- Test server
problems
- Update
The test server has been down since early October. Gail reported
that it will soon be restored but the cause has not been identified and the
problem could occur again. Cognos suggested that scheduling reports between
midnight and 1:00 a.m. might be the cause but none of our reports are scheduled
for this time period.
Gail has done a complete re-install of the software twice and
the login screen and PowerPlay cubes are now working. All reports have to be
republished and all customized and scheduled reports must be recreated. After
the server is fully restored, we must implement a back-up plan.
If problems occur when the Cognos web interface is in production,
there will be an alternative of running most essential reports from the desktop
clients but this would not provide for those reports that must be run at a specific
time (e.g. exceptions report).
- Web reports re-organization opportunity
Gail suggested that we might use the test server restoration as an opportunity
to re-organize the web NewsBoxes (folders) and NewsItems (reports and
cubes). She presented a structure based on library and function for discussion.
TSR members agreed that a simplified version of this functional organization
was logical and user-friendly.
Gail and Bill confirmed that it will be easy to add categories
after the NewsBox structure is created (e.g. add Nipissing under WLU). NewsBox
administration could be distributed to designated people at each institution.
They would maintain NewsBoxes and report creators would post new reports to
the web through these administrators. TSR will need to designate NewsBox administrators
and prepare guidelines for this role.
To do:
- Bill
will create the new NewsBox structure and Gail will republish reports to the
web server.
- After
the re-organization is completed, Gail will contact the test server users
about the changes and the work that must be redone.
- TUG Managers
consultation meetings – report & review
Ron and Linda reported on the consultation meetings with managers
at Guelph and Waterloo. Both received confirmation for the vision of the reports
web environment and agreement with the TUG Cognos training team concept. For
the security set up, managers agreed that access to data should be as open as
possible and that an acceptable way to proceed with the development of the security
model would be to sit down with groups of functional managers to discuss requirements
for access and restrictions.
Because of the strike, Joanne has not been able to meet with
the WLU managers. If required for moving forward with the security and training
issues, she will speak to the managers informally.
- Security/Access – who has access to what
To move forward with the Cognos web implementation, TSR must
address security issues related to setting up user classes and populating the
groups. The TUG Statistics and Reports Cognos Project group obtained some preliminary
information from managers about data restrictions. TSR members agreed that the
next step should be to complete a prototype of a workable security structure,
then meet with groups of TUG functional managers to demo the preliminary version,
confirm the design and seek their input. Gail and Bill will conduct these meetings.
We will try to complete them in the next month but will need to take the WLU
staffing situation into account.
Logical groups of managers were proposed:
- User Services, Access Services, ILL/DD
- Acquisitions, Special Collections
- Collections, Information Resources, TDR
- Cataloguing, Data Maintenance
- Information Services, Academic Liaison
- UW affiliated libraries
To do:
- Bill
and Gail will review input already received from managers, prepare a workable
user class structure and schedule meetings with managers.
- Ron, Joanne and Linda will identify appropriate groupings and people to be included. Ron will
draft a message to managers informing them about the meetings and indicating
that Gail and Bill will contact them.
- TUG Cognos staff education team planning
The role of the Cognos training team
will focus on using reports and data, not creating reports. These staff members
will need to be competent in interpreting data as well as in using the web interface.
Each trainer should have an area of expertise in cube content and a general
knowledge of all cubes and how to navigate through them. Staff members who have
teaching skills and enthusiasm for the topic would be ideal.
We may be able to use Cognos training
sessions and materials for general training in the user interface but Gail and
Bill will be needed to provide the training team’s grounding in the TUG data
and organization.
We should aim for at least two people per institution and a
cross-functional mix. The length of appointment should probably be two or three
years. The workload will be heaviest in the first year as the training program
is developed and TUG reports staff and managers are brought onto the web interface,
then it should lighten in subsequent years.
To do:
- Gail
will review Cognos course offerings and suggest a good starting point for
the TUG training team.
- Joanne
will prepare an initial draft of a mandate and description for the training
team.
- Cognos Systems staff training
Attendance at the Nov. 19th
Cognos Security Concepts Training Seminar in Toronto has been approved for Bill
and Gail.
We need to determine training requirements
for Bill, Gail and the TUG Cognos training team and prepare a budget proposal.
Ron noted that he had the Cognos North American training schedule (also on the
web http://support.cognos.com/training/catalogs/index.html)
and that online training for the desktop
clients is available at $100/seat. Alan Gale will register for the web-based
training to learn more about creating Impromptu reports and also to evaluate
the effectiveness of the training method and materials.
The primary training need for the training
team will be the UpFront web user interface.
To do:
- Bill and Gail will review the training program to identify system administration level
training that should be considered.
- Agenda planning/Next meeting
Ron will call a meeting in mid-November at Guelph. Gail and Bill will attend.
Agenda to include:
- Reports
listserv implementation (Linda will forward the list of managers subscribed
to tugmanagers-l to use as a starting point in defining the initial population
of the reports listserv).
- Reports request process /procedural issues.