Monday, August 25, 2003

Updates

• Access to ‘G’ forms
• LIMT requested that Data Standards review over-all access to “G” forms and validation tables and charged this group with making decisions about this access.  Jan noted that the forms in the basic employee category were copied from another college and recommended that DS review this group. Linda will schedule a meeting of the DS group.
• Status of HR projects
• Thwing expects to have a solution for HR to prior year W2 information ready by Oct 2 that is independent of data on the HP3000.  Until then, one or two HR employees will need continued query access to the HP3000.  For the final 3 months of 2003, administrative staff will need to monitor 12 month hourly classified employees hours worked using data from COCO for the final 3 months of 2002 and combining it with Banner data.  There will be a Banner report ready by October 31.  Dennis will follow up with Thwing about access to prior years of payment data for the purpose of responding to information requests from entities such as PERS.
• Future Peer to Peer plans
• Linda contacted Donna Zmolek about regular meeting times between LIMT and Peer-to-Peer, and is waiting for a response from Donna.  If Peer-to-Peer wants to meet with LIMT once a month, the next meeting will be on September 8, which is also the next LIMT meeting time.  Linda will notify LIMT of plans.
• HR is no longer sure that they will be able to execute a Workflow pilot, given staffing changes in the department.  LIMT may need to identify another pilot project. 

• Java Tuning
• Repeated attempts at Java tuning have not been successful in addressing system load problems on peak registration days.  New information suggests that this is an Oracle database issue that occurs when more that 300 concurrent users attempt to enter the system.  Other schools are experiencing this problem as well.  SCT has put together a task force to address the issue, but a solution will not be ready in time for fall term registration, which begins on September 5.  Lane can expect problems on that day, again on September 10 when new student registration begins, and possibly the first week of classes as students make schedule changes.  Possible mitigation strategies, which focus the campus on tasks that provide direct service to students, include:
• Time ticketing for registration, although this is not possible for fall;
• Limiting non-essential staff use of native Banner and ExpressLane during expected peak times;
• Opening registration after the system back-ups, typically at 4:00 a.m.
• Messaging for students and staff regarding the system load issues (with specific attention to students printing schedules for Bookstore charges and faculty printing of class lists);
• Computer Services monitoring and terminating “idle” sessions;
• Reducing the ExpressLane timeout on peak days and implementing a timeout for native Banner.
This discussion highlighted the need for an integrated Banner calendar that takes into account business processes related to student, financial and HR activities.
• HP9000 Upgrade Downtime
• Computer Services needs to install an upgrade to “firmware” on the HP9000.  This ideally needs to occur after a system save.  LIMT directed CS to do this work immediately after a system save rather than at 8:00 a.m., which would prevent users from accessing the system until after the work is completed.  NOTE:  Updated information from CS indicates that this upgrade is non-critical.  It will be applied after the fall term start-up period. 

• Data Custodian Access Process
• LIMT needs to provide definitive information to the campus about how to request access to Banner for staff.  Data Standards will make sure that clear processes are in place for each module and provide process information which emphasizes that access requests should relate directly to the employee’s job duties.
• LIMT Membership
• LIMT will begin discussing a more operational role for this team and will review membership as a part of this process.  However, decisions about this will follow the larger college governance discussion, which is expected to be completed during fall term.  Linda and Stephen will review the LIMT charter to determine if short-term changes are needed.
• Staff out of ExpressLane on peak registration days?
• See previous notes on Java tuning.  Craig provided information that we currently have about 3,600 students registered for fall term.  Last fall, a total of 11,000 to 12,000 credit students were registered. 
• Other

• Student:  Section building training was provided last week for credit section builders.  The team has been successful in finding a Banner data structure to store class notes that print in the Class Schedule for credit classes, and this training was included.  

SPIT:  There is training this Thursday afternoon on using the web viewer for R25 to see class and event scheduling on the web.