Cabling
Our extensive network, voice and CableTV systems rely on dependable cabling—another division responsibility. This includes management of Category 5E and Category 6 UTP systems, coaxial cabling systems, multimode and single-mode fiber optic systems and all related pathway, riser and horizontal for both intra-building and inter-building. Once activated, these cabling systems provide services to 79 campus buildings and over 200 communication rooms on and off campus.
Clusters
Nearly 400 of the latest Windows, Mac and Linux workstations can be found in Computing Services’ public Computer Labs or “Clusters”. Students work through computer-intensive calculations or produce dazzling multimedia presentations using color scanners, audio mixers, and microphones. Cutting edge High Definition Video (HDV) cameras and editing equipment is also available from our lending collection. But our clusters are more than just hardware—we offer over 90 software titles, including AutoCAD, Maya, SAS, SPSS, and Adobe Creative Suite.
Colocation Service
We maintain hundreds of computers that serve the campus’ centralized services in our data center. Through our Colocation Service, departmental administrators across campus may choose to house their machines in this ideal, secure, temperature and humidity controlled space. To assure stability, the area is serviced with computer grade electricity, emergency power and is staffed 24/7.
Computer Repair
Campus affiliates find help with hardware repairs through our on-site Computer Repair service. We offer warranty and non-warranty service on brands such as Apple, Dell, Compaq, IBM and HP. Services include hardware upgrades for memory, system boards and hard drives as well as printer repair services for HP and Dell.
Consulting
Through our Desktop Support Program (DSP) we offer consulting services to the campus community. Our DSP group is staffed with a team of consultants armed with a broad range of technical skills that enhance their clients’ individual and office productivity.
Education
An extensive computing environment calls for educated users. New undergraduate students are acclimated through our Computing@Carnegie Mellon or C@CM Course. A requirement for all incoming students, this 3-unit offering is primarily comprised of Carnegie Mellon-specific information. The class helps students to understand what networked resources are available to them, as well as their responsibilities as users in our computing community. High quality computer education opportunities are offered to faculty and staff members as well.
Enterprise Applications
We develop, deploy, and maintain the central administrative systems that support the business processes of Carnegie Mellon; this includes payroll, fundraising, and financial information. Our project managers, system engineers, programmers and database administrators collaborate with partners in the various areas to deliver efficient and effective business systems. We recently finished an aggressive project to globalize administrative systems to accommodate our international scope.
Information Security Office
ISO collaborates with the campus community to protect Carnegie Mellon from and respond to threats to our electronic information resources and computing and networking infrastructure. The group is responsible for incident response, threat monitoring and alerting, vulnerability scanning, tools, security consulting, penetration testing, training and awareness, and policy and compliance.
Infrastructure Services & Middleware
We provide the foundational computing systems infrastructure for campus by building distributed systems from our Andrew Project roots. Carnegie Mellon and IBM developed the first widely used distributed file system, the Andrew File System, in the 1980’s. It continues to be used today by many organizations across the world. We also develop and maintain the campus email Cyrus email system, an open source project, which was developed at Carnegie Mellon and was the first implementation of the IMAP protocol. Among other efforts, we focus on targeted innovation to improve operational efficiencies with virtualization technologies and iSCSI.
MediaTech
When campus affiliates need audio-visual help they turn to our MediaTech group. MediaTech technicians support classes, conferences or special events for everything from technology equipment, to single camera shoots, to elaborate live-mixed multi-camera productions. For those who are prone to do it themselves, the group also offers an equipment lending service. MediaTech’s handiwork is evident in McConomy auditorium’s recent upgrade to the same high-powered sound system as in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Los Angeles.
MediaTech is also well versed in post-production facilities and experience as well. In the fall 2008 semester alone, their work appeared on Good Morning America, CBS Evening News, Oprah, onQ, CNN, History and Discovery Channels, as well as on the Wall Street Journal and Science Central web sites. In February 2008, the group collaborated with Microsoft to film, “Bill Gates Unplugged”. Gates’ final farewell tour included visits to the University of Chicago, MIT, the University of Texas, Stanford, and Carnegie Mellon. Microsoft’s Senior Executive Producer, Michael Cole praised our handling of the event, saying, “I have been with Microsoft for ten years and have participated in many Bill Gates...college presentations...Without question CMU has set the standard by which all others will be judged…The pre-production and on site execution was flawless!”
Network
It all starts with our network. Dubbed “Andrew” for benefactors Andrew Carnegie and Andrew Mellon, every residence hall and campus office is linked via a blazingly fast 10Gbps core data network. In 2001, Carnegie Mellon became the first university to offer a wireless network that blankets the entire campus. Spanning more than four million square feet and connecting 38,000 devices, the wireless network helped Carnegie Mellon earn Yahoo! Internet Life’s top spot in their 2001 annual survey of the 100 “most wired” colleges and universities in the United States. More recently, the 2005 Princeton Review included Carnegie Mellon in their list of the twenty-five “Most Connected” campuses.
Computing Services broke new ground in wireless networking with the Wireless Andrew 2.0 project in 2008. By year end, all wireless access points on the Pittsburgh campus will be replaced with new equipment that supports the emerging 801.11n standard. At the initial deployment, the 802.11n-based network will provide speeds in excess of 100 Mbps—comparable to that available on most of the campus wired connections.
Planning and Project Management Office (PPMO)
As a division, we analyze data and solicit feedback to detect usage trends throughout campus. We listen to our campus constituents through a variety of channels, including monthly meetings with Departmental Administrators and our Student Advisory Committee members. We also use surveys, focus groups, moderated faculty discussions, and other means to provide as many opportunities as possible to assure that our customer’s voices are heard.
Vased on this feedback, data analysis and requirements gathering, each year our Planning and Project Management Office (PPMO) crafts a vision to help steer those projects. The group uses a defined and structured approach to select, organize and track the division’s portfolio of projects. They also provide project management methodology and consultation to drive the successful implementation through a division planning calendar and tactical planning process.
We take time to reflect on our strengths and areas needing improvement within our service portfolio and in the methods and structures by which we execute that portfolio. In an effort to stay current in technology and service trends, we engage in community activities with our peers and, when warranted by our special skills, assume a leadership role.
Support
Campus affiliates are well supported through consultants on our Help Center staff. Between 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., the group responds to approximately 450 computer related issues each week; and when personal help is unavailable, campus affiliates can find technical help on the web in our extensive collection of over 200 “how to” documents.
Telecommunications
We provide a full range of basic and advanced telecommunication services. Faculty and staff receive phones; lines; voicemail; calling cards; consulting; local, long distance and conference calling; CableTV; call centers; incoming toll free calling; and billing. Housing residents receive phone lines, local calling, access to long distance, and CableTV. We assisted in projects with major cellular providers that resulted in four cell towers on campus and work to reduce coverage low spots.
Web
While Carnegie Mellon maintains thousands of web servers, you will find our face to the world at www.cmu.edu. This site serves more than 140,000 pages on an average day, and was contacted by people from over 200 countries in the past year. We maintain the servers and software that support the university’s web presence, including multiple content management systems, web analytics packages, and search tools. We also offer web space for campus organizations, courses and personal pages. Our Web Portal is a gateway to personalized campus information, including email, calendar, dining account balances, textbook buy back information, and more.
