Operations Cut, Costs Slashed In New OIT Plan

The Office of Information Technology (OIT) will simplify its operations and reduce costs under a new plan introduced by Allen J. Proctor '74, vice president for finance.

Over the next two fiscal years, OIT's budget will be cut by nearly $2.4 million dollars. OIT, which is the largest single technical provider in the University, will "unwind" some components in order to phase out services which are not functioning productively, according to a report in yesterday's Harvard Gazette.

"We're now going to offer less, for less," Stephen Hall, director of OIT, said.

Proctor's plan has five points, affecting operations related to telephones, data networks local area networks, joint publishing and mainframe systems.

Under the plan, OIT will no longer set telephone rates at a level to guarantee an annual surplus of $1.5 million. A task force will decide at what level new, competitive rates should be set.

OIT also plans to restructure and consolidate operations of the highspeed data network (HSDN) and local area networks.

Local area networks will no longer be administered by OIT now that Harvard's individual schools and departments have the capability to handle their own networks.

In cases where smaller groups do not yet have the necessary expertise, OIT will provide a list of outside vendors to provide local network service.

The HSDN, which currently connects nearly 90 percent of campus and Medical Area buildings, will be cut back to a "backbone" operation only, offering only basic network and support services.

The new structure will allow HSDN to support core services like maintenance of fiber optic facilities, and diagnostic and repair services, but other services will become optional and will be administered on a fee-for-service basis.

These changes are expected to reduce operating costs for both local area networks and the HSDN.

Under the fourth section of Proctor's plan, OIT will join the Office of the University Publisher (OUP) this fall to provide the University community with below-market prices on munity with below-market prices on printing,network and copy services. The two groups estimatethat $262,000 will be saved by eliminatingduplicated services and machines.

The new joint OIT/OUP facility is called theDigital Print and Copy Center and will be locatedat 219 Western Ave.

"This joint venture between OIT and OUP is animportant first step toward ensuring that Harvardis able to manage its administrative and academiccommunications needs," OUP Director James Gilltold the Gazette.

The final section of the five point programcalls for the phasing out of a redundant mainframeoperating system by the end of the 1997 fiscalyear.

The University currently supports two separatemainframe operating systems and promises toprovide help during the transition to more updatedtechnology.

The discontinuation of the second operatingsystem is expected to allow OIT to redirectoperations and technical support resources andprovide better support for the remaining mainframesystem.

"Over the next two years," Proctor said to theGazette, "we will try, in an orderly way, to pushourselves into the future.

The new joint OIT/OUP facility is called theDigital Print and Copy Center and will be locatedat 219 Western Ave.

"This joint venture between OIT and OUP is animportant first step toward ensuring that Harvardis able to manage its administrative and academiccommunications needs," OUP Director James Gilltold the Gazette.

The final section of the five point programcalls for the phasing out of a redundant mainframeoperating system by the end of the 1997 fiscalyear.

The University currently supports two separatemainframe operating systems and promises toprovide help during the transition to more updatedtechnology.

The discontinuation of the second operatingsystem is expected to allow OIT to redirectoperations and technical support resources andprovide better support for the remaining mainframesystem.

"Over the next two years," Proctor said to theGazette, "we will try, in an orderly way, to pushourselves into the future.