Minutes of 10/17/07

Approved 12/05/07

Ken Curley, Bob Young, Pete Jones were present, Bill Tappan and Lucy  Edwards were not present.

Pete Jones opened the meeting a 7:08 pm.  Peter Wornowski of Network Managers came to provide the committee  with insights into the Town Hall Computer system and backup  capabilities in place on the system.
 
Pete Jones (PJ) Thanks Peter Wornowski for being here and indicates  that this is not a consultation not is the committee seeking advice,  the members are seeking information as to what knowledge Mr.  Wornowski had on Disaster Recovery and Continuity of government.  Basically, what is the backup for the computer system at town hall?
 
PW: Everything saved to the desktop is not backed up. Staff knows  which drives are on the Map Server. Only those files on the server  are backed up onto tape.
 
PJ: Peter redirects question indicating the committee is interested  in the technical aspects of the backup more than the people aspect,  although the committee would be interested in what Network Managers  thought about how people interacted with the system.
 
PW: At 11:OO pm the Backup Exec begins to backup sections of the  server to tape. Only folders that are on the server are backed up.  Avatar, ADS and SQL database data are sent to tape. The point of  failure in the back up system is the tape. Is it taken off- site?
 
KC: Daily backup is a full backup. Each tape is a stand alone for the  previous day.
 
PW: The plan had been to shuffle through ten tapes,providing 2 weeks  of back-up
 
PJ: Any problems you are aware of? We do not know what the Town has  asked or told Network Managers to do. We are not looking to beat up  on Network Managers (NM) They may not have been told what was expected.
 
KC: Did NM set up the network?
 
PW: PW indicated that he was only at NM for a year and did not know.
 
PJ: Are you aware of any glaring problems? So we use ten tapes?
 
PW: We suggested they run ten tapes rather than five, but are not sure  what is done. Running five tapes means anything over two weeks old  is thus lost in a total system collapse. No full tape is pulled out  as a secure back-up
 
PJ: Has there ever been a test or verification that the tape can be  restored?
 
PW: Testing is done on a quarterly basis where NM will pull one or  two file and see if they can be restored. Minimal checks have been  done because testing is done during the day. NM has not done a full  restore.
 
PJ: With what you know, could the Town perform a full bare metal restore?
 
PW: Yes, we are confident that the data is stored. We would have to  locate copies of the application programs and build a new machine,  but a full restore would be possible within a day, There would be no  “image “ of the system sitting offsite.
 
PJ: What if Town Hall vanishes?
 
KC: New line of questioning... we have little history on the system.  Was present equipment purchased by NM? I understand that recently a  lot was not.
 
PW: Harriet bought new machines and NM configured them ... nothing  crazy ... basic generic .... Oh and back to the question, it would  be about a day to rebuild the network.
 
PJ: Regarding Town application software such as Avatar and ADS, where  is the copy of the application located? <http://  www.avitarofneinc.com/> , <http://adspro.com/software/forgovernment/  default.aspx>
 
PW: We do not know where the media is ... usually get to it off the  server. Data for those applications is both on server and in backup.
 
KC: Any other media?
 
PW: Abolene (Abilene?) , “Easy Download” ... to name a few
 
PJ: What is the situation with the Town Clerk and Tax Collector’s  office? I understand there is both a state and a town network. What  applications are in use?
 
KC: Taxes are done using Avatar ... no one was aware of any other  software applications in use in Judy’s office area.
 
KC: And e-mail... are e-mails automatically backed up?
 
PJ: I am the guy doing that part of it. e-mail is presently using  JTAN’s service. One thing we would need would be an idea as to the  cost of an exchange server in house. What would it cost to put it in  and what will it cost to keep it running?
 
PW: It will cost you more. You will need hardware and remember you  current machine is out of warranty.
 
KC: E-mail is stored on individual machines in Outlook. There  is no autosave from the PST ... it sits on the desk top ... scripts  could be provided to send the file back to the server. This is  currently not done. Doing so would compromise the evening backup of  the sever.
 
PW: That means that there is lots and lots of redundancy out  there. ... many people keeping multiple lists on multiple sites.
 
RY: Again, how does this compare with other town halls? Are there  any other areas at this facility we should be looking at?
 
PW: Wiring in this facility is awful. The wiring for the network has  evolved as patches and should be all torn out. It is CAT-5, but it  is bundled and strewn everywhere. Wires are crusty and old. Four  and five port routers are stuck just about everywhere. In fact of  the hundred or so Town Halls we work with, this facility is the  second worst.
 
 On the other hand, the hardware, equipment and workstations are good  and better that that in most other facilities. Most machines are  operating on XP Professional. The welfare director and recreation  director however are orphaned from the system. They are running home  versions of XP on their machines so are unable to connect to other  workstations.
 
KC: How do you “set-up” a machine that you install on the network?
 
PW: The difference between the cost of an off the shelf machine and  one purchased from NM is that we include a set up and extended  warranty. That was what happened with Marsha’s Machine. The  computer and its extended warranty had been purchased on Harriet’s  credit card. The vendor would not honor the warranty without her  authority, so the hard drive had to be replaced at cost. NM  installed a used hard drive to keep cost minimal.
 
KC: Speaking of used, what about machines that are taken out of use?  What happens to the data. The prior welfare directors computer had  been transferred to the Fire Station with all of the Welfare Data in  tact. Fortunately it ended up at a Town agency that understood  privacy issues.
 
PW: NM works in many hospitals and Doctor’s Officers so because of  HIPAA is a concern. The staff knows how to clean machines they take  back.
 
KC: And what was the situation with Marcia’s machine?
 
PW They do what they can.
 
PJ: Who did the work?
 
PW: This case is documented. The unit went back to NM.
 
PJ: Point is the original hard drive is fine. It passed all tests.  It appears to have stopped in the middle of a restore. I located  giant files TI06 for example
 
PW: That was a file made by our guys. The hard drive was good?  That’s a surprise. Our guys are good.
 
KW: Any other glaring problems?
 
PJ: Data is a mess. There is a lack of a naming convention. Lisa and  Kathy appear to know where most materials are stored. Linda’s files  are less well documented and files are not easily located. First  thing to do is to set up protocol covering security, data backup and  file management. Tackle the wiring after that.
 
PW: There have been attempts at structure. NM set up security groups  and folders are locked down pretty good.
 
PJ: Curiosity, what is our level of computer literacy compared to  other towns
 
PW: It is on par. Most want it to work and then cry when it does not.
 
We went back to the server to see how and when data was being backed up. PW had doubted that tapes were going out of Town Hall. We  discovered Tuesday’s tape on a Wednesday night,,, back up had not 
been done that day.

PW: The network only takes care of Town Hall. Fire, Police and DPW  (Steve and Jimmy) can log into ADS from their computers off site.  They are all on Metrocast network and can log into server by remote  desktop and it launches automatically
 
PJ: What then is your overview of security here?
 
PW: Limit is at the desktop. There are security groups, but there is  no name convention. People know other people’s passwords.
 
At this point a discussion continued on security ... on log in  procedures ... on wiring issues. For example the need for a patch  panel and the 300 foot cable limit.

PW left at 8:27pm
 
Members of the Committee then review data files received regarding  MS Info files. An e-mail we sent to Paul ... Paul requested that  everyone at town hall send a report from each machine. Meaning a  report was filed from each computer, not every person. The MS Info  was received from every machine except the library, the road agent’s  trailer and the transfer station. Two Town Hall machines had not  been reported, but we could not determine exactly which ones. We had  received twelve PC responses including three from the fire department.
 
Attention was turned to what was learned about the Tax Collector’s  machines. There are two State machines and one town machine. Judy  says that town dog license data is held on one of the State  machines. It had been placed there when there had been a problem  with the town computer and never returned. Judy would like to have  two town machines in addition to the state machines. State units are  for Motor Vehicle and vital statistics. A second computer is just  for boating licenses
 
Action items for next meeting:

1. Draw up a Data Backup Policy ... identity best practices... Grandfather - father - son.
2. Review security groupings and permissions ... address as a separate issue from backup policy.
3. Develop RFP for rewiring town hall. Even with new building, the current office space will still need drops and a patch panel.
    
   Next meeting will be November 28 at 7:00 pm