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Purdue highlights cloud computing tools at supercomputing conference

admin — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:39:50 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Facebook for scientists — but built to facilitate serious research rather than socializing — and an award-winning method for putting idle computers to work on scientific breakthroughs are Purdue-developed technologies in the spotlight at the SC09, the world’s largest high-performance computing conference.

Purdue's DiaGrid team includes, from left, Andy Howard, Phil Cheeseman, John Campbell, David Braun, Preston Smith and Carol Song. The team is posing with images from the scientific research enabled by DiaGrid, projected in a multiwalled virtual environment at ITaP's visualization facility. Campus Technology Magazine selected DiaGrid for a 2009 international Campus Technology Innovators Award. (Purdue University photo/Andrew Hancock)

Purdue is highlighting the HUBzero and DiaGrid technologies at the university’s booth at SC09, which opens today (Monday, Nov. 16) in Portland, Ore.

HUBzero is a soon-to-be open source software platform developed by Purdue for deploying and applying computational research tools, visualizing and analyzing results interactively and publishing them, all through a familiar Web browser. Built-in social networking features akin to Facebook create communities of researchers and educators in science, engineering, medicine and almost any field or subject matter.

DiaGrid works by pooling computers over the Purdue campus network and off campus via the Internet and fast research networks. Whenever machines in the pool are idle, such as at night or when their owners are at lunch, the system sends work to them. Campus Technology Magazine selected DiaGrid for a 2009 international Campus Technology Innovators Award.

Purdue has created an automated system to link the computers of SC09 participants to the pool during the conference. The Purdue booth includes a scoreboard to keep track of whose machines are running the most jobs.

The booth is designed to promote Purdue; Information Technology at Purdue (ITaP), the university’s central information technology organization; and the Rosen Center for Advanced Computing, ITaP’s research and discovery arm. ITaP technologists developed HUBzero and DiaGrid.

“DiaGrid and HUBzero are model technologies for enabling research that Purdue is making available to the world,” says John Campbell, associate vice president in charge of research computing for ITaP, who heads the Rosen Center. “As the premier conference for research computing, SC09 is a prime place to showcase these technologies.”

Purdue’s booth also will provide academic information to potential Purdue students and information to job seekers about positions with Purdue, ITaP and the Rosen Center. Nearly 10,000 people attended the conference in 2008.

Purdue has become a recognized leader in cyberinfrastructure with the development of HUBzero, which powers nanoHUB.org and many other Web-based “hubs” for research collaboration, says Michael McLennan, senior research scientist and hub technology architect at Purdue. NanoHUB is an international resource for nanotechnology theory, simulation and education with tens of thousands of users.

“Like no other platform, HUBzero can host interactive simulation tools. So, users aren’t just reading about research, they can experience it,” McLennan says. “HUBzero allows users to work together as they interact with content.”

Other hubs link researchers transforming laboratory discoveries into new medical treatments, and Purdue is now working in a consortium with Indiana and Clemson universities and the University of Wisconsin to advance the technology even further.

A hub will be at the center of the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES), a $105 Million National Science Foundation program announced in September, which is led by Purdue. Purdue electrical and computer engineering Professor Rudolf Eigenmann, co-principal investigator of NEES, will give a workshop titled “Cyberinfrastructure for Earthquake Engineering” at the Purdue booth.

McLennan will host two workshops on HUBzero and one about nanoHUB during the conference. Purdue scientist Mathieu Luisier will offer a workshop on using massive supercomputers to simulate nanoscale electronic devices for the next generation of electronics, a central focus of nanoHUB.

DiaGrid includes computers in student computer labs, offices, server rooms and supercomputing clusters and is the first multi-campus collaboration of its kind. Purdue’s partners in DiaGrid are IU, Indiana State University, the universities of Notre Dame, Louisville and Wisconsin, Purdue’s Calumet and North Central campuses, and Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne.

Together, they now make nearly 30,000 processors available for research jobs ranging from understanding the Solar System’s formation to imaging the structure of viruses at near-atomic resolutions in an effort to develop new ways of battling viral illnesses, from swine flu and the common cold to West Nile virus and AIDS.

“The sheer size and ingenuity of the initiative, as well as the diversity of computing resources represented in the grid, really set the project apart,” Geoffrey Fletcher, editorial director of Campus Technology, said in announcing the Campus Technology Innovators Award for DiaGrid.

Purdue partnership for putting idle computers to work on research wins international award

admin — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:07:04 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue is being recognized as a worldwide campus technology innovator for a system that harnesses what would otherwise be wasted computing power for major research projects.

Campus Technology Magazine has selected Purdue’s DiaGrid for one of its 2009 Campus Technology Innovators Awards.

Purdue’s partners in DiaGrid include Indiana University, Indiana State University, the University of Notre Dame, the University of Louisville, the University of Wisconsin, Purdue’s Calumet and North Central campuses, and Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne.

The annual awards, highlighted in the magazine’s August issue, recognize higher education institutions for groundbreaking initiatives in educational technology that are models for other schools. Campus Technology is a leading monthly publication produced by 1105 Media Education Group to deliver news and real-world examples of how technology is used to advance the way colleges and universities operate and educate.

Purdue was one of 11 award winners selected from 349 nominations from higher education institutions around the globe. The winners also are highlighted on CampusTechnology.com.

“We are delighted to present Purdue with a 2009 Campus Technology Innovators Award,” said Geoffrey Fletcher, editorial director of Campus Technology. “DiaGrid provides millions of hours of computation that would otherwise be wasted, without the need for additional technology or facilities purchases. The sheer size and ingenuity of the initiative, as well as the diversity of computing resources represented in the grid, really set the project apart.”

At its heart, DiaGrid is a working example from the hot field of network-centered “cloud” computing services.

“As cloud computing becomes the new standard, Purdue has positioned itself as an ongoing leader in this technology, especially for scientific research and educational purposes,” said Gerry McCartney, Purdue vice president for information technology and chief information officer.

Operated by ITaP, Purdue’s central information technology organization, DiaGrid started as an on-campus system. But the system now includes nearly 27,000 processors at Purdue and the partner campuses. Purdue has an ongoing effort to add partners, with a goal of incorporating 100,000 processors.

“We continue to explore new applications and are seeking additional institutions to join the project,” said John Campbell, associate vice president in charge of research computing for ITaP. “DiaGrid allows institutions to maximize their technology investments while supporting the diverse needs of faculty.”

Researchers at Purdue and elsewhere use DiaGrid for purposes such as imaging the structure of viruses at near-atomic resolutions, the better to develop new ways of battling viral illnesses ranging from swine flu and the common cold to West Nile virus and AIDS.

The distributed computing pool also has been used to understand the solar system’s formation, project the reliability of Indiana’s electrical supply and model the spread of water pollutants to develop best practices for ensuring water quality and availability, among other things.

DiaGrid works by pooling computers over the Purdue campus network and off campus via the Internet and fast research networks. Whenever computers in the pool are idle – at night, or when their users are at lunch, for example – the system sends work to them. When users need their computers, jobs in progress automatically get shifted to other idle machines in the pool. The variety of hardware in DiaGrid includes computers in student computer labs, offices, server rooms and supercomputing clusters. It also is the first multicampus collaboration of its kind.

Purdue creates first virtual clean room for training pharmacists

admin — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 21:51:18 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — When Tara Holt, a third-year Purdue University pharmacy student from Frankton, Ind., steps into a pharmacy clean room for the first time, she’s likely to experience a little déjà vu.

The room should look and sound familiar. Nothing ought to feel strange about standing encased in a sterile hair cover, mask, gown, gloves and booties. That’s because Holt and her classmates will have experienced it all before—in a virtual version of a pharmacy clean room. The computer-generated, 3-D immersive environment created in a Purdue project brings to mind the holodeck on the Starship Enterprise, for a serious purpose rather than recreation.

Purdue students don masks in preparation for working in a sterile environment. Concern over the rise of antibiotic-resistant pathogens has only increased the need for expertise in pharmacy clean-room procedures.

“For those of us who have never worked in a hospital with a clean room, it gave us a first-hand feel of what we can expect when we are on rotations,” Holt said. “The detail that was put into this project really helped make it as close to reality as possible.”

Pharmacy clean rooms are sterile environments where pharmacists and pharmacy technicians prepare materials that need to be guaranteed contamination-free, said Steve Abel, assistant dean for clinical programs in the Purdue School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Generally found in hospitals and home health care companies, the rooms are used to prepare drugs, intravenous drips, syringes, chemotherapy treatments and the like, especially those administered directly into the bloodstream—a factor that makes vital the use of a clean room and proper clean-room procedures. Concern over the rise of antibiotic-resistant pathogens has only increased the need for such expertise.

The number of clean rooms where pharmacy students can train is limited, however. When the training involves real materials, it also can be expensive, sometimes prohibitively so. Abel said Purdue pharmacy students tend to get limited training time at the end of their third year, just before they serve a practicum that could land them in a clean room.

The situation got Abel thinking when he toured Purdue’s Envision Center for Data Perceptualization. The center is part of Information Technology at Purdue (ITaP), the university’s central information technology organization, and ITaP’s Rosen Center for Advanced Computing. It uses cutting-edge techniques, virtual environments among them, to explore new methods for research and education.

Astronauts and pilots train in flight simulators, Abel reasoned, so why not pharmacy students? He collaborated with Envision Center Managing Director Steve Dunlop, who enlisted Purdue Computer Graphics Technology Department students Chris Mankey of Fishers, Ind., Chris Sprunger of Lafayette, Ind., and Evan Underwood of Kokomo, Ind.

“To our knowledge, this is the only virtual clean room,” Dunlop said. A Purdue Provost’s instructional grant, as well as funding from Purdue’s Pharmacy School, paid development costs.

The simulator runs in a multiwall immersive environment at the Envision Center and will work on wall-sized panels and portable display systems, too. The equipment employs 3-D glasses and a wireless controller something like a Nintendo Wii’s to put users in the middle of the virtual world being projected and allow them to navigate and manipulate it. Head-tracking capability adjusts the view as a user looks around, or “walks” through, the environment, which is detailed down to the labels on the medicine bottles. The software also has been modified to run on desktop and laptop computers.

The virtual clean room was created from hundreds of digital pictures taken at Clarian Health Partners and Wishard Health Services in Indianapolis, in facilities compliant with USP 797, the federal regulation governing pharmacy clean rooms. The computer-graphics technology students also captured ambient sound and included it in the simulator.

The result stunned Jill Tyner when students began working in the virtual environment during the first semester of 2009. Her reaction wasn’t atypical.

“The technology that made this possible is unbelievable,” said Tyner, a Purdue pharmacy student from Kansas City, Mo. “After this experience, I would feel comfortable stepping into a clean room and explaining the different areas.”

The virtual clean room isn’t perfect—and that’s by design. Abel asked Carrie Jacobs, a sixth-year pharmacy doctoral student from Kalamazoo, Mich., Sheetal Patel, a Purdue pharmacy fellow from Philadelphia, and Ashley Vincent, a pharmacy resident from Indianapolis, to test the simulator before bringing in students and to prepare a lab curriculum for use with the facility. Version one, they decided, was a bit too clean. “It needs to be messier,” Vincent observed.

The Envision Center team added a pop can to a refrigerator for medicines, some empty cardboard boxes along a wall, improperly stored syringes, misplaced medicine bottles and other clean room no-nos. Abel said the idea is to help teach proper clean-room procedures by having students identify improper items included in the virtual environment.

“It helped us learn the regulations and what not to do in a clean room,” said Caryn Davis, a pharmacy student from Valparaiso, Ind. Likewise, Lindsey Corbets said the virtual clean room let her practice what she’s been taught and explore how a clean room is set up. But she sees possibilities beyond that.

“I think virtual reality technology is going to become a very big part of teaching,” said Corbets, a student from Rochester Hills, Mich. “It can be used in many different types of classes, from simulating clean rooms all the way to showing what the inside of a body could look like.”

The Envision Center is exploring several other immersive virtual training projects for health care and for geriatric care purposes, as well as for first responders and emergency personnel and construction managers.

REMINDER: Purdue IT service down July 26

admin — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 23:09:22 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — All central IT services on the West Lafayette campus will be down for up to 16 hours this weekend.

At 4 p.m. Saturday (July 26), a complete power outage in Freehafer Hall will allow steps in installing larger transformers to support IT data center loads.

Services should resume by 8 a.m. Sunday.

There will be no access to Purdue home directories, shared files or folders, e-mail, Blackboard Vista, Software Remote, Purdue Air Link wireless Internet connections, Purdue or ITaP Web pages, VPN service, or OnePurdue SAP or Banner.

The outage is also expected to prevent campus users from accessing any IT service that requires a Purdue career account login and password.

Suggested preparations and more about the improvement project are at www.itap.purdue.edu.

iPhone software connects with Exchange servers

admin — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:48:00 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The new iPhone 2.0 software that Apple released July 11 will enable Purdue faculty and staff iPhone devices to have connectivity to the Exchange servers.

Purdue faculty and staff can now connect to Purdue Exchange servers with their iPhone 3Gs.

Purdue Exchange administrators and the Office of Information Technology at Purdue’s Desktop Computing Services have been beta testing calendaring, Exchange integration, and other capabilities of the version 2.0 software. Version 2.0 software enables both the first model of the iPhone and the iPhone 3G to work with enterprise resources on campus. iPhone 2.0 software connects reliably to Purdue’s wireless network upgrade, PAL 2.0, and uses the Cisco VPN client.

Once version 2.0 software is installed and properly configured on an iPhone, there is some specific information needed to successfully connect to the Exchange server. In addition to providing manual configurations for PAL 2.0 and Exchange, Desktop Computing Services will provide some automatic iPhone configurations for PAL 2.0, the Cisco VPN, and Exchange. Details are linked from the Desktop Computing Services Web page: http://www.itap.purdue.edu/help/support/desktop/iPhone.cfm. Desktop Computing Services also will provide support and troubleshooting for any devices covered by a service agreement.

Users of the new iPhone 3G will be able to download and connect to the Internet at a faster rate than with previous models.

“3G service is currently not available from AT&T in the Lafayette area, so the faster cellular data connection speed will really not be seen immediately,” says Scott Ksander, executive director for networks and security at ITaP. “However, AT&T has informed Purdue that the 3G service will be available in this area starting in September.”

The iPhone 3G works as a phone, as an audio player, and as a connection to the Internet and e-mail. Gary Rantz, director of Desktop Computing Services, says, “Some features of the iPhone 3G might not be reimbursed by Purdue, depending on the needs of departments.” Users can check with department administrators to find out whether text messaging or video streaming features are eligible expenses.

Purdue faculty and staff can get 20 percent off AT&T service plans for iPhone 3G devices. They can register for the discount on iPhone 3G wireless services when purchasing the device at AT&T retail stores. The iPhone 3G went on sale July 11. To find a local, authorized AT&T store, go to http://www.wireless.att.com/find-a-store/. Details are provided at the ITaP Shopping Web page, http://www.itap.purdue.edu/shopping/ATT.

Purdue IT downtime scheduled for July 26

admin — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:38:03 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — All central IT services on the West Lafayette campus were down this past Saturday (July 19th) and will be down again on Saturday, July 26th beginning at 4:00p for up to 16 hours to prepare Freehafer hall for the installation of larger transformers to support IT data center loads.

Services should resume by 8:00a Sunday, July 27th.

The outage is also expected to prevent campus users from accessing any IT service that requires a Purdue career account login and password.

Suggested preparations and more about the improvement project are at www.itap.purdue.edu.

OnePurdue launching new student systems

admin — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 04:23:40 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — OnePurdue began releasing its fourth and final major software package on July 7, reaching a milestone in a project that began more than three years ago.

Gary Newsom holds a sign celebrating the fourth and final software release and go-live date of the new Banner system at Purdue University.

SunGard Higher Education’s Banner Student module, which comprises every new student system except financial aid (released in February), is being rolled out over a two-week period, July 7-21. Its numerous functions will allow all students and faculty to access up-to-date, “real-time” information and perform several tasks online that they could not before.

Purdue North Central also is releasing Banner, although its implementation schedule and functionality is slightly different than that at West Lafayette.

The University is using Banner to prepare for the fall 2008 semester. All faculty and students will access it through the new myPurdue Internet portal beginning July 21.

Among its numerous features, the faculty will be able to post grades online and assign plus/minus grades, and students will have the ability to drop and add classes — and register for them online — from any computer, day and night.

“These new systems will allow our students to manage a variety of data with just a click of a mouse,” said Provost Randy Woodson at a June 10 ceremony commemorating the software launch. “Banner is already making it easier for students receiving financial aid.”

Several University leaders from both West Lafayette and North Central spoke at the event, including Woodson; Morgan R. Olsen, executive vice president and treasurer; Pam Horne, dean of admissions; North Central Chancellor James Dworkin; and Tom Robinson, vice president for student services.

OnePurdue Executive Director Gary Newsom emphasized that though one chapter of the project is closing, work will continue on an ongoing basis to continually improve the new systems.

“There is no finish line,” Newsom said. “We have laid a good foundation, and now will continue to build on it to make sure that OnePurdue remains a cutting-edge system that evolves with Purdue and meets its needs.”

Purdue community warned of e-mail scam

admin — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:43:59 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The IT Networks & Security Incident Response group continues to warn the Purdue community about reports of a targeted e-mail scam.

The e-mails appear to come from various Purdue administrative departments or units and ask users to confirm their e-mail address by responding with their password information. Additional variants of the scam e-mails ask users to navigate to a specific URL and then enter their Purdue user name and passwords. Many of these e-mails use Purdue terminology and appear highly authentic.

“In most variations, the e-mails state that if the user does not respond or take some required action, their e-mail account will be deactivated from the database,” said Scott Ksander, executive director of IT networks and security. “Users should immediately delete the e-mail and not take the action requested.”

These are targeted e-mail scams and phishing e-mails that attempt to fraudulently acquire sensitive information by masquerading as an authoritative entity such as the Purdue Webmail Team, Ksander said. He reminds campus computing users that IT units at Purdue should never ask users to divulge their passwords to university IT resources.

Ksander recommends those who have already responded to the e-mail immediately reset their passwords. Users can go to the password reset page located at http://www.purdue.edu/securepurdue. Click on the “Change Your Password” link.

Green supercomputer powers up at Purdue

admin — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:00:30 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Traditional supercomputers are like huge diesel trucks: They are powerful and can carry a big load.

But a new type of supercomputer installed this week at Purdue University, built by SiCortex, is like employing a fleet of thousands of bike messengers: Individually they don’t carry much freight, but they use less energy and are more effective in some situations.

Energy-efficient computing is becoming essential for science, says Purdue University’s Gerry McCartney, vice president for information technology and chief information officer, shown here standing in front of a SiCortex supercomputer that uses less power than traditional machines. McCartney says the energy costs of supercomputers is constraining science in some areas, prompting a need for new technologies. (Purdue News Service photo by David Umberger.)

The supercomputer is the first of what is expected to be many new technologies used at Purdue and elsewhere to lower the energy demands of scientific research.

Gerry McCartney, vice president for information technology and chief information officer at Purdue, says the supercomputer, a SiCortex 5832, uses 40 times less power than traditional supercomputers.

“The net energy savings is significant. We expect to see a reduction of 75 percent to 80 percent of the costs of the energy and the associated costs of the cooling in using this machine,” McCartney says. “But this is an experimental machine in the sense that we are just learning how to use it to make real scientific discoveries.”

SiCortex, based in Boston, is a new computing company that produces systems designed specifically for high performance computing used in research supercomputers. Argonne National Laboratory also has installed one of the energy efficient machines.

“Energy use has become one of the biggest challenges in conducting scientific research,” McCartney says. “It’s not just the power the computer itself uses, which can be significant, but also the air conditioning. Supercomputers are the prima donnas of the computing world. They’re like a star insisting on a special dressing room. These machines require special facilities called data centers where we pump in massive amounts of extra air conditioning or they literally self-destruct.

“The electricity needs of the supercomputers and the associated cooling can sometimes limit the amount of science that can be done.”

A recent research paper from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory said that for a climate model to look at what is happening down to scales of one kilometer would require a supercomputer that would use 200 megawatts of power. That is the same amount of electricity used by a city with a population of 100,000.

“The energy issue is something we are going to have to solve in order to make significant scientific advances,” McCartney says.

The SiCortex 5832 is about the size of two refrigerators, and it has with DeLorean-style gull-wing doors, which gives it a “Back to the Future” vibe (although it is missing a flux capacitor).

Its processors draw just 600 milliwatts of power each, or about the same power requirements as a cell phone or small flashlight. By comparison, a standard supercomputer contains thousands of processors that require about 25 watts (25,000 milliwatts) of energy each.

The SiCortex computer uses a non-traditional architecture to achieve the power savings, and eliminates parts of the processor that aren’t needed for supercomputers that would otherwise expend energy. Also, because of the technology used, it is cheaper to buy than comparable supercomputers.

“With these advantages one might ask, ‘Why don’t you replace all of your supercomputers with this machine?’” McCartney says. “The reason is that this type of computer architecture works better for some kinds of science than others, and part of why we’re acquiring the SiCortex is so we can learn how to do more science with this type of computer.”

Research scientists in Purdue’s Office of Information Technology will explore what kind of computational tasks can work on the new class of machines and possibly even rewrite software so they can run common science applications.

Rudolf Eigenmann, professor of electrical and computer engineering and interim director of Purdue’s Computing Research Institute, says faculty researchers are already using the new machine.

“There are science applications that are already well adapted to this type of computing, such as research in chemistry and genetics, and even nano-electronics,” Eigenmann says. “We’ve put this computer to use from the first day, but we will also be looking for more areas in which we can use lower-power computing.”

Purdue scientists will be exploring new ways to conduct research so this type of computer machine can begin to replace other supercomputers on campus.

“At Purdue we have a team of talented research scientists in our central computing division who focus on improving scientific computing, so it makes sense for us to be among the first to look at this new technology to see how it can be used for discovery,” McCartney says.

OnePurdue counts down to final Banner release

admin — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 05:44:39 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Comprising every new student system except financial aid (released in February), Banner Student, scheduled to launch this July, will be OnePurdue’s fourth and final — and most visible — major software release.

Although Banner’s official “go-live” date is July 7, it’s a little more complicated than that, said Rita Clifford, the Enrollment and Student Affairs (ESA) team lead.

“Not all functions will be immediately available July 7. We’ll be rolling out most of it over the course of the following two weeks,” she said. (The Academic History and Degree Audit features will be released in October.)

There are three important dates to remember, Clifford said: July 3, 7 and 21.

Purdue North Central (PNC) also is implementing Banner.

“PNC is an active partner in OnePurdue and will be going live in July with Banner,” said Larry Barrett, vice chancellor for enrollment management and student services. “Its implementation schedule and functionality, however, is slightly different than that at West Lafayette.” (For more information about Banner at PNC, contact Barrett at lbarrett@pnc.edu.)

At 5 p.m. July 3, just before the Independence Day holiday weekend, a “freeze” will be put on student-related business transactions at the West Lafayette campus, said University Registrar Bob Kubat. “At that point, we will no longer process anything for the fall semester under the old system.” Registration for fall semester will stop, too, but will recommence July 21 — using Banner.

From July 7 to July 21, Banner will be used primarily by staff in Admissions, Office of the Registrar, Enrollment and the Bursar’s Office in West Lafayette, while the system undergoes final “validation.”

This process will cover a number of last-minute checks, Clifford said, including verifying that the fall schedules were converted properly into the Banner system and that course information is accurate.

Banner training also is currently being planned, and information on how to register for classes should be available in early June, said Connie Bilyeu, director of training for ITaP Customer Relations. “We’ve put together a tentative training calendar, but this is a working document and subject to change.”

The calendar, course catalog and other information can be accessed from this page:
http://www.purdue.edu/onepurdue/training/esatraining.shtml.

“July 21 is the date that will be important to most people in West Lafayette,” Clifford said. “That’s when the system will be made available to all faculty and students, in addition to staff who will use Banner in their jobs.”

The most visible aspect of this will be the widespread release of myPurdue, the Internet portal through which all West Lafayette faculty and students will access Banner and its self-services. (PNC’s Banner portal is called myPNC.) This will have an immediate impact on students, who will then be able to register for and drop and add their fall classes.

Several Informational resources about Banner and myPurdue, including online demonstrations and presentations, are available on the OnePurdue Web site here:
http://www.purdue.edu/onepurdue/about/secure/index.shtml. (You will need to enter your Career Account username and password to access this page.)

“This is not only the last piece of OnePurdue,” Kubat said, “but also the part that will impact the most number of people, including all faculty and students.

“A lot of people have worked hard to make this happen, and we’re going to build on this foundation to keep improving the system over time.”

General questions about Banner and myPurdue can be sent to onepurdue@purdue.edu. If you need specific help accessing or using myPurdue, contact the ITaP Customer Service Center at:

E-mail: itap@purdue.edu
Phone: (765) 494-4000
Online: www.itap.purdue.edu/help

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