Novell File Services Migration

ITS has been working on transitioning file services to the University of Wisconsin Medical Foundation. This is the last step in the large project of moving all Novell services to the UWMF, which has included renaming user accounts and migrating to using UWMF GroupWise. The main reason we are consolidating our Novell services is because we would like to focus more on services that advance the Department of Family Medicine mission areas. In order to do so, we have taken an introspective look to see how we can best achieve this goal.

Our Novell services had grown over the past several years, and we had reached the point where we would need additional resources, including personnel and hardware. Because the UWMF also uses Novell and has the resources in place to support a large number of users, we will experience several advantages upon completion of this project, including:

• Better remote file access.
• Faster file access as servers are installed at each site.
• A more integrated environment with the UWMF allowing access to files while in a Citrix session making support less confusing.
• More DFM staff time to enhance video conferencing services, offer end user technology trainings and provide ITS orientations for new faculty/staff.

There will be some changes you will notice on your desktop:

• Some drive letters will change. Specific information will be provided during the migration at your site.
• New icons will be added to your desktop, which may reorder some of your current icons.

Wingra and Northeast clinics have transitioned already, and over the next several months, DFM and UWMF ITS staff will be visiting the rest of the DFM sites to complete this project. The current schedule is:

• December 3 - Eau Claire and Augusta
• December 13 - Fox Valley
• December 20 - Belleville
• January 8 - Verona
• January 15 - Wausau (tentative)
• January 29 - Alumni Hall

Eric Schoville and Kathy McCain are the primary DFM ITS staff working on this project. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this project, please direct them to Eric Schoville.