Freeware feature: OldCMP

I recently ran across a freeware tool called OldCMP that's been around for quite some time. OldCMP is a command-line tool that helps you find old user or computer accounts in your Active Directory environment.

To those outside of technology, it doesn't make sense that you could "lose" user or computer objects. However, if you regularly use scripts and imaging software to create, replace update or delete massive numbers of users and computers, then the concept of "lost" objects makes a great deal of sense. In addition, in Kentucky's environment, we leverage ePolicy Orchestrator to keep antivirus software updated and, as you might imagine, it's difficult to gather useful reports on antivirus coverage if your machine counts aren't accurate.

** A quick 'cover yourself' type of note that this is a freeware tool and it is what it is, you get what you pay for, etc. Also, it's a command-line tool that is interfacing with Active Directory, so note that you can really do some damage to your directory if you don't use this tool properly. **

With that out of the way, let's cover a few details. You can download the tool at the link provided above. You can review many of the command-line switches available here. Switches that you'd use in our particular environment would likely be:

-b basedn (to specify the directory location to begin - in our case, you'd use several "DC=" settings to establish a district domain in our forest)

-age x (to specify the minimum age for a password change - we might use 90 days or even longer to increase the likelihood that results are machines/user that are really not being used)

-llts (This allows us to use LastLogonTimeStamp for some of the age stats. Some trust this more than the password change statistic in AD and, between the two, you will likely be able to verify that machines/users are really as dated as they appear)

- format dhtml (For IE, this would allow the report to generate in dynamic HTML format, which would allow you to sort the resorts by clicking on column headings, etc. This is very useful.)

-report (simply to write a report of the objects found)

So, if I run OldCMP from a command prompt with this format:

oldcmp.exe -b DC=adams,DC=kentucky,DC=org -age 90 -llts -format dhtml -report

If I were in the adams.kentucky.org AD domain, I should generate a dynamic HTML file that shows the computers in my domain that have a LastLogonTimeStamp setting of older than 90 days. It could be that some machines haven't logged on in years and you could find that by sorting on the proper column.

Perhaps some of you have used this tool in the past or, for others, perhaps you can use this to some benefit. In our environment, this could be a very useful tool for districts to clean up their AD domain and more easily identify machines that need to be removed.

Energy Savings and Magic Packets

Kentucky schools have embarked on an energy management program. This was required by law and every district is participating at some level. This energy saving initiative deals with all aspects of the school, from lighting to HVAC, food service, transportation, etc.

Technology can and should be involved at some level. As a successful CIO, it's always good to demonstrate leadership by participating and cooperating with high-level district initiatives such as these. Along those lines, I thought I'd take a moment to mention the capability of remotely shutting down and starting computers. This may seem minor but, to a lab manager that touches 30 machines in a lab to power off or power on a lab, this will save time and buy you some goodwill. These remote capabilities also could open the door to scheduled shutdowns and power-ons, which definitely falls in line with the energy management initiatives.

Shutting down computers is easy enough and can be done via command line. As most of you well know, if it can be done via command line, then it can be done via script or GUI-based tool. There are countless tools that allow for remote shutdown and I won't bother to feature one here. The point is simply that it can be done and, if you're not doing it now, you should consider implementing this and doing so as part of an energy-saving initiative.

Most are also aware that computers can be powered on remotely as well. The technology involved concerns Wake-on-LAN and the use of a "magic packet". Wake-on-LAN is available on every machine that's even relatively current. To enable this capability, a BIOS setting may need to be changed.

In addition to getting the machine ready, your switches would need to support the use of the "magic packet". As an aside, the magic packet is a special broadcast that is sent to the LAN or specific machines via the network. You'll want to test this to ensure that your switches and your particular network configuration supports proper transfer of this packet, but that packet is what triggers the machine to power on (and, not coincidentally, this is one reason that a slight amount of power still passes through a networked computer that is powered off).

Assuming your switches and computers are capable of supporting Wake-on-LAN and magic packet transfer, you should be ready to implement remote power-on. As with remote shutdown, there are many tools available to send those packets and automate the process. This post wasn't meant to highlight those tools and a few simple searches will lead you to multiple options. However, I thought it was worth a few minutes to highlight the concept of remote power-on and shutdown and ask you to consider implementing it as part of an overall energy management solution for your district.

The Crystal Ball

As I look ahead to the next school year for our districts, I thought I'd take a moment to mention a few trends that we'll all likely face in the next year or two. We're already seeing some of these topics coming up in some districts, but I feel like these trends will continue and accelerate:

* $$$ and doing more with less (or withOUT) - I mentioned Title IID concerns a year ago and they have come to pass, so there will be less federal money for education technology. Kentucky's budget for 7/1/10 through 6/30/12 called for technology funding cuts and that will have a large impact from the state perspective. And then - THEN - it seems that our state may have a $200-$300M shortfall (after these passed budget cuts, mind you) if we don't receive a federal Medicaid funding match. That could mean that we face further budget cuts during this budget cycle. I don't enjoy hearing about and talking about budget cuts any more than you do, but I emphasize these to point out that the cuts are real and we're going to feel them. I have school districts that are cutting staff and hard decisions will also have to be made regarding replacement of aging technology. As one example, a district is considering replacement of some devices with the NComputing 'virtual' computers. As stated in the title for this section, there's no doubt that districts will be trying to do more with less and, with all of the fat trimmed from budgets, I feel like some will be forced to make the tougher decisions to do without resources, whether those be personnel, new hardware or new software.

* Even MORE controversy as boundaries are crossed - I could link hundreds of articles to make my point, but I'll limit myself to a single link and humbly ask that you make the time to read this New York Times article on school districts being pulled into difficult issues related to technology use and abuse. I have several districts who have noted that they're getting called weekly on Facebook-related issues. I know of staff members who have been questioned about their curious choice of Facebook profile picture and/or status, particularly when some of their 'friends' are students. I know of districts who have had to deal with their users posting very inappropriate content to sites like these. The instinct for district leadership is to call the CIO when something occurs, because it's on the Internet and a computer was used. As the article points out, what do you do when the issue didn't occur on school grounds or with school property? Some parents will demand the district to intervene while others would claim their rights have been violated if the district were to intervene in a personal situation. The lines are blurring and it's making the K-12 CIO's job more difficult.

* More personal devices in the classroom - If you think about it, the first two bullets make this one almost inevitable. In most cases, the money isn't there to buy district-owned devices for everyone. More and more high-schoolers (and younger) are carrying personally-owned devices that have tons of functionality. While we will certainly wrestle with boundaries, inappropriate use, Internet filtering and other issues, I feel like some districts will also look to take advantage of these devices. They are resources that many kids are carrying, that CAN be used in positive ways and that the kids really want to use.

I'm sure there are other things on the horizon (eBooks, for example), but these have been on my mind as of late. Agree, disagree or add topics of your own. Take care!

E-Rate: Funding Year 2011

There's quite a bit going on with the federal E-Rate program this summer. There are a few critical Notices of Proposed Rule-Making (NPRM) out there and there is also a draft of the Eligible Services List for FY2011. This is the earliest I can remember seeing a draft ESL posted. Many of the NPRM suggestions are embedded in this draft ESL, so I'll take a moment and highlight a few of these:

* "Dark Fiber" would become eligible - Applicants and providers have sort of worked around this over the years by proposing that that provider 'light' the fiber by supplying the electronics on each end. In some cases, this has simply led to an additional switch for the district to power and house in their wiring closets. This could be a good development, as schools and districts seeking to connect might often find a vendor with fiber optics available for lease. It would also take away some guesswork with network proposals. Do you need 10Gb between all sites? Well, if you have the electronics to support that, go for it.

* "Web hosting" would become ineligible - This could be a big deal for a few of my districts. Some applicants have taken advantage of third-party hosting sites for the district web presence. It keeps the district from having to maintain a server and web services on that server. We've had districts who have had their web site hacked. At times, this has been due to security updates and patches not being applied. There's some level of security in having this housed by a provider specializing in web hosting.

I do see the other side of the equation, though. The program itself is about connectivity and a web site is not directly related to connectivity (or, perhaps, not as much so as in years past). Also, all parties have sought to take full advantage of what is or isn't eligible and have walked a thin line to gain every advantage possible. Any service that's eligible "to a point" lends itself to applicants or providers seeking to push the proverbial envelope. Removing this certainly prevents that, but it would put districts in a tough spot as they would be forced to consider whether to continue hosting services if forced to pay the full price themselves.

* "Web servers" would become ineligible - See above, as the logic is similar. The program has grown increasingly strict over the years as it pertains to servers eligible for purchase under Internal Connections. If web hosting is deemed ineligible, logic would dictate that web servers would be deemed ineligible as well.

There are other removals for services that were not being purchased by many (if any) applicants. T-2's, Global Service Provider fees and a Network Access Registers (related to Centrex phone service) were all crossed out of the draft ESL.

What do you do in the summer?

That question gets posed from outside the education community, with the general assumption being that everyone vacations all summer long if they work in the K-12 education environment. Not true. Furthermore, I think the assumption is that the K-12 technology coordinators and staff are simply in charge of "keeping the computers running". Sure, there are computers to replace and re-image. That doesn't even scratch the surface of everything these departments are asked to deal with during the summer and throughout the year. Here's my off-the-cuff stab at a list, and I'm sure that this isn't exhaustive:

Printers
Copiers
Web site creation and maintenance
Televisions
DVD
Media distribution servers/solutions
Digital cameras
Camcorders
Handheld computers and smartphones (both district-owned and personal)
Projectors
Wireless slates/pads
Interactive whiteboards
Student response systems
Student Information System
Instructional software of various types
Food service software
Point-of-sale hardware
Asset tracking software and hardware
Library management software
Internal district finance hardware/software
Servers to run all of this and more
Software licensing compliance for all of this
Switches and electronics in the wiring closets
Running and terminating cable for all of this to connect
Wireless environments (ever-growing) to support mobility desires
Security cameras
Badge ID systems for the user base
Building security (so those badges can be used for building entry)
Automatic lighting (in some cases, yep)
A/C needs for the data center(s) (this hardware generates tons of heat)
Support for Student Technology Leadership Program
Assistive and adaptive technology (for special needs cases)
Telephone systems (voicemail, handsets, trunk line configurations, etc)
Video distribution systems (cable TV and other local media)
Wide-area network connecting all schools to one another
Antivirus software for all workstations
Ensuring proper OS updates/patching of all workstations
Web filtering hardware/software, updates and ongoing issues
Facebook and social networking issues (significant enough for separate mention)
Establishing policy on things like personal device use (cellular, computers)
Crafting and updating a district technology plan for all of this
Professional development for staff so THEY understand all of this
Managing maintenance agreements for some/all of this
Having a system to track/manage work orders that might be called in on any of this
Keeping track of grant opportunities to assist with some of this
Dealing with vendors who constantly try to sell some/all of this
Managing the E-Rate program, which ties to critical federal funds

As I said, I'm sure this isn't an exhaustive list, but it's a good start. Some of these items are a job unto themselves. Some can take up a huge amount of time when/if something goes wrong. There's plenty to do throughout the year and, if these folks are taking a bit of time off during the summer, it's well-deserved. More likely, their time away is brief due to the fact that the best time to update/replace most of these components is during the summer while school is not in session. For you IT workers out there, if you're dreaming of having your toes in the sand, I hope you don't read this and awake with a fear that you're in quicksand...

Video distribution vendors...

I'm probably oversimplifying their offerings by titling this entry as simply 'video distribution', but these vendors are worth a mention nonetheless:

VBrick presented their IP video solution. They have presented to my region of school districts as well. I think we'll see the CIO role begin to encompass television and video delivery (if it isn't already for your district). The VBrick platform allows for scheduled delivery of video content and provides its own portal for delivery and searching for content. You can use the solution to capture content in multiple formats, store the content on a server for that purpose and play the video either on the desktop or on a separate dedicated display.

We also learned about Mediacast via a local reseller. This seemed to be a competitor to VBrick in many ways. With both solutions, you can encode selected channels from your cable provider. You can copy other media formats (VHS, DVD, etc) into the solution and manage copyrights more effectively by only allowing a licensed number of concurrent copies to play. With the right modules and equipment (like an "OnLocation cart", one could conduct and stream a live broadcast in HD.

Portions of these solutions (encoders, master control units, etc) are eligible for E-Rate discounts under the Internal Connections category. These solutions aren't for everyone, but these types of solutions may become a requirement as the instructional use of video from a variety of sources continues to grow.

A couple of vendor mentions...

I'm at a CIO conference/retreat and thought I'd take a moment to mention several products and vendors who have presented or attended:

M86 Security - An internet security company that had its basis in web (URL) filtering, they are in several KY school districts. Apparently, their latest product offering performs the web filtering, reporting and monitoring on a single box. They also have a secure web gateway product that is used to protect against so much of the malicious code that can be found on the web today.

CIPAFilter - Interesting name and guess what they do? There's a 90-day evaluation and their pricing structure is online and easy enough to follow. It does some context-sensitive searching rather than pure URL-based filter sets.

I'll mention the video distribution vendors later...