[UW-GIS-L] RE: Do we need a new system for serving licenses?

[Luke Rogers]

Interestingly enough, two servers on our network that were not hacked were
operated by non other than Phil Hurvitz and myself. SDE was not hacked but
had to be taken offline because the primary domain controller had been
compromised and once that happens, every machine on the network is
vulnerable. Our IT staff dropped the ball on this one, not our GIS staff.
This is the first time in over 3 years that SDE had to be taken offline for
more than a reboot. As for configuring license servers so they only hand out
licenses to UW machines, I hope that everyone that manages a license server
has their .opt files set correctly. Non-UW use of the ESRI software is
indeed illegal.

A central resource for ESRI software would be great, but until C&C steps up
my guess is that nobody is going to be able to organize anything of the
sort. Even if C&C started managing licenses and distributing software, they
don't support Microsoft Word or any other software on campus. As far as I
know, the ESRI support team here at the UW is one of a kind. I like the idea
of a rotating cast, it promotes community in the GIS realm, encourages the
use of the listserv, and seems to work.

What we need is some brilliant grad student to write a grant and get support
for a UW GIS Megaplex of knowledge!

-Luke

-----Original Message-----
From: David Finlayson [mailto:dfinlays at u.washington.edu] 
Sent: Monday, June 28, 2004 12:31 PM
To: lwrogers at u.washington.edu; UW - GIS Discussion & Support
Cc: cmom at u.washington.edu; oka at u.washington.edu; stevensj at u.washington.edu
Subject: Do we need a new system for serving licenses?

I am wondering if the UW needs a more robust system for serving licenses.
Right now we depend on volunteers. Obviously, computers open to the net are
subject to attack, so volunteer machines are vulnerable (as SDE has
apparently become). Furthermore, while most of the people who serve licenses
are fairly good about managing the licenses servers, it can be tricky to get
all the network details right. For example, when I had broad band through
comcast, I was able to check out a UW license for Arc without a UW IP
address!! That was nice for when I was at home, but probably illegal.

Maybe we can gather together a couple of older computers and set them up to
serve licenses? With a little support, we could kill two birds with one
stone: (1) a redundant license server pool, (2) a central go-to point for
properly configured licenses, software updates, etc. I don't know how many
clients we have on campus, but maybe a $5/seat annual service fee would be
enough to hire a maintainer and pay for supporting costs.

If a system like that worked, maybe it could be expanded to support an sde
server for the campus with all of the attendant complexity managed by a
small staff of specialists and the cost diffused over the community.

Food for thought.

David


Luke Rogers wrote:

>Hello All,
>
>SDE is back up and serving licenses for Both Arc 8.x and Arc 9 as well 
>as ERDAS Imagine. It looks as though it weathered the storm but if I 
>see anything funny I'll be shutting it down again.
>
>-Luke
>
>******************************************************
>       Luke Rogers, Rural Technology Initiative
>   Senior Geographic Information Research Scientist
>  Box 352100 | Seattle WA, 98195 | Tel:(206)543-7418  
>lwrogers at u.washington.edu | http://www.ruraltech.org University of 
>Washington - College of Forest Resources
>******************************************************
>
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>Uw-gis-l mailing list
>Uw-gis-l at u.washington.edu
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>  
>

--
David Finlayson
Marine Geology & Geophysics
School of Oceanography
Box 357940
University of Washington
Seattle, WA  98195-7940
USA

Office: Marine Sciences Building, Room 112
Phone: (206) 616-9407
Web: http://students.washington.edu/dfinlays