From: J. W. Smith <smith@moose.cs.indiana.edu>
Subject: Re: access to shared telecom closets
Keywords: dept vs. central management
Organization: Computer Science, Indiana University
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 10:11:35 -0500

cliff@cs.arizona.edu (Cliff Hathaway) writes:

>[ my first post apparently didn't make it -- apologies, etc. if this is a
>duplicate posting ]


>I'd like to hear how other institutions are handling access to shared
>telecommunications facilities - telephone closets, mechanical rooms, etc.

>Here's a brief overview of our situation:

>We have a mixture of centralized and local control and responsibility for
>network and telecommunications facilities.

>There is a University Telecommunications entity, which is responsible for
>installing and maintaining the campus FDDI backbone, and connections to
>the outside world through T1 lines, and virtually all of the campus voice
>communications.  They will also, for a price, install and maintain data 
>subnets that are connected to the campus backbone; typically these subnets
>consist of the computers owned by a single academic department.

>Each subnet is required to have a manager before it is allowed to connect
>to the campus backbone.  These managers are typically fulltime University
>employees with some knowledge of networking principles and computing, who
>agree to be the contact person and administrator for the subnet, along with
>their other duties.

>As with most institutions that have been around for more than 10 years or so,
>not all buildings have separate telecommunications closets.  Frequently, 
>the point of demarcation between the subnets and the centralized backbone is
>located in a mechanical room which contains air handling equipment, enclosed
>480 -> 208 volt transformers and major electrical switches.  However, there
>are few, if any, hazards present for a prudent individual.

>A couple years ago the University undertook a major upgrade to the cable 
>plant, and each college is assessed an annual charge to recoup the cost
>of this undertaking.  In exchange, departments are free to use the building
>telecommunications wiring for local networking, if they desire.  The rub here
>is that the termination points for this wiring is usually in a phone closet
>or mechanical room which the central entity is loathe to grant access to,
>citing possible personal injury or tampering with wiring and equipment.

>Are there other educational institutions out there where the departments
>do their own installation and maintenance of telecommunications facilities?
>Where and how do you make connections with the central service provider, if
>there is one?


>    Cliff Hathaway
>    Dept. of Computer Science (602)621-4291
>    University of Arizona     cliff@cs.arizona.edu 	        (internet) 
>    Tucson, Ariz. 85721	      {cmcl2,noao,uunet}!arizona!cliff	(uucp)





>-- 

>    Cliff Hathaway
>    Dept. of Computer Science (602)621-4291
>    University of Arizona     cliff@cs.arizona.edu 	        (internet) 
>    Tucson, Ariz. 85721	      {cmcl2,noao,uunet}!arizona!cliff	(uucp)


	The Computer Science Department at Indiana University has just
finished a $4M building renovation.  During the design/development
phase of the project we negotiated with our telecommunications
department to get access to the wiring closets.  Their initial
reaction was to deny access.  We won the day by finally stating that
we would put in our own closets if we had to.  Even the telecom
department recognized that that didn't make sense, so we were granted
access to the closets.  As part of the bargain, we increased the size 
of the closet, from 3'x5' to 5'x8'.  
	During the project we added an access control system to the
building.  Our faculty office suites, research labs, and instructional 
clusters are entered by swiping the standard university ID card through 
a reader at the door.  The control equipment for this system is housed 
in the wiring closet, hence we became very picky about giving access
to the room.  
	We also took pains to not let the control of the keying scheme 
get away from our influence, and made sure that we issued the keys to 
the building.  As we currently stand, even the telecommunications
department does not have keys to the telecommunications closet.  The
come to us when they need access.  We were prepared to issue them
keys, but then found out that they do not provide service to building
level wiring at any time other than normal working hours.  Since we
always have staff with keys around during that time, it was clear that
by not having keys, they would not be denied access.  We also have
procedures in place that in any building system failure or emergency,
Computer Science staff will be at the building (from an emergency call
list at the physical plant control center and the IU police
department).
	I think the key to our success was that we started dealing
with the problem a year before it was an issue, and took a very
proactive stance on our control of the building.  I have also promised
the telecommunications department that we will absolutely never mess
with their wires (that was not our practice before the renovation).  

-- 
John W. Smith, Facilities Director	smith@cs.indiana.edu
Computer Science Department		smith@iubacs (bitnet)
Indiana University			Lindley Hall, 428
Bloomington, IN  47405			812 855-4373

Newsgroups: comp.admin.policy