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Growing Our Capabilities

In addition to delivering and sustaining secure foundational IT infrastructure, it is also IT Services’ role to drive change and strengthen impact through digital transformation. Last year’s operating plan identified more than 125 projects that were undertaken, spanning niche initiatives at the unit level to multi-year enterprise projects, all in support of Queen’s strategic goals. In this report we have highlighted a few of the highest profile, highest impact of those initiatives.

Phishing Simulation Campaign

The objectives of our simulated Phishing campaigns are to provide Queen's community members the opportunity to practice identifying malicious messages, to engage the community in an ongoing conversation about cybersecurity threats, and to gain a better understanding of the university’s posture and preparedness to mitigate this risk.

16,914

Messages sent

3321

Links clicked

1202

Messages reported

Network Modernisation

The Network Modernisation Program is a multi-year initiative that will replace outdated equipment with a network infrastructure that will bring faster speeds and be more secure, reliable, and efficiently managed. In 2023, the first of five waves to implement Next Generation Networks made substantial progress in seven buildings (Biosciences Complex, Dupuis Hall, Beamish-Munro Hall, Goodwin Hall, Walter Light Hall, Botterell Hall, and School of Medicine), and by year-end, all wireless connections
were migrated to the new network. This initial wave was also used to understand user profiles and
establish processes and standards that will streamline future waves across the University.

99

Aruba network  switches added (48-port)

9.5 %

Reduction in connected switchports

30+

New access points deployed to improve user access to campus WiFi

Daily Average Connections Across Campus

35,529

Total connections

26,295

Wireless devices connected

9234

Wired devices connected

Telephony

3,984

Migrated users

10,000+

Calls per week by end of Q4

Fully Staffed Security Operations Team

A fully-staffed team matured security operations by:

  • Establishing core procedures, practices, and knowledge
  • Refining core tools.
  • Strengthening the relationship with the Security Architecture/Engineering team.
  • Enhancing collaboration amongst technical teams.
  • Shifting away from incident response to improving security practices and tools.
  • Improving overall security footprint and proactiveness within production environment.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

CRM is a Queen's enterprise-wide Customer Relationship Management platform that will bring a unified approach when interacting with constituents all while providing an exciting, intuitive, and personalized journey.

Release 1 (scheduled for late March 2024) will include Recruitment, Admission and Marketing Cloud capabilities for International Undergraduate Recruitment and Admissions. Release 1 will also establish foundational capabilities and integrations. Subsequent releases will be scaled to increase capability offerings while simultaneously expanding to more units across Queen’s

Data Governance

A Data Governance Framework will set the foundation for Queen’s maturity towards an innovative, data-driven organization that maximizes the value of digital tools and leverages AI and emerging technologies to meet our mission of strengthening student success and research impact. In 2023, significant steps were taken to advance this key capability, including establishing Queen's Data Governance Council as the leadership and decision-making forum for all data strategy and governance work at the University. This Council is chaired by the Provost and comprises senior leaders across the University.