Maximizing Value
A core focus for the Division of IT is delivering a clear return on investment for the university and System. Whether we’re working to save time or money, we are dedicated to maximizing value for our customers and partners.
Embracing the Internet of Things
Current infrastructure is being improved to increase speeds, reliability and value for campus. In 2021, the division launched a pilot program for an Internet of Things (IoT) network. The network allows campus members to connect smart devices that will not connect to TAMU_WiFi and links each device to the user’s account, ensuring network safety.
Camera Management Streamlined
The division will save approximately $20,000 per year with the move of over 260 cameras to the Genetec system of Transportation Services. Division staff responsible for the cameras also split time with card access management. Streamlining will allow those staff members to focus on card access. Transportation now manages over 1,400 cameras across campus.
Frontier Master Service Agreement Saves Money
A new three-year master service agreement with Frontier will save approximately $144,000 annually. The agreement should be approved in early 2022.
Contract Streamlining Saves Money for System, Division
The Texas A&M University System and the Division of IT are saving $120,000 over three years after renegotiating the Cisco Duo Two-Factor Authentication contract. The System and division are working to streamline additional contract management for shared System-wide IT services.
Automated SSL Certificate Requests Save Time
The Automated Certificate Management Environment (ACME) service for SSL certificate requests rolled out. This opt-in service provides campus members a means to automate and streamline the application of SSL certificates to production environments. Use of this service avoids manual approval and submittal processes resulting in considerable human resource savings and eliminating delays.
Cybersecurity Alert Templates Save Time, Increase Communication
The division developed a set of standardized email templates to communicate cybersecurity threats to campus members, along with a process to quickly create additional templates as new scenarios arise. Not only will these templates save critical minutes during a cyber attack, but they ensure clear communication to campus on actions needed.
Automated Account Requests Save Time, Money
Prospective Aggie Innovation Platform (AIP) customers can go to the IT Service Catalog and choose their cloud service. The service request asks for pertinent information and then a series of automated steps takes over. Ultimately, the customer receives an email with their access information and how to start using their new cloud resources. The amount saved in 2021 thanks to this automation was approximately $44,000.
AIP Server Images Save Time, Reduce Errors
The Aggie Innovation Platform (AIP) now has a Continuous Improvement/Continuous Development (CI/CD) pipeline to create server images that meet university security controls requirements and can be run on a diverse set of cloud environments. The resulting AIP-managed images are ready for customers to use within their linked Amazon Web Services (AWS) accounts, saving the one to two days and high error rates of building an image directly from the hardware. Images will be released for Azure and Google Cloud in the near future.
Microsoft OneDrive Saves University
Texas A&M University will save approximately $320,000 annually by not renewing the contract with the Syncplicity file sharing and synchronization service. The contract expired at the end of 2021 and account holders moved their files to other services, like Texas A&M’s OneDrive.
Cloud Makes Support Tool Possible
Exchange administrators are saving time using a new shared mailbox lookup tool from the Division of IT. The tool is running in the cloud on Microsoft Azure for only pennies per year. In the past, this same tool would have cost $500 annually to run on traditional virtual machines (VMs).
Researchers Save Time Submitting Grant Applications
The division released the Data Classification + Research Resources tool to help researchers simplify and streamline the process of submitting data classification and technology requirements for their grant applications, especially when PHI is involved. The tool ensures the university follows data privacy and protection requirements, as well as state and federal law.
Improving Accuracy of Funding Proposals
Researchers can save time using a list of templates to accurately and efficiently prepare research proposals. The templated statements include information on the campus network, data centers, Aggie Innovation Platform (AIP) and Secure Technologies for Aggie Researchers (STAR) cloud technology, cybersecurity, FERPA and HIPAA data protection, and the Texas Data Repository (TDR). The templates have also been added to the university’s Data Management Plan (DMP) Tool.
Software Center Saves Texas A&M Community Millions
Texas A&M students, employees and departments saved approximately $8 million in 2021 through the Division of IT’s Software Center.
Laserfiche Automates University Savings
The Laserfiche Automated Billing System has delivered substantial savings to the university. Automating processing for salary letter generation, personnel files, new student hires, termination and promotion is saving over $31,000 per year. Utilizing Laserfiche for the budget and OTM/ALWP processes saves approximately $39,000 per year.
New Code Maroon Vendor Offers Savings
The Code Maroon Shared Service is saving over $190,000 per year through its contract with a new vendor, AppArmor. Moving Code Maroon to AppArmor’s cloud also eliminated five of the on-campus servers required for notification and their related costs. AppArmor provides more functionality for users, especially with the Code Maroon mobile app.
PCR-360 Allows Centralized Billing
The Division of IT’s switch to the PCR-360 billing system has provided benefits to customers and the division. Customers now have one bill which is available digitally at one location. This alleviates printing, sorting and mailing and saves 12 hours per month previously required to check individual transactions once jobs are processed. Bills are closed at the end of the month and do not require the 5-7 days to process as before. This also causes less errors and provides more time to research billing issues. Mainframe billing has also ceased.
Identity Management Request Forms Streamlined
The Division of IT converted PDF forms into new, streamlined web forms for popular Identity Management requests including Sponsored NetID, Shared NetID, Secondary NetID and Shared Forwarding Address. The forms include dynamic features, such as automatic checks to see if a preferred NetID is already taken and the ability to track the status of a request.
Division Aims to ACE Accessibility
Texas A&M's Accessibility Conformance Evaluation (ACE) tool gives the campus and System a full listing of Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) and access to the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT®) for each. The tool also gives expiration dates and the scope of approval for each EIR, university exceptions and possible methods of accommodation. ACE will save the university approximately $12,000 annually in time for IT staff. Stakeholders will save time previously spent on correspondence with vendors and IT staff.
Qualtrics Move to SSO Simplifies Service Management
Qualtrics users have one less login and password to remember and Texas A&M can now easily life-cycle accounts after the service was transitioned to SSO (Single Sign-On) over the summer.