Information Technology Services activities, spring 2022

Information Technology Services’ focus for the past several months has been all about increasing efficiencies with the services that we support and provide to the University. Our efforts centered on completing crucial projects (preparing the new course catalog, increasing Wi-Fi capabilities and locations, and implementing additional information security processes) prior to the start of the spring semester. These examples, along with many other efforts, enabled ITS to function more efficiently, securely and effectively; ultimately ensuring that all University network and system users were able to do the same.

Enterprise and Applications

The Enterprise Systems and Applications (ESA) Team was able to fill several critical staff positions with internal and external hires recently. The increased staffing was put to work right away supporting (among other tasks) the ever-increasing number of required system updates and patches. World events have necessitated increased scrutiny and timely application of system updates and/or patches to keep University systems current, secure and performing optimally. Additionally, the team supported normal business activities such as applying new semester schedules, course catalogs, room scheduling updates and prepping Brightspace for the spring term. The Central Authentication System (CAS) was modified to increase authentication efficiencies. Continued support for all things COVID continued, seemingly done in the background but in reality was the foremost effort for the majority of the ESA team. The creation and implementation of the COVID Quarantine/Isolation (QI) application process, along with the requested changes to support the QI housing, and transportation aspects of the COVID testing site were completed and implemented. The Systems Team worked with others within ITS to further mature the Binghamton University domain migration project. This necessitated changes to how Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)I users connected to University systems. Continued coordination and change requests with Medicat were completed to resolve critical issues in how Medicat included new students and transfer students. ESA team members created a process to update the COVID records for people with active religious or medical waivers, and resolved the issue with student registration and holds with Decker Student Health Services. .

Additionally, the ESA team integrated a single sign-on process for the Anderson Center’s Salesforce system. This increased ease and efficiency of sign on, replacing a previous cumbersome and difficult-to-use process. Another behind-the-scenes project improved the lighting control system for the Events Center (upgraded the Lutron server - Turnhouse) to enable enhanced lighting control for sporting events, graduations, etc.

The team resolved an issue with the Research Foundation PACS, an integrated system for grant proposals, by creating a direct routing email process that now processes correctly through ITS SPAM detection systems. Efforts to implement our VMWare failover site are progressing well, as is the continued removal of aged/no longer eligible user accounts from Google and active directory.

Network Administration and Operations

The Network Administration Team further refined authentication parameters and authorization rules of the wireless authentication tool (Cisco ISE), allowing for dynamic assignments of network structure and traffic. Potentially, this will facilitate installing specialized equipment onto specialized networks. Wireless access points were upgraded to increase bandwidth speeds and user volume in various buildings across the main campus. For the start of the spring semester, a temporary network was installed in the University Union to support the Residential Life check-in process and the Mandela Room COVID surveillance site network was expanded to accommodate the increased testing demands. Dynamic VLANs were deployed to support the extron and quarantine networks.

The team also began work customizing the guest Wi-Fi portal for the launch of the University’s third comprehensive gifts campaign in April and follow-on events of this nature. Presently, the team is working on a high-density Wi-Fi design for the Events Center to support ever increasing Wi-Fi demands during sporting events, graduation ceremonies, etc.

Operations and Infrastructure

Capital projects, building renovations and COVID-related installations continued keeping this team very busy. COVID has impacted delivery of critical equipment for several large capital projects (such as the baseball stadium complex) but the team faced each challenge and through some unique and innovative solutions was able to keep its tasks on schedule. Short-notice projects, such as creating a functional network at Davis College, continued to be the norm for this team. In less than two weeks, a fully functional network was installed to support the COVID QI overflow housing at Davis College. Fortunately, the need for the QI housing at Davis College was not realized and the team then de-installed that network. The ebb and flow of the COVID test site needs have become part of the team’s reaction skill set and deployment of an expanded temporary network infrastructure for move-in week was completed with no issues. The team continued to improve/enhance physical security infrastructure with the installation of CCTV cameras, door readers, improved Wi-Fi capability among our disparate locations in the Southern Tier, new network switches, phones and data cabling. Ongoing capital projects include installing new data fiber, network and Wi-Fi expansion, door access and camera installations at the baseball stadium as well as at for Science 2 and Science 4 remodel projects.

Security Infrastructure and Support

The Security Infrastructure and Support Team handled a myriad of installations to improve operations in all University locations. Additionally, the team continues to investigate leveraging Genetec (the door access/management system) to capitalize on system analytics with the desired endstate to achieve University security core goals without negatively affecting Binghamton’s culture of privacy. The primary focus is to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) to detect items of concern such as weapons, aggression, unplanned crowds, etc. We are consulting with University Police (UPD) to identify standard operating procedures for potential incidents to determine how to drive initial critical incident response and management through Genetec.

Information Security

The Information Security Team worked with various vendors and the SUNY Security Operations Center to implement additional security protocols, software and procedures. Major efforts/projects undertaken and completed recently included piloting Google 2-Step authentication, network scans and upgrading two critical applications: Carbon Black (detection/mitigation software) and Splunk (detection/firewall software) with the latest changes prior to the start of the spring semester. Google 2-Step authentication was piloted with selected faculty, staff and ITS staff members. This process is intended to further secure Binghamton University Bmail and workspace accounts. The team worked with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and SUNY SOC to conduct an external scan of the campus, looking at University-owned devices for outdated operating systems, etc. It also worked with Nexpose and SUNY SOC to conduct an internal scan of University-owned devices looking for server vulnerabilities. Two critical applications,

Working closely with the ITS Communications Team, new messages regarding anti-phishing, cybersecurity and impacts of the recent Russian conflict were distributed via the ITS blog page, social media posts, Dateline, B-Line and to the ITS Phish Tank webpage.

Information Security staff had set up automatic monitoring of suspicious activity using Carbon Black on a 365x24 basis.They receive notification of critical events and take action on them on the same 365x24 basis. Recently, Steve Safranek and Gary Dewey responded to a critical event alert of a potentially compromised computer system. The compromised computer system was isolated and prompt action by our staff minimized and mitigated the issue before it could have escalated into a larger issue for the University.

Technology Support Services

The Technology Support Services Team completed installation of the last of the new computers received from the 2021 computer bulk purchase in the University Downtown Center. Preparations for the next University-wide bulk computer purchase are underway. ITS hopes to place an order in the second quarter of this year with the desired endstate of having all new devices installed prior to the start of fall semester (based on availability due to supply chain shortages). bMobi underwent a major revision, adding support for the CAS 2FA. New features of bMobi allow for easy, secure access into Brightspace, Banner and other CAS 2FA-enabled applications.

The Innovation Team worked with the provost’s office to create an online electronic version of the sabbatical and Title F Leave application and made major updates to the myBinghamton portal core framework to improve functionality and performance. The team continues to make significant progress on the Identity Management (IAMBing) project with Phase 1 targeted to go live this June. Recently, ITS hired an innovation and research infrastructure developer who is working with research faculty to identify their needs and putting together a pilot technology program to meet their needs. Depending on the outcome, we will expand the program and its resources.

The ITS Help Desk continued to provide support to the University for IT-related issues. The most common issues were Brightspace assistance (774), phishing scam reports (528), University-owned computer assistance (346), 2FA CAS (269) and Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) violation reports (almost 160). Prior to the deactivation of myCourses/Blackboard, Technical Support Services staff assisted faculty in downloading and migrating academic material to Brightspace. Student printing continues its downward trend, with just over 550,000 total (B&W and color) pages printed.

Telecommunications

New fiber (48 strands) was installed from the West Gym to the Events Center to support the increased Wi-Fii demands in the Events Center as the old fiber strands were failing or not able to adequately support current and future network demands. Process to replace the Shoretel Model 230 desktop phones has begun with the new 6900 series phones (depreciation upgrades). A recently completed ‘fun’ project was installing a camera at the ice rink during its construction. The camera enabled us to create a TikTok video that was uploaded to the Binghamton University account.

ITS increases staff levels

ITS congratulates our newly hired employees and welcomes them aboard:

• Tony Mollo - installer, Telecommunications, Operations and Infrastructure Team
• Michael Beebe - senior network admin, Operations and Infrastructure Team
• Nick Walling - lead programmer analyst, Research Support Team
• Meghan Dold - business manager, Operations and Infrastructure Team
• Nicole Young - staff assistant to the ITS AVP/CIO
• Sarah Kane - business manager for ITS (and Division of Operations)
• Joshua Austin - network support technician, Operations and Infrastructure Team
• Joe Muniz, Jr - Help Desk analyst, Client Support Services Team
• Adrienne Dibble - Help Desk analyst, Client Support Services Team
• Larry Butts - technical support analyst, Client Support Services Team

ITS congratulates the following ITS staff members who have moved to new duties and responsibilities:

• Denise Dedman - system analyst, Enterprise and Applications Team
• Kurt Knox - virtual systems analyst, Enterprise and Applications Team
• Gennie Vallerga - interim assistant director, Client Support Services, Technical Support Services
• Mike Behun - deputy CIO and chief information security officer