College of Engineering EECS Instructional Support Group Sep 23 2010 EECS Instructional Computing - Review and Plans ----------------------------------------------- Spring 2009 CONTENTS: Mission Statement Current Initiatives Project Wish List Budget Cuts Notable Events Mission Statement ----------------- The EECS Instructional Support Group (ISG) installs and maintains networked computers that are used by EECS classes. ISG provides computer accounts for instructors and students in the Instructional labs and on Instructional servers. ISG purchases, installs and maintains application software needed for classes. ISG supports instructional labs in Cory Hall, Soda Hall and Hearst Field Annex. These are the functions in which ISG interacts with other UCB support groups: - we obtain enrollment lists from the Registrar (Student Information Services) - we synchronize our user accounts with the EECS department (IDSG) - we provide cardkey pre-authorization for our students to EECS Facilities - we bill students' voluntary printer charges to CARS - we coordinate our use of the EECS Network Node Bank with IDSG and CNS - we manage the computers in engineering labs with ESG - we manage the computers in EECS conference rooms with ESG - we manage the licenses for Synopsys/TCAD/HSPICE with the Device Group - we manage the licenses for Cadence with the BSAC group - we manage the licenses for Maya and Renderman with the BCAM group Current Initiatives ------------------- - Prepare move into new CITRIS labs. - Prepare move from old HFA C labs. - Replace old mice with optical mice in all labs. (approx $2K) - Upgrade 349 Soda (Computer Graphics lab) with 8 Intel-based MacOSX and Windows systems, scanners and a color printer. Maya 2009 can't run on the current PowerPC-based Macs (circa 2004). (approx $20K) Project Wish List ----------------- Here is a wish list of projects that we would like to do. We lack the funding to do them all. 1) new labs in CITRIS: furniture, A/V, etc ($50K) This is for CS Selfpaced, CS61C/CS61CL, CS184, CS39J and DECAL classes (includes many non-EECS majors) - approx 1250 students. We've been allocated 2 labs in the new CITRIS building to replace the 3 labs in Hearst Field Annex that we'll vacate in June 2009. We need to purchase and install lab benches, chairs, networking and other accomodations to make the lab functional. This would otherwise come out of the ISG S&E funds. Apple has promised to donate new computers. 2) upgrade workstations in Instructional labs ($234K total) - replace 30 PCs (circa 2002) in 105 Cory for EE20N ($90K) - replace 8 PCs (circa 2003) in 111 Cory for EE117 ($24K) - replace 8 PCs (circa 2002) in 218 Cory for EE143 ($24K) - replace 120 dim CRTs with LCDs in 6 Cory & Soda labs ($96K) Benefit to approx 750 students in CS152, CS160, CS162, CS164, CS169, CS170, CS172, CS184, CS186, CS188, CS194, CS198, EE117, EE143, EE20N. 3) upgrade servers used for EECS classes ($126K total) - 3 Sun SPARC (UNIX) servers ($30K each) - 3 X86 (UNIX or Windows) servers ($12K each) These servers are used by all EECS classes for applications, programming, autograding and for backend services including email, LDAP, SVN, database, WEB and video steaming. 4) computer/software for new Virtual Hosting service ($24K) - 1 Sun Fire X4450 Server w/ 24-core cpu, 64-GB RAM ($24K) - 100-user license for Thinsy VM server software ($???) Students in several programming classes would be issued a persisent virtual computer on which they could safely develop programs that have special security or performance risks. Users would include EE122 (network protocols), CS186 (database and WEB servers) and CS161 (computer security) - approx 250 students. 5) renovate 105 Cory: new furniture, wiring, A/V ($30K) 105 Cory is a teaching lab that is used primarily by EE20N but is also available to other classes. It has an overhead projector and is well-suited to hands on instruction. The lab benches, chairs, network and electrical cabling are in disrepair from years of use. 6) salaries for 2 student staff for 1 year ($60K) To meet the FY 08-09 budget cut (4.6%), we have reduced our student staff. As a result, we have a higher incidence of delayed repairs and deferred maintenance in the labs. This funding would support staff for projects such as: - check physical condition of labs and do routine maintenance - install new equipment (such as with items #2 above) - update our UCB Scheme software (CS3, CS61A) for home users - install an RSS feed server for use by instructors This would benefit all 6800+ students who use our computers. 7) Develop an energy lab (est $80K) - ESG The course and labs would cover various energy sources, conversion methods, devices, efficiencies, delivery infrastructure, costs, storage and cutting edge technologies. Labs would need related equipment, including: a heliostat with 2-meter solar collector dish, various photovoltaic converters, solar-thermal converters, direct hydrogen generation (pyrolysis) from water in concentrated sunlight, robotic systems for capturing wind & wave power, tractor kite to pull generator, direct electrostatic generation from wind, and possibly submersible wave-energy transmission to generator. This would be a new course of interest to students from various departments. 8) Develop Microfabrication and MEMs curriculum and labs (est $220K) - ESG Currently, we offer in EECS three courses in Microfabrication and MEMs, with an annual enrollment of 150 students, approximately half of which are EE majors. We propose to underwrite the S&E expenses of running these labs and to add labs to the MEMs curriculum. Some of the items we want to add are high frequency probe stations, semiconductor parameter analyzers, high frequency impedance analyzers, an AFM, a small single-target RF sputtering system for aluminum for up to 4" substrates, spin rinser for similar substrates to use prior to oxidation and diffusion furnace steps, and a bench top prolifometer. 9) Update and integrate the College of Engineering Controls and Feedback Systems curriculum and laboratories (est $40OK) -ESG Combine the controls curricula from Mechanical and Electrical Engineering into a common course. This will also include a set of common undergraduate lab experiments. Primary cost are Student staff for lab development for one year, upgrading 12 computer stations to use LabVIEW hardware. Standardize undergraduate lab experiments: Quanser Inverted Pendulum (Pendulum Cart Control, Linear Inverted Pendulum); Magnetic Levitation Control. We Need 9 more Quanser setups (in addition to the 3 purchased in Summer 2008), maintenance for custom magnetic levitation setups. Develop a graduate controls laboratory using the undergraduate lab experiments as a starting point: Quanser Nonlinear Inverted Pendulum Experiments (Self Erecting Inverted pendulum, Double Pendulum, Flexible Joint); Trajectory Tracking for Magnetic Levitation Control. We need 12 NI 1762 camera systems for trajectory tracking. Courses affected (260 students) include: - EE128 (Feedback Control) - ME132 (Dynamic Systems and Feedback) - ME134 (Automatic Control Systems) - EE221A (Linear System Theory) - ME232 (Advanced Control Systems I) - EE222 (Nonlinear Systems Analysis, Stability and Control) - ME237 (Control of Nonlinear Dynamic Systems) Budget Cuts ---------- The funding that supports Instructional computing will be cut by 13% ($73K) starting July 1 2009, in addition to the temporary one-year cuts due to furloughs. This follows a %4.6 cut ($26K) in July 2008. A FY 2009-2010 budget projection will be posted soon at http://inst.eecs.berkeley.edu/~kevinm/budget/. This funding supports computers, software, service contracts, printing, network fees, furniture, supplies and salaries. For a a summary of the facilities and services that are included, please see https://inst.eecs.berkeley.edu/~inst/reports/?file=Instructional-Inventory.doc Notable Events -------------- See http://inst.eecs.berkeley.edu/notices.html for current events. For additional information, please contact me: Kevin Mullally, ISG Manager EECS Instructional Support Group 378 Cory Hall, (510) 643-6141 kevinm@eecs.berkeley.edu http://inst.eecs.berkeley.edu/ source: ~inst/public_html/reports/managers/Spring_2009