Network Task Force and Network Rates

TO: Boulder Campus Deans, Directors, Dept Chairs, System Administration

FROM: Bobby Schnabel Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic and Campus Technology

SENDER: Valerie Heidbrier

DATE: December 1, 2001

SUBJECT: Network Task Force and Network Rates

The NTF team included representatives from various campus departments and institutes, as well as students, staff and technical support. The NTF team was commissioned to develop a strategy to maintain a campus information technology network infrastructure that can support the utilization of technological tools in carrying out the institution's mission. The NTF identified numerous deficiencies in the current network infrastructure, including: academic and research needs not being met due to inadequate levels and quality of services; inadequate funding for staffing, equipment replacement, and subscription fees for Internet connectivity; and, no scalable funding mechanism in place. During the past year, Dennis Maloney has presented the Task Force findings to many campus constituent groups, including the Campus Executive Committee, the Council of Deans, and others.

Through the efforts of the task force members, the NTF has largely completed its charge. I thank the members of the team for their time and effort. The final report of the task force is available at: www.colorado.edu/Committees/NetworkTaskForce

Specific actions by the NTF include:

1)-Development of an "Information Technology Infrastructure Improvement Program Plan," which was completed and submitted to CCHE in July 2000. The $13.1M program plan was subsequently approved by CCHE and forwarded to the Legislature for funding consideration during the most recent session. The plan was provisionally included on the list for state capital construction funds for FY 02, but funding in the current fiscal year now appears unlikely.

2)-The Boulder campus invested cash funds of $3 million in network remediation over the past academic year. This work included replacement of most network electronics, installation of fiber optics in critical need areas, and improvements in network services. This investment has extended the useful life of the current network, until state funds become available for more extensive upgrade and replacement.

3)-The task force also spent a number of meetings discussing monthly network rate levels. This issue was left unresolved and referred to the Vice Chancellors for final disposition; a discussion of the current status of the rate structure is below.

Network Rates for Fiscal Year 01-02

The NTF identified a fund gap of revenues and projected network costs of approximately $2 million per year. In order to fund that gap, it is necessary for the monthly network rates to be increased over time to more closely reflect the cost of providing network services. Therefore, the table below shows the expected monthly network rates for the next two years. The rates for fiscal year 2001-02 are approved; subsequent year rates will be revisited and determined annually from updated analyses. In all cases, the proposed rates are significantly below the full cost of services with the campus subsidizing the remainder of the cost.

Service Description

Note that the NTF has recommended the creation of a new category of user, for departments that make use of "alliance services." Alliance Services is defined as data communication networks managed and operated by a department independently from the centrally supported and managed networks. In a typical situation, the department provides the networking infrastructure, including wiring and data communication switches. The data communication switches connect to the campus network maintained by ITS to provide campus and Internet network access. The department also provides human support and operating cost resources for its own network.

I have asked Information Technology Services (ITS) to work with the units that have Alliance Services to develop formal relationships and define network expectations. The Alliance networks that have been identified are posted at the NTF website and will be contacted by ITS to develop formal service agreements.

The FY 2001-2002 rates will be in effect January 1, 2002.