Enterprise Technology & Services (ET&S) manages and maintains network servers and data centers across all University System of New Hampshire (USNH) institutions. All servers are in these centrally located data centers that act as hubs for information technology operations and equipment to store, process, and disseminate all USNH-related data and applications.
ET&S launched the USNH Server Consolidation in the summer of 2021 to eliminate duplicate service infrastructure; increase the security, reliability, and robustness of ET&S-managed services; normalize system management processes and data centers and improve delivery times and maintainability of services. This project introduced tools to automate ET&S's daily operation and server lifecycle management processes and systems managed by ET&S.
To facilitate this consolidation, ET&S signed a new agreement with VMWare, a product that “automates and simplifies all facets of cloud, data center, and infrastructure management and monitoring.” (Source: VMWare.com). The new VMWare agreement significantly expands USNH’s licensing to include an integrated toolset for automating many daily operational processes related to server maintenance and life cycle. This toolset, once fully implemented, also provides the foundation for implementing continuous integration and deployment processes across USNH.
ET&S also merged two existing service lines to form the Enterprise Infrastructure Services service line and established[CS1] a cross-functional team to learn, build, and deploy the foundational tools needed to further realize system-wide automated service management and delivery platform. The dedication, knowledge, and experience of the newly formed ET&S team made these improvements and changes possible. In a short timeframe, this team learned how to build and deploy these new tools and processes, while also maintaining the existing infrastructure in parallel. From there, the team developed processes to move the old processes to the new system with as little disruption as possible.
USNH institutions will benefit from the improved agility and speed that these tools introduce to the server and system management teams, as well as the software development teams, and allows ET&S to improve delivery times and maintainability of services for the significantly larger user base. These tools benefit ET&S directly by reducing the time spent on manual, repetitive processes through the introduction of large-scale automation, validation, and testing, allowing ET&S staff to focus on the more interesting, creative, and rewarding work of solving new challenges they are presented with daily.
Hi Marty. I clarified the first sentence of paragraph 4 regarding the merger of two service lines. Looks good otherwise, thank you. [CS1]
