ITI Project Brief - RSS208 Cloud Service

Document Sign-off

Background

The University of Edinburgh introduced its OpenStack based research cloud infrastructure at the beginning of 2017.

In the first year of operation the service has been very successful in attracting usage, to the point of being forced to increase the overprovisioning on nodes to meet demand.

We are aware of continuing interest in increased capacity from schools in CSE and also in the potential to support alternative computing modes from those in EDDIE (ie. Providing windows clusters to support rendering for ECA, and the option to run Digital Scholarship hadoop scripts successfully migrated from UCL).

While we have sufficient staff resource to operate and maintain the infrastructure and we have been able to install components which would provide advanced features, due to resource constraints we are unable to test and certify additional features for production.

This Project is to improve and update the OpenStack work that was implemented in RSS051 and to enable best Service Support and Benefits for RSS Teams and the Users.

This project will:

• Provided Eleanor OpenStack Service 3rd Party Support for 1 year

Upgrade the Eleanor OpenStack Service - Platform and Software

Scope

The following Services are in scope of this project:

• Eleanor OpenStack

Any changes to Scope documented in this Project Brief will be via a Change Request, recorded on the Issue, Change and Decision Logs in the Projects RAIDD xls.

Out of Scope

The following Services are out of scope of this project:

All other RSS Systems/Services

Objectives and Deliverables and Success Criteria

The overarching objectives of this project are to (via the help of various 3^rd parties):

1. Implement an Eleanor OpenStack Support Contract
2. Upgrade Eleanor Server VM to Centos 8
3. Upgrade Eleanor OpenStack to an interim version (x2 of the x4 Upgrades required)
4. Upgrade Eleanor OpenStack to the latest version (last x2 of the x4 Upgrades required)

All whilst providing the correct levels of support, training and technical documentation.

This will improve deploy-ability, maintenance, functionality, manageability and performance for the users.

The duration of the project is expected to be 10 months from the start of the Financial Year and not the Approval and Sign Off of the Project Brief.

Unless otherwise indicated, the objectives and deliverables are a success when accepted by the Project Sponsor and the Service Owner as listed in the Requirements Success Criteria.

Requirements

Requirements are what is required and aligned to deliver the project objectives and deliverables to ensure the benefits recorded are realised.  These are documented in the RAIDD Log on the RTC TAB.

Requirements are set as MoSCoW:

MUST - we would see the project as failing totally or partially if these are not achieved

SHOULD - we have a high expectation that these will be doable with planned work and budget - but if necessary these can be de-scoped

COULD - if all goes very well, these might be possible

WON'T - we want to be explicit about certain things that people might expect us to deliver but we want to be clear we won't deliver

Benefits

The benefits to this project delivery are:

1. Fully Supported OpenStack - Having a fully Supported OpenStack Service will assist in providing the best possible fault/issue resolution and Service
2. Fully Supported OpenStack - Having a fully Supported OpenStack Service will help free up RSS Resources
3. Latest version of OpenStack - Having an up to date OpenStack software deployment will provide the performance enhancements and feature benefits it brings with latest Supported Version - requires four upgrades
4. New OpenStack Monitoring capability can be used once the Stien Version is implemented
5. Cloud kitty can be implemented to enable better Accounting and Billing Functionality once the Stien Version is implemented

Governance

Portfolio Governance  

Project Board

Tolerances

The following are the tolerances for this project at which point the Project Manager must request approval of the change from the Sponsor and / or the Board via the Change Request process.

Escalating to programme/portfolio manager will be under direction from the Project Sponsor.

Resources Skills and Cost

Initial Resources are were based on a project start up estimate provided and approved at the start of the project:

• RSS Resource                               10 Days
• IT PM                                                25 Days
• College/Schools                            0 Days
• External Development              15 Days (TBC)

(Subject to change with further analysis and Planning)

• RSS Resources                             17 Days
• IT PM                                                30 Days
• College/Schools                            0 Days
• External Development             15 Days (TBC)

Budget

The total budget calculated for the Project is calculated in the table below with £30k Capital + £35k Revenue

Spending:

Priority and Funding

Priority                                                          - 3

UoE Funding      Approved                         - £65,000            - (30k Capital + £35k Revenue)

UoE Funding      Required                          - £65,000            - (20k Capital + £45k Revenue) 

-change required to take into account the R overspend

Project Team

Business Stakeholders

The Project Team consists of the following to be kept informed:

Preferred Supplier

The Preferred Suppliers are listed below:

Quality of Project and Deliverables / Key Project Milestones

The milestones are a key tool in ensuring that the project process itself is followed as set out by ITI, and that the product deliverables are to the required Quality; the quality for the deliverables are to be confirmed by the respective Service Owner / SME as per the Requirements/Success Criteria table above.

Any changes to major milestones achievements and changes (Initiation, Planning, Delivery, and Closure) will be discussed with the Project Sponsor and Project Team and must be approved by Change Request by the Project Board and WIS as necessary.

The approach for this project outlined by the key milestones below.  A more detailed plan will/has been produced, with the latest on the project SharePoint site:

RSS208 Project Plan_Cloud Service

Assumptions

The Assumptions for this project are that:

1. Any planned strike has no impact on Service Resources or SME
2. Once the Requirements are documented and Project Brief are Approved and Signed Off, there will be no change of scope
3. The Resources / SME required for the OpenStack Service will be made available to liaise with the developer when required, even with current/future commitments
4. 3rd Party Supplier (StackHPC) will be able to provide suitably skilled Developers / Programmers
5. 3rd Party Suppliers (StackHPC) will be able to provide Developers / Programmers for the duration as required

Dependencies

The Dependencies for this project are:

1. RSS Systems Team availability - The amount of time for Project work due to BAU work still to be carried out by the RSS System Team
2. Vendor Capability - 3rd Party Suppliers (StackHPC) will be able to provide suitably skilled SME
3. Vendor Capability - 3rd Party Suppliers (StackHPC) being able to provide SME for the duration as required
4. Vendor Capability - 3rd Party Suppliers (StackHPC) ability to deliver the required upgrade as planned by the correct check points/milestones

Constraints

The Constraints on this project are:

1. RSS Systems Resource Time - The amount of time for Project work due to BAU work
2. Vendor Capability - 3rd Party Suppliers (StackHPC) will be able to provide suitably skilled Developers / Programmers
3. Vendor Capability - 3rd Party Suppliers (StackHPC) being able to provide Developers / Programmers for the duration as required
4. Vendor Capability - 3rd Party Suppliers (StackHPC) ability to deliver the required development as planned by the correct check points/milestones

Previous Lessons Learned

The project manager will ensure that a Lessons Leaned Log is created, maintained and reviewed by the project team at every team meeting.  The following are Lessons Learned from the ITI Projects SharePoint and team’s previous experience:

1.  N/A

Risks

The project manager will ensure that a Risk Log is created, maintained and reviewed by the project team at every team meeting; ensuring project owners update their risks at least once a month or more as appropriate to the project.

The initial Risks highlighted are:

1. Project Delay - Due to Strike Action, there may be a lack of resources
2. Project Delay - Due to BAU or other project work, there may be a lack of resources
3. Project Product - Due to BAU or other project work, the Resources have not been available to Complete or Approved the Project Brief
4. Project Product - Due to Eleanor not being able to be upgraded
5. Project Delay - Due to Eleanor Upgrade not being completed and delayed

Issues

The project manager will ensure that an Issue Log is created, maintained and reviewed by the project team at every team meeting. 

The following are Lessons Learned from the ITI Projects SharePoint and team’s previous experience:

1.  N/A

Communication

The project manager will also ensure all changes to cost/timeline/scope are recorded in the issue log, and reflected in milestones log, budget and estimations, and the project Scope Change log.

Project Sites - There are two Project Management Sites for the project:

1. Project Web Page: Project information for all to see, with the Logs being restricted by the project manager to the required project members:

                            Cloud Service Website

2. Project SharePoint Site: Project information repository for project members only, mainly used for storing documents to enable a single source for updating and completing:

                             Cloud Service SharePoint

Stakeholders - The project manager will produce a Stakeholder Map and complete a Stakeholder Engagement Grid; which will be agreed at the Kick-off meeting and reviewed and maintained during the project life cycle.

Communication Plan - The project manager will produce a Communications Plan for the project and ensure all parties understand the communications routes and timescales. This will also be agreed at the Kick-off meeting and cover the headings in this section.

Meetings - The Project Team Meeting Agenda template will be used to record all meetings and saved to the Project SharePoint Site:

1. Project Board Update Meeting                                      On request or issue
2. Project Sponsor and Project Manager Meeting      Weekly
3. Project Team Meeting                                                        Weekly

Reporting -

1. ITI Project Monthly Report                                              Monthly
2. Project Sites                                                                           Weekly
3. Project Logs                                                                           Weekly

Escalations - Project Escalations will be directed to the Project Manager, who will document the escalation as a Risk/Issue then escalate via the appropriate Governance level:

1. Escalate area SME
2. Project Team
3. Project Board – Project Sponsor
4. Programme Board – Programme Manager
5. University

Run / Grow / Transform

This project is to help transform and improve the Eleanor Service and Support for RSS Systems Team and all Users.

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Alignment with Strategic Vision  

IS Strategic Vision the main elements of the vision that this projects contibutes to are highlighted in bold.

University's Strategic Vision for 2025 the main elements of the vision that this projects contributes to are highlighted in bold.

IS Change Programme - How will this project's Deliverables and Benefits promote the Themes  

Service Excellence - Information and Security

Service Excellence - Process Improvement, efficiency, quality and best practice (Social Responsibility and and Sustainability)

Digital Transformation

IS Change Programme - How will the execution of this project promote the Themes

Some expectations and suggestions from ISG Directors - what to think about for each them when planning the project   some_expectations_and_suggestions_from_isg_directors.pdf

Project Sponsor – Project Responsibilities

The sign-off milestones are associated with specific responsibilities of the Sponsor role .

Start of project – Explicitly Included in the Initiation Milestones Sign-Off

1. Negotiates and confirms funding for the project
2. Ensures the project is in line with organisational strategy and priorities
3. Chairs the project board, appoints its members and ensures they are effective
4. Advises the project manager of protocols, political risks, issues and sensitivities
5. Makes the project visible within the organisation  

End of Planning – Explicitly Included in the Planning Milestone Sign-Off

1. Works with the project manager to develop the Project Brief
2. Ensures a realistic project plan is produced
3. Sets tolerance levels for escalation to themselves and to the project board
4. Ensures that project team have representation and engagement from users and suppliers
5. Helps identify Stakeholders
6. Approves Communication Plan
7. Agrees on frequency of meetings with Project Manager
8. Agrees of frequency of meetings with Project Team
9. Agrees on milestones and who signs-off

Execution – ongoing

1. Provides strategic direction and guidance to the project manager as directed by the Board
2. Approves changes to plans, priorities, deliverables, schedule
3. Encourages stakeholder involvement and maintains their ongoing commitment
4. Chief risk taker
5. Makes go/no-go decisions
6. Communicates change in organisational structure, priorities, business benefits or funding
7. Helps the project manager in conflict resolution
8. Helps resolve inter project boundary issues
9. Gains agreement among stakeholders when differences of opinion occur
10. Assists the project by exerting organisational authority and the ability to influence  

Delivery – Explicitly Included in the Delivery Sign-Off

1. Ensures that Service is ready for change

Closure - Explicitly Included in the Closure Milestone Sign-Off

1. Helps with publicity for the change delivered
2. Ensure that benefits will be managed, measured and realised post-project
3. Evaluates the project’s success upon completion

Attachment	Size
some_expectations_and_suggestions_from_isg_directors.pdf	341.89 KB
project_planning_-_project_brief_template.docx	35.44 KB