News
14 February 2012: Information Security Project
Following a long consultation, the Information Security Project is about to publish a policy on information security for the collegiate University intended to provide a much greater degree of information assurance, make it more secure and mitigate the risks to the University of data loss.
Further information: Information Security Project
1 June 2011: New OUCS service 'OxFile'
OxFile is a web service that supports the exchange of large files with people inside and outside of Oxford University. It is fast and simple to use. Further information: OxFile service
18 April 2011: OUCS awarded £1.2m for cloud project
Oxford University Computing Services has been awarded £1.2 million by JISC to develop a shared virtual infrastructure and self-service database tool to support research.The VIDaaS project (Virtual Infrastructure with Database as a Service) will provide a local virtual infrastructure that will interface with a national virtual infrastructure - or 'cloud' - to enable the sharing of services across the higher education sector. The local virtual infrastructure will host a self-service database, giving researchers a way of creating, configuring, editing and querying databases through a simple and flexible web interface.
The database component is to be developed from the prototype created as part of the OUCS project, 'Supporting Data Management Infrastructure for the Humanities'. Functionality will be extended to meet the requirements of researchers beyond the humanities and to cater for different database types, while training will enable researchers to plan from the beginning of a research project how they should manage and curate the data they generate.
Further information:
17 February 2011: Please complete the ICT Support Team survey!
The University's ICT Support Team would like your help in gauging the demand for a centrally provided Windows PC Service within the University. Please complete the online survey. The survey will close on the 25th February and normally takes less than 10 minutes to complete.The ICT Support Team has developed the capability to manage large numbers of Microsoft Windows personal computers (Windows PCs), using centralised tools and processes. This approach has been used to successfully manage over 2,500 University computers and has proven to be efficient, to reduce the cost of device management and to free technical staff from repetitive and time consuming manual duties. It has already proved successful within the Bodleian Libraries, UAS and OUCS. The capability has simplified and standardised the purchase, set up, deployment, security, software, upgrades and disposal of computers.
The ICT Support Team now wishes to develop a new service for the wider collegiate University based on existing capabilities. This service, the central PC service, would be provided on a cost recovery basis and would simplify and standardise the administration and support of Windows PCs across the organisation. We are keen to establish whether we can help your department, faculty, college or unit save time and money, or perhaps enable your staff to focus on new tasks, or offer functionality you do not currently provide.
This survey aims to measure the level of interest in a centrally provided Windows PC service for the wider collegiate University and to determine how Windows PCs are currently supported. It is the first part of a consultative exercise which will be followed by interviews to establish detailed requirements for the proposed service amongst interested parties.
The survey is specifically aimed at Heads of Departments, IT Managers, Chairs of IT Committees, Administrators and Bursars, but please feel free to send the survey link to others in your unit.
If you are interested in a service for managing Apple Mac computers please contact NSMS for further information. They have developed a Mac Managed Platform (MMP) service for support of Apple Mac computers.
Dr Andrew Hynes, Director of Desktop and Infrastructure Services, ICT Support Team.
For more information about this activity and the Steering Group,- please visit: ICT Support Team website
- or send an email to the ICT Support Team
2010 News
22 September 2010: Book Launch - 'World Wide Research: Reshaping the Sciences and Humanities'
Edited by Paul Jeffreys, Director of IT and William Dutton, Director of the Oxford Internet Institute. Dr James Martin confirms the publication is "seminal in it's field". See Oxford Martin School news.
10 June 2010: New Publication - 'World Wide Research: Reshaping the Sciences and Humanities'
We are pleased to announce the publication of 'World Wide Research: Reshaping the Sciences and Humanities'. A collaboration, formed through the e-Horizons Project, between Professor Paul Jeffreys (Director of IT) and Professor William Dutton (Director of the Oxford Internet Institute).W.H.Dutton and P.Jeffreys (eds) World Wide Research: Reshaping the Sciences and Humanities. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
Latest News from the Director of IT
Professor Jeffreys gives a personal insight into the world of information technology within his blog.
2009 News
23 May 2009: Nexus
Members of the University were asked to name the Groupware service by completing an online survey. The most popular name proved to be 'Nexus' which is a means of connection between things or parts. The name emphasises the communication and group working aspects of the service. The name will be reflected in the branding and design of the new service.10 March 2009: Groupware Project
The operation of the Groupware Project and delivery of the Groupware service is now the responsibility of OUCS, and as such benefits from the considerable experience held by OUCS's members of staff. The Director of IT (Project Sponsor) remains responsible for the delivery of the Groupware solution to the University and the project team continues to report to the Project Board. The latest information on the implementation of the Groupware solution is therefore available on the OUCS 'Groupware for the University' Project website.
2008 News
4 July 2008: Microsoft Exchange/Sharepoint is the preferred software system to meet the University's Groupware requirements
On the 4th July 2008 the Groupware Project Board endorsed a recommendation made by the Groupware Short-Listing Panel that Microsoft Exchange/Sharepoint be the preferred software system to meet the University's Groupware requirements. This decision was made after more than 6 months of work by a team of representatives from across the collegiate University which gathered requirements and evaluated a number of possible solutions. For further information, please see our Groupware web pages.22 May 2008: Groupware Project Endorsed
The Groupware Project process has been endorsed by the ICT Sub Committee of PRAC in their Trinity term meeting. The Committee supported the project and endorsed the process outlined in the 'Evaluation Process' document. For further information on the Groupware Project, please see our Groupware web pages.22 February 2008: IT Capital Planning
The Director of IT and the IT Capital Planning Group have considered future capital investment in IT and set the priorities for investment over the next three years in a document presented to Giles Kerr, Chair of the Capital Steering Group.
Those within the Oxford University network have access to the Capital planning document: IT Forward Look (PDF 205KB )
2007 News
23 November 2007: Groupware Project and the Staff Survey on IT Requirements
The Office of the Director of IT recently distributed a short survey to University staff on behalf of OUCS. We would like to thank everyone who completed the survey and helped us to understand how IT can support your work better, especially in the context of how you need to collaborate with colleagues and students, within Oxford University and outside. The results of the survey will be considered by the Groupware Requirements Panel (a project of the Office of the Director of IT).