Project Updates
Updates to Two Major Infrastructure Projects
An overhead view of construction on the HSRB.
The Infrastructure Team is engaged in a pair of ground-breaking infrastructure projects regarding the Emory Health Sciences Research Building (HSRB) and St. Joseph's Hospital.
The HSRB construction project, a joint venture between Emory's School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, sports the first connecting bridge that actually houses offices in the bridge itself.
This effort also included a number of other first time trials for OIT. The most significant involved centralized switch management, meaning that a single set of network switches would deliver either Emory network services or Children's Healthcare network service to the staff.
This project will reduce the overall cost of operation for both entities, helping to deliver more affordable service to our customers. With over 70 access points, the building will continue in our deployment of Emory's high availability WiFi experience. The complicated issue of support and service levels between the two firms is still being drafted, but we suspect this will become a model for similar future Emory engagements with other entities.
The St. Joseph's Hospital network project already supports network connectivity and most of the OIT data switches have been installed and are on the Emory production network. The expansive campus layout is still a struggle for the team and documentation is in the final phases. We have a few customers already using the OIT service but Emory Healthcare is planning the full scale deployment in the Spring.
- Mike Politinsky, Manager, Infrastructure
PMO Update
As you may remember (especially if you watched the Kickoff Video in this newsletter), the PMO will be providing monthly updates on OIT's Burn Down Chart for our FY13 projects. The Burn Down Chart helps to track the velocity with which we are accomplishing our goals. It is a reminder to keep us on course in terms of our deadlines and productivity.
Now that you are back from vacation, try to work closely with the PMs on your projects and don't be afraid to seek guidance. Communication throughout the process is crucial.
Efforts due to close in January:
- Storage Refresh - Susan Greene (PMO)
- EJCH Network Infrastructure - John Stiles (PMO)
- ServiceNow SLDC-Scrum Module - Farah Remtulla (PMO)
- Sunapsis-HR - Graydon Kirk (PMO)
- Resident Case Logging App - Jocelyn Ramirez (R-WIT)
Enterprise Services No Longer Using MySoft for Incidents
ServiceNow has become the sole source for Incident tickets in Enterprise Services.
Effective December 3, the Service Desk, Field Services and Coordinators are no longer working incident tickets for phone and data in MySoft. Instead they will be using ServiceNow. This is a significant step for these groups as they work to streamline their incident processes.
"We are excited to be using ServiceNow Incidents for all repairs," said Lamar Kelly (Enterprise Services). "This change in process will allow us more flexibility in the field, improve response times, track tickets within one system and keep customers in the loop on real time progress and updates."
Transitioning out of MySoft for Incidents has benefited everyone associated in the Incident process. Most of all, our customers. Our teams have been working "trouble tickets" (MySoft) and "Incidents" (ServiceNow) in tandem out of two separate systems. The move to one system for Incidents will allow us to better serve our customers needs by keeping them in the loop on real time progress and updates as relates to their Incident.
MySoft does not offer this customer-facing option. With MySoft customers have relied very heavily on the Service Desk for updates. These calls will now be eliminated, allowing the Service Desk to place these efforts toward other areas. Another bonus for the Service Desk is that they are now entering Incidents into one system versus two. Our technicians are now receiving Incidents solely through the ServiceNow database, simplifying the information that they are receiving.
I cannot fully express the burdens that this jump to one system will relieve for various groups within UTS. Coupled with improving the customer service experience the results are absolutely wonderful!
- Tommy Barwick, Supervisor, Enterprise Services