This project will identify Academic institutions who have similar infrastructure and architecture to that running in Edinburgh University and who have also implemented solutions that deliver the key benefits we have identified in the appraisal.

This project will make a recommendation based on the findings from the visits and any other R&D undertaken in support, outlining what subsequent projects would do to deliver.

Background to this project

In 2013-14 Applications Division in conjunction with colleagues in ITI and CIS undertook a review of the infrastructure, the services we run and the tools we use to manage that infrastructure. This was entitled Service Monitoring Requirements and Options Appraisal

The details of this work can be found here;

https://www.wiki.ed.ac.uk/display/insite/Service+monitoring+requirements+and+options+appraisal

This review developed a set of requirements that would be used by a subsequent project to implement a suitable solution addressing the challenges we identified.

Key deliverables as identified would include;

·         A tool that reflects the health of the infrastructure from a service consumers perspective

·         A single tool that aggregates disparate information into one picture representing the health of the infrastructure

·         A “single pane of glass” solution that is configured to the needs of  the recipient which is easy to interpret and which communicates clear messages about service availability

·         A tool that offers an operator the capability to carry out drill down activity during fault finding and problem resolution.

·         A single tool that can help with historic behavior, current behavior and capacity planning.

·         A solution that integrates heterogeneous tools and data to provide powerful management information.

·         A solution that offers a single point of alerting and to targeted audiences

·         A solution that does not necessitate the removal of better suited existing management tools

·         A solution that is scalable where its own management and administration is not a considerable burden. Following on from the Appraisal  

This led to an annual planning proposal that will generate two or more projects, which builds on the 2014 appraisal and delivers the deliverables above.

The first project, this project, will undertake analysis and R&D and make a recommendation. Subsequent projects will then implement solutions as based on this project's recommendation and as accepted by senior management.