Helix
ITS got the opportunity to upgrade the version of helix streaming server, which fixes a bug in the software that hinders the capability to perform two consecutive real live streaming events. ITS successfully deployed the upgrade to the helix development environment, and tested before we prepared to do the actual upgrade. This testing phase ensured a quick non-intrusive upgrade to the service capabilities.
There is a monitoring extension that is provided with the Helix streaming media application, which integrates with SNMP. However, since production we have been having problems getting the extension to function. The way it works is they provide a proxy SNMP service that connects the system SNMP configuration with the helix SNMP extensions. However, there was a port conflict with another application. ITS decided to change the other applications port number which allows Helix proxy SNMP service to function as expected.
Listserv
ITS has been moving forward with the list.vanderbilt.edu server replacement. This month we had to get the application into a testing capacity. In order to do so, we had to submit a security scan to get a baseline of the system configuration. After a few iterations of scanning and mitigating specific security concerns, we passed the security scan. Upon passing, we could then put the server on a publicly addressable address space, which puts the server into a testing capacity.
IDM
ITS identified a small need for two additional VM’s to support the Identity Management initiative. These VM’s would serve as a proxy service from IDM to different Identity applications (ie LDAP, AD, Novell.. etc). These servers essentially keep conversion tables that convert the IDM commands into the specific command for the environment being provisioned.
ITS also began discussing the monitoring model for the Identity management solution. This will consist of monitoring many service points as well as the servers that compose the cluster for the service point.
ITS also started conversations and putting together action plans for testing the load balancing capabilities of the F5 for this project. This involved ITS and MIS working together to try to get a sub configuration that ITS has access to and can manage, but MIS owns.
Amcom
ITS has been deploying the development environment for the OSIS servers. We have been doing a little coordination with the Vendor Amcom, to provide them assistance in getting all of their applications installed and configured.
CSM Test
ITS is upgrading firmware code revisions on the CSM load balancing module in our Cisco chassis. In order to ensure a non-interruptive upgrade, we had to test the firmware in our test lab. This consisted of getting two apache web servers serving similar content and coming up with various ways of breaking connections from CSM to the individual servers, and then verifying the service availability.
CSM Case
ITS is seeing issues with servers behind the CSM using a NAT configuration so that clients see the public VIP address rather than the private REAL IP address. For example, if there are two servers in a CSM serverfarm that is using NAT for the VIP address, and they want to communicate to one another over the VIP address, the connection does not make it to the other server. ITS opened a trouble ticket with Cisco about this issue and we are working towards resolution.
RHN DB
ITS finally had a successfully test using the latest version of RHN 5.0 and a tiered application database fashion. This provides new features and functionality, and will also bring stability to the RHN service ITS wants to provide.