DICE Meeting 2002-06-25

Agenda

1. Corrections to minutes
2. Actions Arising from minutes of meeting of 2002-06-11
3. Timetable

Decisions

1. Groups: Only known groups will be created for the moment; new requests will be handled on an ad-hoc basis.

Actions summary

• actions carried forward from previous meetings
• all actions generated from this meeting.

1. Actions Arising - Doc types: Deployment tasks need to notify what documents they will be producing. (noted 2002-03-05)
   [Alison]
2. Actions Arising - DICE deployment publicity: Site managers should make sure that this publicity is provided. (noted 2002-03-19)
   [Alastair/Jeremy/Ken]
3. Actions Arising - Conversion of accounts to UUN: Final list to go to Ken (noted 2002-02-19)
   [Roger]
4. Actions Arising - MIS feed: check about getting data direct. (noted 2002-04-02)
   [Neil]
5. Actions Arising - Hardware Remaining server hardware to be ordered. (noted 2002-05-14)
   [Alastair]
6. Actions Arising - SSH/Kerberos: intro note about not using public keys with SSH (noted 2002-05-28)
   [Alison]
7. Actions Arising - COs/DICE all remaining non-DICE machine COs to use DICE. (noted 2002-05-28)
   [non-DICE COs]
8. Actions Arising - Trusted host list: generate list automatically for LDAP (noted 2002-05-28)
   [Simon]
9. Actions Arising - Searchable cos@inf : tweak Harvester config (noted 2002-06-11)
   [Neil]
10. Actions Arising - Partitions: check file (noted 2002-06-11)
    [John/Bill/Iain]
11. Actions Arising - Package updates mailing list: create list (noted 2002-06-11)
    [Morna]
12. Actions Arising - eduni.inf :: request hierarchy on EUCS news servers. (noted 2002-06-11)
    [Neil]
13. Doc HOWTOs: collate from postings to cos@inf. (noted 2002-06-25)
    [Alison/Julieta]
14. MSc/Phd group: check whether new group needed (noted 2002-06-25)
    [Ken]
15. Web pages: response to structure query (noted 2002-06-25)
    [Neil]
16. Common Home Directories: remaining primary dirs to be arbitrarily allocated (noted 2002-06-25)
    [Roger]
17. Intro docs: everyone to check (noted 2002-06-25)
    [All]
18. Disclaimer note: identify non-working aspects of pilot systems(noted 2002-06-25)
    [Chris/Alison]
19. amd/LDAP: to be default for clients (noted 2002-06-25)
    [Alastair]
20. Support/web: advertise use of web form (noted 2002-06-25)
    [Jeremy]
21. Support/web URL: URL to be advertised to COs (noted 2002-06-25)
    [Chris]
22. Associates: advertise policy to staff (noted 2002-06-25)
    [Jeremy]
23. Legacy mail redirects: publicise plan (noted 2002-06-25)
    [Jeremy]
24. License servers: check CogSci non-FlexLM ones (noted 2002-06-25)
    [Jeremy]

Minutes

1. Corrections to minutes of 2002-06-11

2. Matters arising from minutes of last meeting (2002-06-11)
   1. Actions Arising - Doc types: Deployment tasks need to notify Alison what types of documents they will be producing. [All deployment task 'owners'].

      Some people still haven't submitted info.

      Ongoing

      Following a suggestion from Paul, in order to collect useful HOWTO information being posted to cos@inf:

      • COs should put 'HOWTO' in the subject line when sending such messages
      • HOWTO information will be extracted/distilled from list by the 'doc' team and put into flat files on the 'doc' pages.
      [ACTION: Alison/Julieta]
   2. Actions Arising - DICE deployment publicity: Site managers should make sure that this publicity is provided. [Alastair/Jeremy/Ken]
      Ongoing
   3. Actions Arising - Conversion of accounts to UUN: Final UUN changes have been organised with Christine Rees.
      Done
      Ken to be sent list of final changes to update DB.
      ACTION: Roger
   4. Actions Arising - MIS feed: check about getting data direct.[Neil]
      Waiting for the feed to be setup in due course.
      Ongoing
   5. Actions Arising - Common Home Directories: unification of groups. [Roger]. The 'groups' team have agreed to just create those that are known about now and handle requests for further groups on an ad-hoc basis.
      Done
      There may be a need for an MSc or PhD group related to teaching but Ken will think about this.
      ACTION: Ken

      There is a general issue of how new groups should get decided, given policy of keeping them to a minimum. First response to requests should be "What has broken or needs to be achieved?". We'll worry about this later.

   6. Timetable: update milestones with timetable dates. (noted 2002-04-30) [All]

      Not done but we are probably flogging a dead horse here.

      Done
   7. Groups Load group name to GID mappings into LDAP. (noted 2002-05-14)[Roger/Bill]
      Done
   8. Hardware Remaining server hardware to be ordered. (noted 2002-05-14) [Alastair]
      Login servers still to be spec'ed but can also use existing machines.
      Ongoing
   9. ssh/Kerberos:Add note on use of public keys vs. Kerberos credentials. (noted 2002-05-28).
      Ongoing
   10. Milestones/bugzilla: Simon suggested it would be useful to add the milestones to bugzilla. Needed extra permissions from Simon. (noted 2002-05-28) [Jeremy]
       Done
   11. COs using DICE: COs need to move to using DICE machines by 31/5 where possible. (noted 2002-05-28) [non-DICE COs]
       Ongoing
   12. Kerberos principals for new accounts: Resolve how this is being done. [Neil/Simon]
       Done
   13. amd: this seems to be related largely to laptops but is being investigated. [George/Alastair]

       Various patches have been applied and it appears to be more stable.

       Done
   14. Trusted inf hosts generate list and populating LDAP. [Simon]
       Ongoing

   15. searchable cos@inf: tweaking the Harvester config. [Neil] (noted 2002-06-11)

       There's a problem with mailman archive being restricted and mailman using cookies to implement authentication. Archives could be made public at the moment and we worry about restricting them at a later stage (they should be restricted to access only from Informatics domains anyway).

       An alternative is to run glimpse or harvester over the raw html files themselves rather than accessing them through http. Further investigation required

       Ongoing
   16. Partitions: check file (noted 2002-06-11) [John/Bill/Iain]
       Ongoing
   17. rfeable files: add list option to rfe (noted 2002-06-11) [Simon]
       Transferred to bugzilla
   18. Holidays page: put holiday dates on line (noted 2002-06-11) [Jeremy]
       Ongoing
   19. Package updates mailing list: create list (noted 2002-06-11) [Jeremy]
       Ongoing
   20. eduni.inf :: request hierarchy on EUCS news servers. (noted 2002-06-11) [Neil]

       Requested but no response yet.

       Ongoing
3. Web pages naming queries

   Homepages naming and structure were discussed following queries to Neil from a member of staff. The original Informatics Publicity Committee did to death the issues over 'personal' pages not appearing on the main www.inf.ed.ac.uk server. These are also political rather than technical decisions and the announcements relating to this structure has already been made in the DICE FAQ and via the DICE newsletters. Neil will respond to the member of staff.

   [ACTION: Neil]
4. Common Home Directories

   There are one or two inconsistencies on the page listing, namely users without a defined primary home directory. Roger will arbitrarily allocate one.

   [ACTION: Roger]

   In terms of the definitive source, the html page to look at is here with copy as a text file.

5. Timetable Review

   The following were noted as 'done':

   • minimal standard client (enough for test login machines)

   The following dates were revised:

   • central infrastructure
     • mail now 5 Jul (was 28 Jun)
     • homepages now 26 Jul (was 28 Jun)
   • pilot login server now 28 Jun (was 7 Jun)
   • printing (legacy) via DICE now 15 Jul (was 28 Jun)
   • legacy mail redirects in place now 2 Aug (was 15 Jul)
   • BP/FH/SB groups notified now 26 Jul (was 28 Jun)
   • associate accounts now 15 Jul (was 28 Jun)

   The revised timetable is here.

6. General Issues

   Pilot login servers:

   • local support teams will provide passwords
   • anyone wishing to change passwords needs to be registered in the database to get access.
   • student lab supervisors will not have the ability to change passwords for Stage 1.
   • Documentation for users needs to be checked/completed. Please would everyone look at dice_intro at the top level of the DICE cvs server.
     [ACTION: All]
   • we need a brief disclaimer note about what will/will not work.
     [ACTION: Chris/Alison]
   • printing will work via legacy initially
   • ~/.bashrc does not get sourced, this needs to be noted. Users will need a ~/.brc file.
   • need to note what .rc files might get changed for users logging in for first time (eg, kde v1 defaults).

   Default client

   • will use amd/LDAP from now on as default. If you need hesiod you will need to specify it.
     [ACTION: Alastair]

   Accessing support for inf users

   • we will use the web form from the start to be consistent about how support is accessed. This needs to be advertised to users beforehand (eg in DICE News).
     [ACTION: Jeremy]
   • URL to be mailed round COs so it can be checked out.
     [ACTION: Chris]
   Associates
   • The policy needs to be defined and made available to staff.
     [ACTION: Jeremy]
   Mail redirecting from legacy
   • More publicity is needed for staff. Conversion plan to be finalised.
     [ACTION: Jeremy]
   License servers
   • existing FlexLM license servers (eg, Matlab) can continue to be used
   • CogSci need to check their licensed applications as there are some that do not use flexlm.
     [ACTION: Jeremy]

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