Contact Information
Office Hours:
Monday through Friday 8 AM - 7 PM
Saturday 10 AM - 2 PM
Phone Number: 940.565.4498
Location: General Academic Building Room 313
Send Mail to CAS Computing Support
Mission Statement
UNT CAS Computing Support Services advances the goals of faculty, staff, and students by providing a computing environment that facilitates research, teaching, and learning. In addition to reacting promptly to computing challenges, it takes pro-active measures that anticipate and prevent potential difficulties. It is committed to using effective communication and a positive attitude to meet customers' needs for computer technology.
Vision
While not a typical "vision statement," this table represents directions which, as of Tue Jul 13 16:49:06 Central Daylight Time 2004, we expect computing to head. It also includes impact areas and possible responses.
Forecast |
Impact and Possible Response(s) |
| More hacking with reduction in time from vulnerability announcement to corresponding exploits. |
- Fewer administrative rights/exceptions to prevent propagation and/or compromises.
- Devices become less personal and more institutional to improve support costs scalability.
- Reduction in time from vulnerability announcement to corresponding patches (more frequent computer patches).
|
| More viruses |
- Fewer rights and respective exceptions to prevent propagation and/or compromises.
- Faster/more frequent virus scanning software updates.
|
| More (and more virus-like) spyware |
- Virus scanning software manufactures will attack spyware. In turn spyware companies will attempt to defeat virus scanning software.
- Ultimately, we will need to limit system administration rights and respective exceptions to prevent propagation and/or compromises.
- Deployment of software dedicated to preventing and/or eradicating spyware.
|
| Microsoft release the "Longhorn" operating system |
- Faster hardware will be required.
- More primary and secondary memory will be required.
- Larger hard disks will be required.
- How to handle large workstation software updates (bandwidth requirements)?
|
| Increased proliferation of Linux operating systems |
- More infrastructure (more staff, more training, more hardware).
- Increased technodiversity to limit impact of Microsoft-related issues.
|
| Continued move to LCD Flat Panel Displays |
- More workspace.
- Less eye fatigue.
- Lower prices due to proliferation and economies of scale.
|
| Move to inexpensive color printers |
- Faster printing (higher productivity).
- Cheaper prices (due to proliferation and economies of scale).
- More reliable printing (higher productivity).
|
| More local (fewer network/workgroup) printers |
- Faster printing (higher productivity).
- Cheaper prices (due to proliferation and economies of scale, also no network device needed).
- More reliable printing because there are fewer steps from software to printer (higher productivity).
- Less maintenance (no need to maintain network component, and printer prices will make printers more replacable than maintainable).
|
| More (and larger) data transfer devices (like jump drives) |
- More intellectual property theft.
- Handle larger data sets.
|
| Data centralized with customer pivoting around it from mobile and desktop systems |
- Increase need for server disk space.
- Need better backup solution (SAN mirror 50+ miles away?).
- How to handle full back-ups?
- How to detect data corruption?
|
| More "toaster" devices (networkable cameras) |
- How to handle supporting devices (if at all)?
|
| NetWare NDS becomes a Linux service |
- When to move to new operating system?
- What NetWare services will get lost in the transfer?
|
| More network communications (voice/video) |
- Higher bandwidth needs.
- Increase reliability will be needed.
|