Infrastructure and Operations Strategic Plan

Summary

The Infrastructure and Operations department is responsible for several enterprise-wide systems and services for the district and includes the following units:

Platform Services
Physical Security
Unified Communications
Cybersecurity

From a network perspective, the department provides wired and wireless intranet, filtered internet, and secure extranet access for every networked device in all district locations.

From a server perspective, the department provides secured compute and data storage services for all enterprise applications, virtual desktop infrastructure, and staff and group file storage.

From a telecommunications perspective, the department provides management and support of all telephones, leased telephone lines, voice mail, the district’s Voice over IP (VoIP) system, and the enterprise fax service.

From an audio/visual perspective, the department provides management, repair and support of all audio/visual equipment, including all Public Address (PA) systems, televisions, and laminators. This includes technical consultation and hands-on assistance with setting up equipment for events.

Network Infrastructure

Goal 1

Provide a robust wireless infrastructure and ubiquitous user experience that is highly accessible, easily maintained, and secure.

Implement ISE/802.1x wireless security.

Outcome:

Increased wireless network security and eliminate unauthenticated access to all district resources.

Evaluate alternative industry-leading wireless LAN options to maintain budget efficiency.

Outcome:

Wireless LAN options remain accessible, optimal, ubiquitous, and budget optimal, with continued efficiency for administration and management.

Platform Infrastructure

Goal 1

Plan design for new data center to meet the district's need to increase resiliency.

Partner with consulting firms to design new location for secondary data center.

Outcome:

The district will have an optimal, efficient, and budget conscious secondary data center design created to submit for final approval.

Goal 2

Research and develop strategies to offload home folders and local data storage shares to existing online platforms that allow for secure, remote file accessibility.

Migrate home folders and local data storage shares to approved cloud storage platforms.

Outcome:

User home folder data resides on a more resilient cloud-based storage platform, data is accessible anywhere and on any compatible endpoint device.

Decommission the campus file servers.

Outcome:

The server footprint is reduced to free up resources that can be reallocated as needed to support future initiatives; the overall vulnerability footprint is reduced, improving manageability, reducing licensing costs and system complexity.

Research options for secure, remote file accessibility to locally stored data.

Outcome:

Locally stored data can be accessed remotely across any compatible endpoint device in a more secure and manageable way.

Goal 3

Establish arlingtonisd.org as a new email domain address.

Implement prerequisite recommendations to prepare for environment update(s).

Outcome:

The email environment prerequisites have been committed to production.

Extend current domain environment to support arlingtonisd.org domain.

Outcome:

The production domain environment now accepts arlingtonisd.org as a domain suffix.

Cybersecurity

Goal 1: Protect

Develop and implement appropriate safeguards to ensure delivery of critical services

Centralized Logging Solution.

Outcome:

Create a centralized log aggregation system to gather various system and device logs and, visible through a "single pane of glass."

Network Load Balancer / Web Application Firewall.

Outcome:

Redesign of data center architecture to incorporate new load balancing and web application firewall hardware and software solutions.

Student Device Filtering.

Outcome:

All off-site AISD student authenticated web traffic filters through the district's web filtering solution.

Network Segmentation.

Outcome:

All publicly accessible servers on physical networks have been migrated to DMZs.

Network Service Resiliency.

Outcome:

Each AISD data center has site resiliency and multiple, diverse pathways to ISPs for Internet traffic.

Goal 2: IDENTIFY

Develop an organizational understanding to manage cybersecurity risk to systems, people, assets, data, and capabilities.

Expand Vulnerability Management Program.

Outcome:

The existing Vulnerability Management Program has been expanded to include additional data points. Those data points are included in monthly reports to respective departments for appropriate action to be taken.

Continue to Develop intranet website for employees to learn about Cybersecurity standards and services.

Outcome:

A Cybersecurity Intranet website resource is established for AISD staff to visit and learn about protective measures and best practices.

Perform penetration testing.

Outcome:

A successful penetration test has been performed against the district, with a findings and recommendations report being produced for the District to take appropriate actions.

Goal 3: RESPOND

Develop and implement appropriate activities to take action regarding a detected cybersecurity incident.

Continue Developing an Incident Response Plan/Procedure.

Outcome:

A formalized Incident Response Plan is established and adopted.

Unified Communications

Goal 1

Create support documentation for Telephony Systems and Users.

Build “End User” Documentation.

Outcome:

User support documentation has been created and submitted to the support knowledgebase.

Build Documentation for PA/Bell System.

Outcome:

All system and site documentation is completed. User support documentation has been created and submitted to the support knowledgebase.

Goal 2

Research the efficiency of our communications systems to identify changes and to improve end user experience.

Perform health check and assessment of email system.

Outcome:

Email environment has been evaluated by a third party engineer and the district has been provided with assessment recommendations.

Evaluate and implement assessment recommendations.

Outcome:

All or selected assessment recommendations have been implemented according to best practices and business needs.

Goal 3

Upgrade aging Telecom equipment at District facilities.

Replace aging PA Systems.

Outcome:

All schools have newly installed PA systems that aligns to district standards.

Replace aging wireless phones.

Outcome:

All schools have upgraded phone handsets.

Goal 4

Develop District standards for Telecommunication.

Create a strategy for updating telecommunication systems and document standard equipment.

Outcome:

The Unified Communications department has adopted the new standard for documenting systems and equipment.

Goal 5

Training: Develop a process for training staff to improve knowledge of our systems.

Check into formal training for VoIP phone environment.

Outcome:

Staff receive training offerings to augment and advance their current technical skillset.

Research training offerings for email system.

Outcome:

Staff receive training offerings to augment and advance their current technical skillset.

Goal 6

Establish arlingtonisd.org as a new email domain address.

Evaluate existing email environment.

Outcome:

The existing email infrastructure has been evaluated and endorsed by a third-party engineer, and a migration roadmap has been developed.

Implement prerequisite recommendations to prepare for environment update(s).

Outcome:

All prerequisites for the migration have been met and the system is ready to accept the new domain suffix.

Extend current email environment to support arlingtonisd.org email domain.

Outcome:

All Arlington ISD email accounts have been augmented with the new domain suffix and now use that suffix as part of their primary email address.

Physical Security

Goal 1

Provide a modern, robust video surveillance infrastructure environment to enhance the safety and security of the district.

Install new and replace existing security cameras for identified sites.

Outcome:

All sites utilize a more robust video surveillance system and an improved and enhanced camera infrastructure.

Purchase & Install Enterprise Storage for Centralized IP Servers and Video Data.

Outcome:

All sites that have been migrated to the new VMS will now store footage and data in a highly secure, centralized, data center with built in resiliency and failover.

Goal 2

Develop building solutions for classroom emergency lockdown and notification.

Evaluate solutions for classroom panic and emergency lockdown notification and orchestration.

Outcome:

A recommendation for classroom/building-wide panic and emergency lockdown solutions is presented to Senior Leadership.