Attempt to track current and past work to make the Testing Center more robust.Table of Contents

Next steps

2017-02-10

  • Nick and Oliver created some to-dos for each other. Completed ones appear in the "Status reports" section, below.
  • Here are the outstanding to-do ideas:

Nick Taylor (Testing Lab) to dos:

Tech-related work (in priority order)

  1. Determine how daily file-copies are being done from TC2 to TC3. In that case FMPro file copied. Determine how to replicate so copies also going to TC1. And copies from TC1 to TC2 and TC3.
    • Info from Alan's email, 3/22/17:
      • My recollection is that the Task Scheduler (in Administrative Tools) is set on each machine to run 1 or more xcopy commands to copy the files. I have not verified it though....
    • All systems have access to "Backup" folder on each of the other systems (verified that today).
    • Consider all important files to copy over regularly, per:
  2. Determine how EZData functions, including dependent helper files, so that it could be reconstructed if on new OS with new version of FM Pro.
    • Current version of FM Pro used is v11.
    • Reads scanned test results and inputs them into FMPro, per:
  3. Determine how FMPro scripts work so system could be reconstructed or migrated to new version of FM Pro.
    • Current version of FM Pro used is v11.

Procedures and such

  1. Establish clear procedures for staff to follow if a particular computer or printer is not working.
    1. How much to attempt to fix (answer: very little!). Who to contact (anser: <PhysIT@cornell.edu>). How to do things "by hand", and what to do after system is back up and running.
  2. Question Nick was going to discuss with Alan: Is it worth have a weekly "snapshot" on a USB drive in Alan's office, which would be more "off site"? Worth the added risk?

Status reports

2017-03-09

Imaged systems now contained within an encrypted file, placed on a thumb drive, to give to Craig for safe-keeping.

Was: 2/10/17: Image all three systems in case of hard drive failure. Might protect against other likelihoods, too.

  • KEY STEP: Carefully document where (storage device) with images are stored.
  • Consider: Test restore of image to new hardware to see outcome. Will that work? (Alas, still Win7 not Win10. Still FM Pro v11, not v15.)

2017-03-01

Request from Craig for recommended action.

2017-02-23

Discovered that Brightworks is not available to do this work. (Was: 2/15/17, Oliver contacted Brightworks to see if they might be engaged with this work: Ticket#95300/Physics Testing Center, ensuring robustness in its setup.)

2017-02-10

Oliver and Nick Taylor <nwt2> created to-do lists following failing TC1 this week. Either in "Next steps" or "Status reports" (both, above), depending on completion level.

Past "Next steps"

8/27/15

  • Completed 7/7/2016, all 2 systems, INC000001709453. Was:
    • To do: Image TC-01 and TC-02 to files. When shall we do this, this semester? Alan had discussed maybe removing grade info before doing this.
  • Not completed:
    • To do: Get file synchronization to work. (What I said last time: I think I'm close to getting that to work across all 3 systems, so we'll see if I'm accurate on that count.)

Historical info:

Prior defined "next step", from spring 2015:

  • Do this work in early summer 1015. Thus, reconnect in mid-May to coordinate this upgrade, using information on this site.
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