ITSUpdate

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C3H IT Services Update to the Church Council 2008-02-25
Due to unforseeable change in the kids schedules, Mark S has a very narrow window of time where he can join the Church Council meeting on Tuesday 26February. He will be available for 20min beginning at circa 7:50pm. Here are notes on the C3H IT Services update to the Church Council:

Projects underway

 * ===Web site, network, and e-mail===
 * Intrex.net e-mail service has been unacceptable, transition proposed to Network Solutions (e-mail and basic web site)
 * DSL service: Mindspring.com service has also had unacceptable service whenever the DSL cabling has been a problem, propose changing to AT&T DSL (potential bundle, since AT&T provides C3H local telephone service)
 * Migrating content to Wikispaces.com, as can be seen in "Navigation Pane" at left, a half dozen groups or activities at C3H are using Wikispace pages to track and publicize their activities

Staff assist in ITS projects

 * Need for assistance and commitments in completing C3H ITS projects:
 * Pat S and Brian C have been fantastic as staff liaison to the C3H IT Services
 * Gathering more in requirements from C3H Staff and Authorized Users
 * Planning for transition of services: e-mail, DSL, web site

Authorized User PCs

 * Reinstate process and procedures for each Authorized User on C3H PCs. Each Authorized User must
 * be assigned or request their own unique Userid
 * maintain a non-trivial Password

Transition of Services

 * Planning for transition of services: e-mail, DSL (or migration to Cable Modem),

Staff Requirements

 * Establish process to continually gather requirements from stakeholders and determine evolution of C3H IT Services

Outreach
>> http://tjduuait.wikispaces.com/
 * Leading development of TJ District wide IT Services Wikispace:

Search for a ChMS

 * Church Management System (ChMS) updates and evaluation project (10min)
 * Eliot Mintzer reviewed at least 10 Church Management Systems to replace Logos II ($355/year service contract not renewed) along with others who started the effort as a spinoff from the C3H Operations Council. Results are posted here (and the comparison spreadsheet is linked below:>> Church Management System (ChMS) Evaluation
 * Proposal to purchase the very full function ACS package was well received, until the marketing rep gave us the first year cost which exceeds the total ITS budget for 2008 ($3475) and maintenance costs would be over 40% of total annual ITS budget ($1380)
 * Evaluation of several excellent alternative software packages underway with Pat S assisting Mark S. The spreadsheet of features and functions of all packages reviewed is appended to the Wikispace page above.
 * Suggest that this item be revisited when there is some experience gained with alternative ChMS packages, and more time for interested parties to review the evaluation material, perhaps at the March Church Council meeting.