Overview
Background
The purpose of this project is to prioritise and migrate the Windows 2003 and 2008 server estate to Windows Server 2016 to a supported level by the end of 2020. In addition, the project will monitor the holistic estate in order to be ready to start planning the Windows Server 2012 to 2016 (or another Microsoft upgrade if available) in two years time.
Scope
The items designated as in scope for this project are detailed below:
* Prioritised Windows 2003 and 2008 servers in the first two years
* Prioritised Windows Servers 2012 in two years time.
Out of Scope
The following items are out of scope:
* Non Windows Servers in the estate
Changes to Scope will be logged as a Change Request and recorded on the Project Scope Change page of the project website.
Objectives and Deliverables
Project deliverables are as follows:
* Migration of all of the prioritised Windows 2003 and 2008 server estate to Windows Server 2016 to a supported level by the end of 2020
* Migration of all the prioritised Windows 2012 servers to 2016 (or another upgrade by Microsoft if available) in 2020
* Lifecycle management for all servers/services established
Benefits
The principle benefits that will be derived from this project are:
* Continued support from Microsoft
* Reduction in support costs – Premier support is expensive and allowing servers to fall out of support while still paying for it is not cost effective
* Reduction in resource costs – knowledge becomes difficult to retain in the support of ageing systems and it is costly having staff supporting multiple operating systems or bringing in external resource to support if those skills are not available internally
* Continued security and critical updates meaning that the servers and other infrastructure are less at risk from attack and data loss
* Staying compliant thus avoiding financial and legal penalties
* Improved business resilience as the University will have a more reliable and stable operating system
* Modernisation – learning about new tools will help the University work more efficiently particularly in reference to integration with the cloud
* Better planning of resource – last minute upgrades require time to ensure that everything is fully tested and that there are no incompatibilities for business critical software, thus often meaning other priority projects are delayed as resource is assigned to help with the necessary upgrades
Success Criteria
In simple terms, success will be confirmed when there are none of the agreed to be migrated Windows Servers not upgraded to 2016 and running live in an unsupported state by the end of 2020.
Alignment with Strategic Vision
This project will deliver benefits, change and innovations in alignment with the IS Strategic Vision and the University's Strategic Vision for 2025. ** Check the Annual Plan on ITI SharePoint to see how the project's deliverables and benefits have been aligned to Run/Grow/Transform and the Strategic Themes **
Run / Grow / Transform
Which activity does the project contribute to? The project could be one or more of R/G/T.
IS Strategic Vision the main elements of the vision that this projects contributes to are highlighted in bold.
|
Student Experience |
Commentary |
| Student experience and the unique Edinburgh offer |
May enhance PGR experience. |
| Online and distance learning leaders |
May enhance PGR experience. |
| Library national and international leadership |
May enhance PGR experience. |
|
Research and Innovation |
|
| Research IT and Data Sciences | No effect |
| Innovation | No effect |
| Collaborative leadership and social responsibility | No effect |
|
Service Excellence |
|
| Process improvement, efficiency, quality and best practice |
A clear improvement will be brought about in this area |
| Long‐term IS strategic planning and linked professional services |
A clear improvement will be brought about in this area |
| Information Security |
A clear improvement will be brought about in this area |
University's Strategic Vision for 2025 the main elements of the vision that this projects contributes to are highlighted in bold.
| A unique Edinburgh offer for all of our students | Commentary |
| • all of our undergraduates developed as student/ researchers with clear, supported pathways through to Masters and PhD |
No effect |
| • all our students offered the opportunity to draw from deep expertise outside their core discipline | No effect |
| • a highly satisfied student body with a strong sense of community. | No effect |
| Strong and vibrant communities within and beyond the University – making the most of our unique offer of world-leading thinking and learning within one of the world’s most attractive cities | No effect |
| A larger, more international, staff who feel valued and supported in a University that is a great and collegial place to work, develop and progress | No effect |
| More postgraduate students – underpinned by the best support in the sector to ensure we attract the brightest and best regardless of ability to pay | No effect |
| A strong culture of philanthropic support focussed especially on our students and on outstanding research capabilities. | No effect |
| Many more students benefiting from the Edinburgh experience (largely or entirely) in their own country – supported by deep international partnerships and world- leading online distance learning | No effect |
| Sustained world leading reputation for the breadth, depth and interdisciplinary of our research supported by strong growth in research funding and strong international partnerships – drawing from well-established and less well developed sources |
No effect |
| An estate that matches expectations, responds flexibly to changing student and staff needs, and showcases the University |
A clear improvement will be brought about in this area. |
|
A deeper and earlier collaboration with industry, the public sector and the third sector – in terms of research; knowledge exchange; and in giving our students the best possible set of skills for their future |
No effect |
| Digital Transformation | Commentary |
|---|---|
| Describe how the changes this project delivers will contribute to the digital transformation of the Service | No effect |
IS Change Programme - How will this project's Deliverables and Benefits promote the Themes
Indicate if the project deliverables and benefits contribute to the themes with the IS Change Programme.
| IS Change Programme Theme | How the project deliverables and benefits contributes to change |
| Project Management | |
| Working Together | |
| Standards and Technical Leadership |
The project will be executed in line with standard project management practice and Prince2 methodology. |
| Staff Learning and Development | |
| Service Based Culture | |
| Equality and Diversity | |
| Innovation | |
| Flexible Resourcing | |
| Communication and Branding |