Several groups from Information Technology Services worked together to undertake the process of consolidating several file servers to one large capacity SAN storage solution. The team consisted of members from CSS Accounts and Access, SMO Windows Systems Group and CSS Desktop Services. Auxiliary participants included the ITS Divisional Liaisons, and the CSS departmental contacts.
To get things off the ground, a meeting was held with each Divisional Liaison individually to explain the Online Space Proposal, data migration process, and a report (provided by the Windows Systems Group) of their division’s most current disk usage.
Once the meeting was concluded, the migration process started. The CSS Departmental Contacts were asked to review all active UAlbany network accounts associated with the given department, and close accounts which had been identified as obsolete. Next, permission lists for the network resources owned by the department were sent to the CSS Departmental Contact to review and update. At this time, the Contact was also asked to create a new folder name for the data's Lincoln location.
Upon return of this information, the data was formatted and submitted to the Windows Systems Group (WSG). WSG reviewed the data, created the new specified folders on Lincoln, and updated the UAlbany Windows domain global groups to directly correspond to each Lincoln folder. They then created scripts that would move all data according to these specifications.
In order to schedule a data move, everyone had to be available. The department's staff of whose data was moving, Desktop Services, WSG, and CSS Accounts all needed to be informed of and ready for every data move.
Once a move was scheduled, a worksheet was created that contained a list of: individuals affected by the data move, previous drive mappings to be disconnected, and corresponding new V drive folder names. It contained a quick list of items needing to be updated on each PC affected by the data move. Because so many PC’s had to be updated the worksheets helped to expedite the visits for the desktop support staff.
Outcomes:
The Server Consolidation had many positive outcomes. Nineteen file servers: Atlas, Nova, Titan, Galaxy, Pluto, Constellation, Jupiter, Neptune, Terra, Space, Stellar, Star, Waiter, PSReports, PSApps, PSProg1, PSProg2, Noah and Kong were consolidated to one large capacity SAN solution. This consolidation reduced platforms and simplified infrastructure.
Windows Domain Access Control lists are up to date. Much time was devoted to working with Divisional Liaisons and CSS Departmental Contacts to educate them on the new permission review procedures and to provide them with an understanding of the importance of keeping permission lists current. This process has increased the level of security on the Windows Domain and cultivated a cohesive relationship between the CSS Departmental Contacts and the ITS CSS Accounts staff.
Divisional disk quotas have been implemented and a management mechanism deployed. The drives on Lincoln are organized by Division, and disk quotas have been applied. Divisional Liaisons and Client Support Services Contacts are provided with a weekly disk usage report to utilize in managing disk usage. A procedure for purchasing additional disk space once birthright quota has been surpassed has been created.
In conjunction with the Server Consolidation Project, the CSS Accounts and Access, and WSG have reorganized the Windows Active Directory structure to mirror the UAlbany Divisional and Departmental structure. The Human Resource System has been designated as the system of record which will allow future automation of Accounts processes.
Conclusion:
While the project's goal was to consolidate many file servers to down to one, much more was accomplished by the Server Consolidation Team. The team worked collectively to update accounts and permissions, identify and delete unneeded data, move needed data to the appropriate Divisional disk space, implement divisional quota and update PC settings to accurately access the data in its new location. The whole team worked diligently to see the project through to a successful completion.
ITS Staff participating in project
CSS Accounts and Access: Elaine Amabile, Project Lead; Eileen Macica, Project Coordinator (and Desktop Support when needed); Chris Zoller, Coordinator for Constellation and CSS Lead for restructuring Windows Active Directory; Theresa Hurley and Kim McDonnell, account access changes and terminations; Bill Pyszczymuka, create worksheet, account access changes and terminations resulting from project, desktop support when needed and troubleshooting for helpdesk post departmental move.
WSG: Brian Heaton (and Deb Rathbone), WSG Lead for Server Consolidation and Restructuring of Windows Active Directory; Brian Tischler, WSG coordinator for server consolidation and restructuring of Windows Active Directory;
Mike Ramundo, Aaron Morris, Andrew Stelling, and Warren Willsey, data moves, account cleanup.
CSS Desktop Services: Ellen Ervin, Coordinator for technician assignments and primary technical consultant; Dennis Fung, Joe Maloney and William Burns (uptown campus), Kristina Marillo and Cindy Prieto (downtown campus) and, Sheldon Goddard and Bry-Ann Yates (east campus).
