Implementation from the IT manager's perspective Geoff Calvert IT Manager Oxford University Centre...

Implementation from the IT manager's perspective

Geoff CalvertIT Manager

Oxford University Centre for the Environment

What do you do when you inherit a system that is designed to run 24 hours a day?

Why keep the machines running?

• Security updates• Long startup times• Remote management• Backups• Reliability

Why switch off?

• Saves electricity• ‘Green’ image• Reliability

Wake on LAN

• The ultimate panacea?• Even centralised WoL doesn’t address all the

issues.

How do we get over the problems?

How do we get over the problems?• Security updates– Additional staff– WSUS– Altiris


• Long startup times


• Backups


• Remote management

How do we get shutdown working?


• Tell peopleI am pleased to announce that we are now in a position where users can, and indeed should, switch their PCs off when they are not in use. Apart from the obvious cost reductions due to reduced electricity usage, the Centre for the Environment can now begin to demonstrate its commitment to the environment.

There have been a number of issues that have had to be overcome before this policy could be implemented:

1. We now have centralised management software that will install security updates on PCs and will, if necessary, wake them up to do so.

2. Central computing services (OUCS) have developed a system whereby users can wake their PC up remotely by logging onto a web page. This means that those of you who use Remote Desktop to access their PC can now wake the PC up, wait for 5 minutes or so while it starts, and then log on using Remote Desktop.

3. If you run the central backup service on your computer, you can register it to be woken up for the backup. This means that you no longer have to remember to leave the PC running on Tuesday /Wednesday evenings. If you do opt for this service, you would be well advised to check that the backup did indeed run.

4. If your PC takes a long time to start up, you can register for it to be woken up at a specified time each morning so that it is ready for you when you get into work.

5. If you want us to do so, we can configure your PC so that it will switch off automatically after a period of inactivity and if you are logged off. This means that you would not need to remember to switch it off at the end of the day.


• Group policy – standby and hibernate• Automated script

How do we know it is working?


• Central monitor


• Departmental monitor


• Nagios


• pnp4nagios

What is the result?

Implementation from the IT manager's perspective Geoff Calvert IT Manager Oxford University Centre...

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