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CREN News Volume 4, Number 1
 CREN's VIRTUAL SEMINARS to be held in your computer! CREN member representatives will soon receive a package from CREN containing state-of-the-art learning CDs - the first of CREN's Virtual Seminars. Take as much of the seminars as your busy schedule permits and share them with colleagues. CREN is looking forward to your feedback as it continues to find ways to help you meet the new opportunities and challenges created for higher education by the evolution and maturation of digital networking. Find more about CREN and the Virtual Seminars at www.cren.net. What are the CREN Virtual Seminars? These two thoroughly indexed and well-organized CDs are packed with hours of expertise on digital communications networks. CREN has taken outstanding experts in pertinent fields, put them in comfortable, seminar-like environments, and recorded video and audio presentations. You'll see and hear the presenter in one window while the virtual whiteboard/slide show illustrates what each presenter is discussing. Plus, there are easily accessible reference lists, transcripts of the presentations, a glossary, and FAQs. CREN believes that higher education IT professionals on member campuses should have the opportunity to experience the new learning environments they are advocating. CREN's Virtual Seminars offer that opportunity. Who developed the content? The first CD, "Campus Communications Strategies," is based on a workshop of networking experts sponsored by the Common Solutions Group in Keystone, Colorado, in late 1995. The group considered campus networking strategies for the year 2000. Its discussions led to a two-day workshop sponsored by CREN in Salt Lake City, Utah, during the summer of 1996, which was followed by one-day workshops at both the CAUSE and the Educom annual conferences during the winter of 1996-97. The second CD, "Untangling the Web," is a compilation of presentations created by Howard Strauss of Princeton University - a leading authority on the World Wide Web. He presents regularly at CAUSE, Educom, and other quality conferences. As a group, the CREN Virtual Seminars presenters represent a depth and breadth of expertise rarely found in one place. Why CREN? CREN's mission is to support institutions of higher education by providing seminars, workshops, educational and training materials, and software tools that enable information technology professionals to understand and exploit advances in technology; train faculty, students, and staff in strategic technology areas using distance education modules; and provide leadership in using distance education and collaboration technology. The Virtual Seminars are the result of the vision of CREN's Board of Trustees, specifically the Futures Committee, led by former CREN Executive Director Ken King and consisting of Ira Fuchs of Princeton University, Doug Gale of George Washington University, Doug Van Houweling of the University of Michigan, and Russ Vaught of Pennsylvania State University. CREN's Virtual Seminars not only provide a vital professional development tool for everyone in higher education who has network-management responsibilities, they also serve the complementary purpose of advancing the art of using the latest in information technology to deliver education in a cost-effective and comfortable format. How to use the CREN CDs and contribute to the Virtual Seminars' evolution It's Monday morning and you've just received an e-mail message from your boss letting you know that you are the expert at an 11:00 a.m. meeting of colleagues who are preparing the plan for renovating the old Library Science Building. Your task is to brief them on network wiring infrastructure. Then you remember the package you received from CREN. You open your drawer, pull out the "Campus Communications Strategies" CD from CREN's Virtual Seminars, and click your way to Guy Jones' "Wiring Infrastructure" presentation. When you arrive at the meeting later in the morning you're arriving fresh from your personal briefing on wiring infrastructure, and you even had time to browse part of Jones' presentation on collapsed backbone switching as well. Or, try this scenario: The Provost, someone you've known for years as each of you moved through the campus administrative structure, tells you at lunch that she'd really like to "get it" about using the World Wide Web. She admits that she is not inclined, however, to attend one of those group sessions used to train support staff in basic Internet functionality. Later that day you send a work-study student over to her office with your extra copy of the Untangling the Web CD from CREN's Virtual Seminars. In the accompanying note you suggest that she attend Howard Strauss's 60-minute presentation "Power Browsing on the World Wide Web." A week later, she returns the CD and tells you that she has just ordered her own copy from the CREN website. When the CREN Future Committee conceived of the CREN Virtual Seminar series, it was with the intent of providing just these kinds of assistance to you and your colleagues on your campus. The primary audience is members of the information technology staffs and leadership at the colleges and universities that are members of CREN. Each member institution will receive at least two sets of the CDs free and can purchase additional sets at a special member price. The basic model of the Virtual Seminars is for each CD to represent several related tracks of presentations-similar to what you might find at an Educom or CAUSE conference. For example, on the Campus Communications Strategies CD, you will find a "track" on Funding the Network that consists of three sessions: "Networking Costs" by Doug Gale, "NSF Supported Connectivity" by David Staudt, and "Funding Strategies for the Campus Network" by David Lambert. It would be a very special conference, indeed, where you could find these three very knowledgeable experts lined up to give you an entire morning's worth of updates on the costs of running a campus network. CREN's Virtual Seminar series puts this and many other tracks in your hands to use whenever you want. By using the presentation model, the Virtual Seminars bring you something you are familiar with and also puts the presenters into comfortable surroundings to deliver their information. The circumstances are better controlled than in a conference hotel, where the AV might go out or the acoustics might be terrible. And there is no possibility, of course, that you'll be sitting behind a pillar and find it difficult to view the informative, supporting graphics, animations, and photos. You also control when and where you "attend" the sessions. CREN's intent is to do more than just provide you with this valuable resource. CREN is leading higher education in finding ways to synergistically bring pieces of state-of-the-art information technology and presentation technology together to deliver information when and where it is needed. The Virtual Seminars provide a working example of one model of distance-independent education. Since your Web browser is the interface for the seminars, CREN can readily move your information delivery medium from CD to Internet. The CD provides a stable platform for bandwidth and storage, while the Internet brings timeliness and additional possibilities for interactivity. When Internet bandwidth capacity is sufficient, it may become the primary medium for the Seminars. Meanwhile, when you attend the Virtual Seminars, you are also experiencing CREN implementing technological advances in "learning at the desktop," a key element in the development of a perpetual learning paradigm. CREN will keep you informed, by e-mail, newsletter, and with its Web site at www.cren.net about the planned implementation of website FAQs on the Virtual Seminars, question and answer from the experts via e-mail, and session updates from the presenters. This is not a one-way process; it needs to be a community effort. Please contribute your part to the evolution of this digital networking learning community by providing your feedback and comments and by getting the CDs into the hands of your colleagues who need them. ListProc 8.2 CREN is pleased to announce the soon-to-be released ListProc 8.2, the latest version of our popular electronic mailing list management software. Version 8.2 follows ListProc's tradition of ease of use with the introduction of an intuitive Web interface for subscriber interactions, subscription management, and list archive access. Look for additional features in early 1998 with version 9.0. Electronic mailing lists (also known as discussion groups) offer a highly efficient way to both disseminate information to large numbers of people and hold long-distance discussions among many people. Internet mailing lists have become a critical component of scholarly collaboration, and many colleges and universities use them to facilitate and enhance classroom education. Mailing lists are an easy way to reach many people quickly by automating the distribution of e-mail to those who subscribe to a mailing list. ListProc is a premier software package for managing and maintaining e-mail distribution lists. List subscribers and administrators interact with ListProc either through the new Web interface, through ListProc's interactive interface, or with simple e-mail commands. ListProc is highly efficient, allowing sites to conveniently maintain thousands of lists on a single server. Furthermore, CREN's simple licensing scheme places no limits on the number of lists or subscribers per server. CREN members are entitled to one to four copies of ListProc (depending on the level of dues) at no charge. Additional copies are available for $250 a piece. Nonmember pricing is also available. Institutions already using ListProc consider it essential to their communications palette. Significant New Features of ListProc 8.2
List templates
ListProc 8.2 Web Interface Basic Features of ListProc
E-mail discussion groups
Spam and Faked Subscription Protection Options
Management Features
Efficiency For more information about ListProc and how to obtain it, contact Rob von Behren at jrvb@cren.net or see http://www.cren.net. Virtual Seminars' navigation is intuitive The first CD in the Virtual Seminars, titled "Campus Communication Strategies," is intended to provide practitioners at all levels with a cost- and resource-efficient way to review and understand what is state of the art in campus networking technology, as well as provide a window into the future of information networking. The presenters (see page 4) are both experienced managers of campus technology and experienced leaders of seminars and symposia. The CD begins with a brief introduction by Ira Fuchs, followed by the option to select the presentation you'd like to view from the Main Menu. The menu consists of a column of Topics (at a conference, these would be called "tracks"), each with a row of Presentation titles and authors (See Figure 1, page 6). To get started, click directly on any presentation, or choose to click on a topic first, to view a brief summary of the objective and contents of that topic's presentations. CREN's Virtual Seminars CDs include much of the latest in CD technology and they are designed to be intuitively navigable. In each presentation, the presenter audio and video is linked to an index of the presenter's "slides" (see Fi gure 2). The slides appear in a window to the right of the presenter's video. There are extensive references, a glossary, and links to the CREN Virtual Seminar web site and FAQs. Topics/Tracks In the Communications Basics topic, Doug Gale outlines the "Objectives" of the CD and then furnishes a comprehensive, basic course in the "Fundamentals of Communications." Gale's presentations serve as a conceptual framework for understanding the effects of digital networking on the academic community and for viewing the issues presented and discussed by the other presenters. Funding the Network is crucial, representing perhaps the most difficult sets of issues for technically inclined managers involved in the micro and macro funding environments for digital networks. Dave Lambert puts the network financing issue into an enlightening institutional perspective in "Funding Strategies for the Campus Network." "NSF Supported Internet Connectivity" features an experienced NSFer, David Staudt, who elucidates that institution's funding opportunities and process. As campus networks "mature" with regard to institutional management structures, it becomes more obvious to more people that they aren't free! Doug Gale discusses "Network Costs" in a thoughtful and pragmatic way. Among his aids is a useful spreadsheet template that you can put to use. The Campus Communications Infrastructure topic acknowledges that the next generation of hardware and software must work with an infrastructure even now being designed and constructed. How do you reconcile future needs with current funding and technology? Guy Jones, in "Wiring Infrastructure," provides an in-depth description of the physical-plant needs to support future communications needs. In "Collapsed Backbone and Switching," he more specifically addresses one of those needs - how to move from shared backbone and LAN configurations to collapsed backbone switched architectures. In his presentation of the same name, David Lambert makes the case, functionally and financially, for "Integrating Voice, Data, and Video in the Campus Network." Network Management and Network Security are topical areas where presenters have created resources on this CD for those who need the basics as well for those experienced professionals who want to know what works for others. In "Network Management: Basics," Ken Klingenstein examines ways to manage equipment, software, support issues, and more. In "Network Management: Tools and Best Practices," he shares his knowledge and the results of his research into best-case practices and tools that really work. In "Network Security: Basics" and "Network Security: Tools and Best Practices," Mark Bruhn presents guidelines for making sure users are who they say they are and that institutional systems are not breached - doing so in the one instance for those who need to understand the basics, and in the other instance examining more sophisticated security management for experienced practitioners. The topic of Intercampus and Off Campus Connectivity goes beyond our own campuses to the sometimes thorny issues relating to connecting our users to the rest of the world. "ISDN Fundamentals," from Guy Jones, will provide you with everything you need to know to make decisions about this interim technology. If you need a network that is mobile, temporary, or in changing environments, Brad Reese's presentation on "Wireless LANs" provides answers to your questions about functionality, providers, and costs. Third-party providers are becoming a more common option for higher education institutions. Ardoth Hassler covers the full spectrum of issues regarding "Outsourcing Remote Access" for your campus - down to the details of putting together your RFP! What will the "new" Internet do to you when it arrives? Will it affect you at all? How can you plan to position your network to make best use of the speed, bandwidth, and other improvements? Doug Van Houweling's presentation, "Internet 2 and Networking Futures," will give you an overview from someone in the position to know where things are re ally going from here. Addressing the academic community's demands for quality of service, speed, and bandwidth means that network managers must deliver high-performance networks. In High Performance Networking, Ken Klingenstein's presentation, "Advanced Networking," addresses the issues facing network managers as they cope with developing high performance networks. His presentation includes guidelines to available options. Meet the Virtual Seminars Presenters Mark Bruhn is Assistant Director for Information and Systems Services, and Information Security Officer, at Indiana University Computing Services. He is responsible for directing areas tasked with development, administration, and maintenance of databases and computing infrastructure in support of the business functions of the university. He is also responsible for disaster recovery, quality assurance, security administration, and data center operations in support of all IU central computing. The titles of Bruhn's presentations are: Network Security: Basics and Network Security: Tools and Best Practices. Doug Gale is currently Associate Vice President for Information Systems and Services at the George Washington University. He was one of the original developers of the Internet, founding one of the first regional networks on the NSFNET and serving as the NSFNET Program Director for two years. While NSFNET Program Director, Gale was responsible for the development of the first T3 national backbone. Earlier in his career, he was a tenured Professor in both Physics and Computer Science and currently serves on the Board of Directors of CREN and CAUSE. Gale's presentations include: Objectives on the Campus Communications Strategies CD, Fundamentals of Communications, and Networking Costs. Ardoth Hassler is Executive Director and CIO for the main campus at Georgetown University and co-author of the 1996 seminal article in CAUSE/EFFECT, "Guidelines for Outsourcing Remote Access." Hassler has held leadership positions in both CAUSE and Educom and has made numerous presentations at CAUSE, Educom, ACUTA, Southern Directors, and the conferences of other professional organizations. Hassler presents Outsourcing Remote Access. Guy Jones is Director of Technology at George Washington University, where he is responsible for the installation of a state-of-the-art fiber-to-the-desktop ATM-based campus network. He has a master's degree in Systems Management from the University of Southern California as well as extensive experience in transitioning from shared backbone to collapsed backbone switched networks. Jones delivers presentations on Collapsed Backbone and Switching, Wiring Infrastructure, and ISDN Fundamentals. Ken Klingenstein is Director of Computing and Network Services at the University of Colorado-Boulder. He has been a leader in national networking for over a decade, serving as Vice President of FARNET, Chair of the Federal Networking Council Advisory Committee, and as a member of the CAUSE Board of Directors. Boulder's campus is home to several state and regional network management centers and was the first campus to connect to the vBNS (NSF-sponsored very-high speed Backbone Network Service). Klingenstein presents Advanced Networking, Network Management: Basics, and Network Management: Tools and Best Practices. David Lambert is Vice President for Information Technologies at Cornell University, an institutions which is a national leader in networking and was awarded the prestigious CAUSE award for campus networking excellence in 1995. Cornell is also a leader in integrating voice, video, and data through its Cells in Frames Project. Lambert presents sessions on Integrating Voice, Data, and Video and Funding Strategies for the Campus Network. Doug Van Houweling is Vice Provost for Academic Outreach and Information Technology and Dean of Academic Outreach at the University of Michigan. He is internationally recognized for his leadership in the creation and evolution of both the NSFNET and the Internet. The title of Van Houweling's presentation is Internet 2 and Networking Futures. Brad Reese is Director of Information Services at George Washington University and is responsible for one of the earliest and largest wireless computer networks in the Northeastern United States. Reese shares his expertise about Wireless Networking. David Staudt has been an Associate Program Director in the NSF's Division of Networking and Communication Research and Infrastructure for over a decade. Staudt will bring you up to date on NSF Supported Internet Connectivity. Howard Strauss is Manager, Advanced Applications (CIT) at Princeton University. He is a frequent presenter of sessions and workshops at conferences of groups such as Educom, CAUSE, CNI, and other higher education information technology-related organizations. Strauss is the primary presenter for all sessions in the "Untangling the Web" CD, including presentations such as Power Browsing on the World Wide Web, Java and JavaScript, and The Future of the Web.
Experiencing the delivery end of cutting-edge learning technology In delivering the Virtual Seminars, CREN's primary intent is to deliver important content to CREN members. The Virtual Seminars also support CREN's mission to exploit advances in technology and to provide leadership using distance education. When using the Virtual Seminars CDs, you will experience advanced technology - and the trade-offs that come with it - while learning material that is relevant to you. You support and advocate information technology infrastructures for learning. Shouldn't you directly experience what it feels like to use such advanced learning technology? Bringing you the software necessary to experience the Virtual Seminars and still having plenty of room on the CD for hours of content is one clear advantage of the CD-ROM platform. If you do not already have Netscape 3.01, you may install it from the CD. Also for installation on your PC is Progressive Network's plugin for Netscape, RealPlayer. This combination of software provides a familiar Web browser interface while permitting management of a multimedia information stream with compressed video and synchronized control of graphical and text displays. For example, as the slide show changes, the detailed table of contents for each presentation scrolls up so that the title of the section you are hearing and reading is highlighted. This is accomplished by requiring sustained transfer rates of only 28k bits per second or less, which means that in the future, the presentations might be delivered over many campus LANs - or with Internet 2 technology over even broader areas. Using the Virtual Seminars CDs will sensitize you to some of the trade-offs necessary to gain such high performance. The substantial compression of the video stream has several consequences in addition to permitting use over many networks. One is that using CREN's approach to the content presentation, as many as 22 hours of video can be placed onto a single CD. It would be far more costly and bulky to provide the same information and presentation using videotape. A less positive factor is that it takes a substantial amount of computing power to decompress the video stream for playback. A relatively new and powerful PC is needed to fully experience the Virtual Seminars. The Virtual Seminars are not television. Even in the fastest and most powerful machines, compression means some loss of resolution, limits in frame rate that create a perception of lost lip-synch, and some visual artifacts during excessive motion. CREN chose to deliver high-quality audio as a default mode even at the cost of occasional reduced video quality. Each time you use the CDs, you have the opportunity to select audio and slide show without the video should you prefer that - or should you be using a less powerful computer that may not be able to handle the video data stream. By playing the Virtual Seminars CDs, you'll enjoy content that is important to you professionally while experiencing cutting-edge learning technology. This is what it feels like at the receiving end! CREN's Virtual Seminars enable you to immerse yourself in some of the key learning technologies being deployed today. This is an excellent way to learn what is both important and what is not in using Internet technology to deliver learning. Enjoy the Virtual Seminars, and be sure to share them with others on your campus. Greg Marks is associate director for Online Services at Merit Network. He led the development and production of CREN's Virtual Seminars CDs. Virtual Seminars contents-at-a-glance CD-ROM 1. Campus Communications Strategies
Communications Basics
Objectives by Doug Gale
Campus Communications Infrastucture
Intercampus and Off Campus Connectivity
High Performance Networking
Network Management
Funding the Network
Network Security CD-ROM 2. Untangling the Web
All presentations by Howard Strauss
Corporation for Research and Educational Networking (CREN)
President and CEO Ira Fuchs Trustees: Linda Cabot, Anthony D. Conto, Ira Fuchs, Douglas Gale, Raman Khanna, Larry Rapagnani, Martin Solomon, Ann E. Stunden, Douglas Van Houweling, Russell S. Vaught, James L. Wolf
Executive Director Judith V. Boettcher |
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