Talking Stick - May/June 2016 - 47

longer than three years. Parts are higher quality
now, and the capabilities of modern computers
are better than they ever have been. Delays
with productivity are most often linked to the
infrastructure, the network. Infrastructure
systems are where you want to focus efforts
because that's where bottlenecks occur. The
ability to connect to information will not degrade
significantly. The only exceptions are those with
significant major processing needs."
With a straightforward workstation
replacement cycle in place, efforts can then
be directed to another major priority -
infrastructure. No one likes to turn on their
computer only to learn that the server is down.
For many offices, in fact, this will halt almost
every process in today's digital age. However,
the cost of maintaining your own infrastructure
is not cheap. Kyle Estes, associate director for
facilities services at Texas State University in San
Marcos, comments, "It is common for campuses
to utilize centralized server management.
Housing then doesn't have to develop the
expertise in house. Cloud-based server
technology has come far so you only pay for the
server space you need when you need it."
Browning is a proponent of cloud resources
too. "I used to work for a small travel business,
and the first thing I did was cut IT services
in half by moving our email to Google. Many
organizations do this," he says. "You pay a fee
and move all of your stuff into Gmail. USF
uses Gmail for business to provide services to
students, and it's a really inexpensive way to get
rid of your exchange server or antiquated system
that needs constant support." Browning explains
that other advantages of using Gmail are that
you can keep your domain name and all of your
users, you can access your work email on any
device, and it is reliable. "Gmail won't break. It's
the largest email service in the world."
A cost-effective cloud-based approach
employed by housing and dining services at
the University of Colorado Boulder serves as an
example of how desktop leasing, purchasing,
and support could become a thing of the past. By
implementing a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure
(VDI) environment staff members no longer
need traditional desktop systems. Robert Dixon,
the director of information technology, explains,
"Four years ago, we worked on virtualizing the

desktop. We use a 'zero client' that is the size of
a cell phone. The user just needs to plug in the
network cable, monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
Currently, 600 staff members are using zero
clients to access a Cisco Blade server. This is
really robust." He goes on to explain that "Staff
don't have to replace hard drives or remove
malware on this solid state device. Also, it's
useless as a standalone device, so there is no
interest to steal it. The cost of each zero client
is around $200-300. We saved half a million
dollars this year not replacing machines. This
approach combines speed with cost effectiveness.
All processing happens in a central location on
the server side."
One might think that by centralizing the
computer system, the demand for network
resources increases exponentially. However,
Dixon notes, "Almost any network on any
campus should be able to handle the load. You
aren't crunching numbers. Rather than sending
data back and forth, we use the server to do the
crunching, then the display information is sent
to the zero client." This approach removes the
need for additional desktop support staff. With all
data in one place, issues can be resolved quickly
on the server side. Gone are the days of waiting
for an onsite response from an IT professional.
Additionally, fewer IT professionals are required
to support the infrastructure for the organization.
Though the upfront cost of a VDI could appear
significant when compared to a desktop leasing
approach, the year over year savings realize the
upfront cost.
With priorities identified and with a budget
in place for the short-term, medium-term, and
long-term IT costs, it's important to consider the
impact on the entire department or office. For
example, an internal review of manual processes
may reveal that significant costs exist which
can be reduced by skillful IT implementation.
Browning warns that IT solutions are best
utilized to replace current processes. "Don't
jump into a new technology just for the sake of
a new technology, and don't be reliant on a new
technology that you have no experience with.
It's like buying a lottery ticket," he says. "There
is no big one-fits-all solution you can adopt, so
take individual processes and automate those
with things that are well tested." Mian adds,
"If there is a new technology out there and you

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