[184] in I/T Delivery
4Q-FY1998 Delivery Report- ASCII version
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Robert V. Ferrara)
Fri Jul 31 19:19:52 1998
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1998 19:19:39 -0400
To: delivery@MIT.EDU
From: "Robert V. Ferrara" <rferrara@MIT.EDU>
Cc: itlt@MIT.EDU
Hello, here is the ASCII version of the 4Q-FY1998 Delivery Report. If
you want a Word version, please let me know.=20
Thanks, Bob=20
<bold>
IT Delivery Process
=46ourth Quarter Report (January-March) - FY1998
</bold> HTTP://WEB.MIT.EDU/IS/DELIVERY/<italic>
</italic>
I. ACCOMPLISHMENTS
A. NEW PROJECTS
*Year 2000 (Y2K) Delivery Project. In response to both the
recommendations the Y2K Discovery Team, and feedback from other
portions of the Institute, the ITLT launched the Y2K Delivery Team.
This team will be responsible for both providing support to the MIT
community in preparing for the Year 2000 and for supporting and
monitoring Year 2000 work on MIT's critical systems. Rocklyn Clarke was
appointed as the team leader. Karen Fortoul, the leader of the Y2K
Discovery Team will continue as a member of the Delivery Team on a
part-time basis. The Audit Division will work in partnership with the
Y2K Delivery Team, contributing 1 EFT towards this effort, with Raymond
Cheng of the Audit Division is the principal Audit representative on
the team. Gayle Willman, a Senior Technical Assistant, with the MIT
Libraries, was hired as a team member. Several interviews have been
planned with potential candidates to fill the remaining two team
slots.
*MIT Financial Architecture Conversion. The goal of converting all of
MIT's operations to the new financial architecture by 1/1/1999 has
become explicit. It is important to keep increasing community
awareness that all MIT departmental systems, even those that do not
feed directly into SAP, will need to convert from the 5/3
account/object code to the 7/6 financial architecture by January 1,
1999. This also means one to one mapping will no longer exist between
old account/object codes and SAP cost collectors (cost objects)/cost
elements (GL accounts). Further, those who need financial data will now
be able to obtain it from the Data Warehouse. This project has been
formalized with five tasks defined and objectives set for each group
using the old financial architecture.
*Telecomm Conversion. The purpose of this project is to convert the
main 5ESS telephone switch and its supporting ICE9/TCM systems to the
new financial architecture and also to build a new feed which goes
directly into SAP, bypassing the monthly "stack" feed. As such, this is
a subproject of the above project and part of Rollout98's Milestone 5.
Jana Tarasenko is leading this project.=20
*MIT SAP Development Standards. This project's focus is to ensure
adequate technical documentation standards are in place and enforced.
SAP is a new environment for MIT's IT community and the central
importance of the SAP system require special considerations. Under the
direction of David Rosenberg, a Development Standards document was
written and distributed to all MIT ABAP developers. The purpose of the
document is to 1) promote uniformity of the code produced as part of
the MIT SAP implementation project, so as to reduce the learning needed
to maintain or enhance programs written by other developers. 2) provide
guidelines intended to reduce the work required to upgrade to a later
version of R/3 3) promote the use of a uniform set of MIT naming
conventions 4) provide information needed to work with MIT's technical
infrastructure 5) share good and efficient techniques.=20
*New Budget Office System (BSRS). The BSRS project involves the
replacement of the current BEERS and MITBUD systems used for MIT
institute budget. It has been determined that the BEERS system cannot
be economically upgraded to handle the Year 2000 and new financial
architecture requirements, so a replacement system is being deployed on
a very ambitious schedule. The contractor is Lawton Associates, who
have prior budget office experience here and at Harvard. IS's initial
involvement is in defining the environment and in supplying hardware,
but this role will now also include development oversight.=20
B. MILESTONES - ROLLOUT98-RELATED PROJECTS
*SAP Phase2 Planning. Delivery personnel continued their participation
on the SAP Phase 2 implementation planning team. This group continued
to meet twice a week to plan the rollout, monitor issues and scope
changes, and suggest items for senior management attention.=20
*MR Development Team. Paul Page continued to lead of the MR development
team and developer oriented consultants. Efforts continue in the area
of team building, member roles & responsibilities, team coordination &=20
communication, planning, hiring, as well as, other customary delivery
related activities.
Also Paul, with the Institute Controller and other members of CAO & MR,
continued as member of the Sloan issues swat team. This team meets, as
required, with Sloan school representatives to discuss and attempt to
resolve Sloan issues and requests for enhancements.
*Consultant Integration. A focus of Paul's this quarter has been the
integration of technical consultants with MIT employees. Previously,
consultants were (generally) physically isolated away from MIT
employees and, as a result, the day-to-day development activities and
problem solving were also isolated. By physically integrating
consultant staff with MIT personnel, knowledge transfer occurs more
naturally during normal daily work activities. Also, problem resolution
appears to occur more quickly as consultants and MIT staff share the
same problem contexts as the result of this co-location. Early results
are most encouraging. =20
*Milestone 2 Completion. During this quarter, many people - including
MR Development and other Delivery people, cooperated to complete
Milestone 2 (enhanced reporting, manual reservations, plan budgets,
etc). This work was successfully completed in May of Quarter 4.
*Technical documentation. There are approximately 500 ABAP programs in
production without documentation or with non-standard technical
documentation. A consultant was hired to address this situation, and
works full time on this effort. This is an addition to another
documentation consultant already working toward rectifying this
situation.
*FM Integration. Paul Page coordinated the effort that performed a high
level investigation & ultimately recommended the integration of the SAP
=46unds Management module into the mainstream of other SAP installed
modules at MIT. This recommendation was made to process owners and
other representatives from MR, OSP, CAO, the Budget Office, as well as,
to the Sr. VP and the VP of IS. Agreement was reached to assemble a
team to fully scope a FM integration effort and to develop a detailed
project plan that will be reviewed by the group when completed. A
decision to proceed or not will be made upon completion of that
review.
*Physical Plant. This project is focused on implementing the Physical
Plan functions of budgeting, cost collection, cost distribution and
cost reporting onto SAP for the purposes of cost allocation and
recovery. Accomplishments for this quarter include completion of
Requirements and Design document for the business unit, one of the 7
business units within Physical Plant and the 1st Plant rollout
planned. In addition a playback session demonstrating 4 real business
scenarios was completed for 2 groups of DCS users and for CAO.
*Electronic Catalog, next generation (ECAT2). Work continued on SAPWeb
requisitioning front-end and related interfaces to SAP. NECX's backlog
on other projects delayed completion of this work in Q4. Work is
expected to resume and complete in Q1 of FY1999. We successfully mapped
and translated an EDI purchase order and shared keys and test messages
with NECX. MR work progressed to build necessary customizations in SAP
to support ECAT2 fields, release strategies, and workflows.
*EDI Infrastructure. Harbinger and Templar have been installed on the
EDI server in the data center. Templar (the secure interface to the
Internet) has been tested with Templar Tech Support and is in process
of testing with our first Trading Partner NECX. TLE, the mapping and
translation software has been tested in an SF3 environment to process
EDI 850 Purchase Order transactions originating as SAP idocs
(intermediate documents). Inbound invoices (EDI 810 documents) are
being developed for testing with NECX. Testing has begun on the
translation maps for OSP.
*SAP WEB Interface Release 2: Work continued on the "create
requisition" transaction. Plans were developed for the "edit
requisition" transaction. We decided to use the OBI "standard" to
implement ECAT2 support. Further work in this area has been postponed
pending needed software input from NECX.
*SAPWeb partnership with SAP. This project has been downgraded in
priority in order to provide needed resources for the Phase 4 Rollout
(Sept. 1, 1998). Ted Ts'o visited Duke University and gathered useful
information about SAP/R3 4.0, which is needed for this project. We are
now planning to do some of the preliminary testing at Duke.=20
*MIT Data Warehouse. This was an active quarter for the Warehouse team.
Production readiness was basically completed and all production
operations switched to the new production warehouse machine (Orca);
master and detail feeds from SAP and OSP were fully automated. A test
warehouse system was set up on a new machine (Blimp). On the
application design side, a new financial schema was implemented and
existing reports were modified accordingly, design/prototype of balance
and budget schemas were completed, and ROLES and Purchasing production
data was loaded to warehouse for prototype use. On the technical side,=20
the wrapper function for metadata was re-designed and successfully
implemented; testing hierarchy processing using PL/SQL were tested and
implemented; and new BrioQuery (version 5.5) installers for Windows and
the PowerMac were developed and tested.
C. MILESTONES - ALL OTHER PROJECTS
*ADDS. The project, renamed ADONIS, involves the implementation of
Business System Resource's Advance System, replacing the current
mainframe-based ADDS System. All but one module will be implemented in
1Q FY1999, with the Events Module to be implemented later in 1998. In
this quarter, IS continued to provide assistance in areas of either
problem resolution (desktop issues, printing, deployment, SAP feeds) or
project planning.
*CSTR Image Delivery. The is a joint research initiative, part of the
LCS Library 2000 project, to scan, archive, process, and deliver
Computer Science Technical Reports to an MIT desktop. The current
effort will deliver screen-viewable and printable page images as a
production-quality service with explicit levels of support. This
quarter new image processing software was deployed with image
enhancement code smart enough to make faint images more visible, and to
eliminate gray background found on most images=20
* Desktop Delivery of MIT Theses This project is an outgrowth of the
CSTR work and its function is to deliver MIT Theses in electronic form
to the desktop via MITNET from an online repository.(This project is=20
distinct from the project to accept electronic submission of MIT
Theses.) This quarter the prototype Dienst server, which delivers a
small collection of theses, was deployed. A webpage, with search
engine, is now available at http://theses.mit.edu.=20
*Electronic Proposal/Submission System (COEUS). The project team
continued to support the existing COEUS v 2.2 application, while
completing the COEUS -> SAP R/3 master data feed (including support for
the Research Budget Numbers -- Plan 0). All specific goals for this
quarter were met, except prototype testing by members of the MIT
Community. Approximately 12 people are willing to test the application;
however, these users are Macintosh computer users and the application
has not been ported to this platform yet. Specific accomplishments
include: completion of the integration of the existing application
(Sponsored Programs Management System, SPMS) and the Electronic
Proposal System (EPS); postscript printing has been achieved; and
serious EDI prototyping begun. Additionally, the project team, along
with the Facilities Management and the Database Services teams,
upgraded the application server. The server upgrade (anticipated for
second quarter, FY 1998) was expedited because of performance
constraints. Accomplishing this 6 months earlier is a significant
benefit for OSP and the Project Team.
*Help Tools. This project is now in full production and has effectively
transitioned to Service. The Web interface has met all user
expectations.=20
*WEB-based conferencing. This quarter the application went into limited
production on the final production hardware. All major security
features and user interface enhancements have been incorporated.=20
The following are the Delivery activities of the Network Software
Services team:
*MacZephyr. The final build for 1.3 was made and the installer written.
Again more small bugs were found and resolved.
*MacHostInfo. Resolved more bugs involving proper use of shared
libraries and minimal system requirements. Moved to final 1.0 build and
wrote installer.
*MacDev source tree. Continued evaluating CodeWarrior Pro 3. Due to
many initial bugs, the main truck of the MacDev source tree was not
moved to CWP3 although a branch was started.
*Pismere. Zephyr continues to be tested. Dave Lawless and Konstantin
Berdichevsky are reviewing code from Carnegie Mellon and designing an
improved User Interface based on Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC).
*Windows installers. The revised MINK installer was not released in Q4.
There were problems with Windows 98. The use of MINK could prevent
Windows98 from booting. Q1-FY99 is the revised expected delivery date.
D. STAFF/PROCESS DEVELOPMENT.
Hiring. Despite the hot market, major strides have been made in
recruiting new staff. We are now closer to having a full complement
than at any time in the past few years.=20
Project Management Institute. Delivery collaborated with Brenda
Gillingham and the Competency Group to inaugurate MIT 's tenure as a
Corporate Member of the Project Management Institute. Nineteen people
can now take direct advantage of the various PMI programs.=20
Delivery Goals. The two dozen Delivery Goals defined shortly after the
new Director arrived were revisited several times at the Delivery Team
Leaders meetings. About 3/4 were fully or partially completed by the
target implementation date of 7/31/1998.
II. PLANS FOR FIRST QUARTER, FY1999
A. ROLLOUT98-RELATED PROJECTS
*MR Development Team. Focus and sustain team efforts towards meeting
milestone deliverables during quarters 1 and 2 while maintaining
progress on lower priority projects. Deliverables include on-going
support of Release 1, Sloan & ASO, Phase 1, Milestone 2, as well as,
delivery of milestone 4 functionality that has a delivery target date
of September 1998. Continue to facilitate the transition of development
team and consultant developed SAP related functionality and programs to
MIT process owner personnel as appropriate.
*Client Consolidation. Working with appropriate representatives from
IS, process owners, and MR, finalize and implement consolidation of our
two development environments
(SF1 & SF2).=20
*Transports. Continue work on addressing transport process issues &
transport authorizations. Implement (if feasible and approved) an
automated change request system to replace the paper based manual
system.
*FM Integration. During quarter 1 (if possible) convene the team to
fully scope the FM integration effort and produce a detailed project
plan for review by process owners and others to determine whether to
proceed with that effort or postpone it to a later date.
*MIT Financial Architecture Conversion. Obtain wider publicity.
Increase Departmental outreach and position for "end game" conversions.
Produce detailed Payroll conversion plan.=20
*Telecomm Conversion. Complete conversion by October, including
adequate user notification for "191" feature on telephones.
*MIT SAP Development Standards. Refine Development Standards document.
Monitor consultant progress on undocumented production backlog. Begin
peer review process to ensure adherence to standards and share
knowledge.=20
*New Budget Office System (BSRS). Procure startup hardware. Review
formal plan. Insure good project management discipline and
communications procedures are followed.=20
*Physical Plant. Go-live for DCS on August 3rd. Complete requirements
and design document for Custodial and the Utilities business units.
Complete integration testing in preparation of Custodial business unit
go-live of Oct 1.
*EDI Infrastructure. Complete testing of the TLE and Templar software
with NECX. Begin working on EDI for an OBI (Open Buying on the
Internet) transaction for OBI Trading Partners (Office Depot, VWR,
etc.)
=20
*Electronic Catalog, next generation. Finish work on SAPWeb
requisitioning, including import of NECX shopping basket. Complete
mapping, translation, and testing of EDI PO and invoice transactions
with NECX. Work with MR to complete SAP customizations. Conduct=20
end-to-end testing of the ECAT2 ordering process. Complete training,
documentation, and support plans. Begin pilot testing of NECX/ECAT2.
Continue migration planning with Office Depot, VWR, and BOC Gases.
Continue work with Publishing Services Bureau to design ECAT solution
for procurement of business cards, letterhead, and other business
forms.
*SAP WEB Interface Release 2. Rollout general web based requisitioning
to the MIT community (Sept. 1, 1998). Work with NECX to implement ECAT2
support (mid Sept. - Oct. 1998).
*SAPWeb partnership with SAP. Set up a SAP/R3 4.0 test environment
(depending on other MR priorities). Test the WGATE server running under
Solaris, and the WGATE - AGATE SNC communication.
*MIT Data Warehouse. Besides the rollout itself, other 1Q activities
will be:
=B7 Complete design/prototype of purchasing schemas.
=B7 Design/prototype of credit card schemas.
=B7 Design/prototype of departmental budget schemas.
=B7 Create and distribute (via the web) new BrioQuery reports.
=B7 Automate balance, institute budget, and purchasing data feeds.
=B7 Rollout financial detail, financial master, balance, institute
budget, and purchasing data.
=B7 Make new BrioQuery (version 5.5) installers for windows and the
PowerMac available.
=B7 Switch to the new test warehouse machine (Blimp).
=B7 Continue enhancing the end user metadata.
=B7 Present financial data to SAP Users Group.
=B7 Continue working one-on-one with end users to create BrioQuery
reports=20
B. ALL OTHER PROJECTS
*Year 2000. Complete staffing. Maintain Web Pages. Expand community
outreach/education. Address vendor and customer Y2K compliance
certifications. .=20
*ADDS. IS involvement should decrease as the ADONIS system becomes the
system of record around the beginning of September.
=20
*CSTR Image Delivery. Put image processing into full swing. Receive new
bit image server hardware including a tape stacker and a RAID array.
=20
*Desktop Delivery of MIT Theses. Investigate issues of enlarging the
collection and making the prototype more production quality.
*Publication Subscription, Address and List Management Service. Begin
Delivery work on PSALMS.
*Electronic Proposal/Submission System (COEUS). Focus on end user
documentation, training and prepping for a September cutover. Port the
PB application to the Macintosh platform (a few contingencies are being
actively pursued). Continue with regular testing and demos for the
community (thanks to OSP) with even more hands-on user trials. Revisit
email and PGP options. Continue EDI link. Cut over on Labor Day
week-end cutover to COEUS v3.0.
=20
*WEB-based conferencing. In Q1, final production adjustments will be
made for full production and the project will move into Service.
The following are the Q1 Delivery Goals of the Network Software
Services team:
*MacZephyr. Release 1.3 with new installer (has actually already
happened but it happened in July)
*MacHostInfo. Release 1.0 with new installer (has actually already
happened but it happened in July)
*Pismere. Review proposal for new UI for Zephyr. Start work on Moira
port to NT.
*Windows installers. Release revised MINK installer. Expect to release
new HostExplorer and Eudora installers in Q1 as well.
C. STAFF/PROCESS DEVELOPMENT.
*SAP staffing. As required and in accordance with the Institute-wide
roll-out plan seek out and hire MR technical staff and consultants to
provide adequate personnel to support identified resource
requirements.
*Project Management. Sponsor project management SIG. Use MIT Corporate
PMI membership options.=20
*Delivery Process Map. Enhance for "packaged" applications. Add formal
debriefing alternatives.=20
