and disseminate to respective parties.

Role: Administrative Staff

Provides administrative support to students and Instructors.Maintains & updates student info, instructor info, billing info, course and program info at the Admin Server. Sends email to Tech support to update Product Server.Updates course grade manually outside DE ’s network (on external eGrade tool under HUB)

Role: Content Developer

Works with DE instructor to develop course materials for DE.

May also be the DE course instructor.

Provides content to courseware developer.

Role: Courseware Developer

Develops web products to support a DE course.

Provides couseware to Technical support for loading into Product Server.

Role: DE Instructor

Delivers the DE courses using the course materials (delivered to students in CDs).Provides interactive sessions through webchat during scheduled class.Communicates with students using email.Marks & grades assignment.

Role: Student

Access to the DE site for : Downloading of assignments/materials Web-chating Submitting homework

Communciates with instructors through Email, attend interactive classes using webchat.Contact HUB for course grade.100 students at present.

Information Flow

Student

Admin Staff

Technical Support

Admin Server

Product Server

Admin DataBase

Product DataBase

Courseware Developer

Content Developer1

2

2

3

4

DE Instructor

5

1

1

2

2 3

Workflow: Registration

Student 1,2 Student 2

Product Server

Fall Courses

Course 1

Chat,

Email

Home Work

Course 2

Chat,

Email

Home Work

Course 3

Chat,

Email

Home Work

Tech SupportAdmin Staff

Admin Server

Student info

Instr info

Billing -- OK

Course/Program

Student 1 Student 1, 2 Student 2

Update

records

email updates

Workflow: Course Creation

Product ServerFall Courses

Course 1

Chat,

Email

Home Work

Course 2

Chat,

Email

Home Work

Course 3

Chat,

Email

Home Work

Courseware Developer

Content Developer DE Instructor

Technical Support

Workflow: Student Access

Product ServerFall Courses

Course 1

Student 1

Chat,

Email

Home Work

Assignment

downloadsubmit

Student 1 Student 1, 2

Course 2

Student 2

Chat,

Email

Home Work

Student 2

Course 3

Chat,

Email

Home Work

Instr 1 Instr 2 Instr 3

CDs

Critical Assets

Web-services

Cousesite access (Product Server)webchat (Product Server)Emails (External – CMU Network)

are needed on 24x7 basis as they are critical for the DE delivery.

Vendor Dependency

Dependent on vendors for support on an adhoc basis without formal engagementprocedures:

Microsoft - NTOracle - Database

Dependent on CMU Computing Services for

general services pertaining to the wider CMU network.

Security policy

No elaborate security policyNo online paymentPriviledge of each user on the machines

Product server : Admin server : - root : Technical staff - administrator : Technical

staff- access from web : students - Oracle (read/write access) : administrative staff - Oracle (read access) : director, associate director

Security features

No encryption of data transmissionStudent authetification done through clear text by ApacheNo copy protection on CDDefault log information from Apache and Oracle (saved and reviewed every month) Login and Password of students sent by emails

Attack experience

One virus experience on the admin server this month (Nimda)No other detected attacks

Future

Product server may be replaced by BLACKBOARD or other better toolsProvide Streaming capabilityHandle 500 students using same setupProduct Server

Fall Courses

Student 1 Student 1, 2

Course 2

Chat,

Email

Home Work

Student 2

Course 3

Chat,

Email

Home Work

Course 1

Home Work

Chat,

Email