Greg ReganPrincipal Computing OfficerDesktop Applications Team

5th largest university in the UK Recently ranked 1st in the UK of 119 international universities when

dealing with green issues Multiple campus’ across Somerset, Devon & Cornwall ~ 30,000 FTE students ~ 3,500 staff 1,800 student PCs (approx 60 dual boot to Linux) 3,000 staff PCs 500 laptops 300 Macs Condor Grid Computing pool of 1,000 student Windows PCs More than 200 Windows Servers + few Linux, Solaris & Unix Predominantly a Microsoft site

Project Objective % complete

PlymNet 5 Upgrade network to 10 gigabit backbone 80%

PlymStore Consolidate & increase storage whilst reducing overheads

80%

PlymServe Virtualize & rationalize the server infrastructure to reduce the total no. of CPU cycles used, increase flexibility and reduce total overhead

80%

PlymTel Deploy IP telephony university wide to create a more flexible working environment, particularly for remote & peripatetic workers

90%

PlymPrint Deploy free standing multi-function devices to replace inefficient and costly personal devices

100%

PlymMac5 Replace legacy Apple Macs – leased on 3 year cycle 100%

PlymLap5 Replace legacy laptops – leased on 4 year cycle 100%

PlymDesk5 Replace legacy desktops – leased on 4 year cycle 100%

NB – Responsible disposal of legacy hardware is built into all contracts

show how the University of Plymouth will:

1. Reduce its PlymDesk 5 carbon footprint; and

2. Reduce its PlymDesk 5 power bills by more than £276k over the next 3 years

Date Results

Pre 2002 PCs were purchased & maintained by individual Schools/Faculties

Dozens of different specification PCs, a second rate, inconsistent & costly service

2003(PlymDesk 4)

Introduced leased fleet of 5,000 PCs (Windows XP Pro), managed and maintained by central ICT using SMS 2.0 (upgraded to SMS 2003 in 2004) and Faronics DeepFreeze (student PCs only)

First class consistent user experience using only 3 different PC specifications

The downside is the PCs need to be powered up 24/7 to allow DeepFreeze and SMS to interact effectively

2007(PlymDesk 5)

Deployed 2nd generation leased fleet of 4,800 PCs introducing Dual Core processors & Intel vPro technology – specifically Active Management Technology, to assist with PC maintenance

Immediately reduced power consumption by 40% (estimated)

Effective PC power management using Group Policy Preferences and AMT further reduces power consumption

Technology Purpose

Intel Active Management Technology

Allows low level remote-control of a PC – built into the motherboard. PCs should be pre-provisioned by OEM prior to delivery – cost = free (some OEMs may charge)

Intel SCS server Allows secure provisioning of AMT PCs once deployed – cost = free

SMS 2003 Manages OS patching, application deployment and PC re-imaging via SMS OSD add-on – cost = free

SMS 2003 Intel SMS add-on Allows management of AMT devices via SMS for instance power cycling etc. – cost = free

Microsoft Group Policy Preferences

Allows enterprise control of XP power policies applied by Group Policy Object – cost = free

Faronics DeepFreeze Maintains the state of a PC - installed on all student PCs – cost ~ £3 / PC /p.a.

Condor windows client Allows PC to be used on PlymGrid – installed on the PC & activated by Group Policy – cost = free

NB – whilst all the power saving solutions are effectively free there is a server and system admin overhead

All PCs are AMT provisioned All PCs are a member of an Active Directory security

group Each of the above security groups has a different

Windows power policy defined by a Group Policy preference moving the PC into standby after a period of inactivity

Intel SMS add-on wakes up or turns on PCs to perform OS updates or application deployments

The defined power policy returns the PC to a standby state

WoL technology didn’t work on our network

Extant enterprise products were either not robust or too expensive

The timing of the renewal of our leased fleet coincided with the maturity of Enterprise AMT

Dealing with new technologies – OEM was learning on the fly causing issues

Blending the technologies into UoP infrastructure Issues with Intel SMS add-on Lack of real accessible information BIOS and BIOS upgrade issues Changing user & support staff misconceptions,

i.e. vPro power managed PCs UoP under-resourcing the project

UoP senior management buy-in – all PCs ‘have’ to be power-managed, opt-out may only be achieved by completing a registration form

Working with new technologies

Working in partnership with Intel

Achieving solutions and successes

Our Apple Mac fleet wherever possible emulates the behaviour of the PCs

Prove that we are making real savings – aiming to look at this later this year, the findings will be published

Microsoft have embraced the AMT technology

Upgrading from SMS 2003 & SCS to SCCM 2007 SP1 – effectively unifying SMS & AMT

gregory.regan@plymouth.ac.uk