Information technology never slows down
In 2012, experts sat down and calculated that 2.5 quintillion bytes of data were being created every day around the world. To put that number in perspective, a stack of $100 bills equaling $2.5 quintillion would be about 1.6 billion miles high. A stack that tall would reach all the way to the planet Uranus. In other words, with that kind of money you could probably buy that new Range Rover you’ve always wanted.
Large Synoptic Survey Telescope | Future location: El Peñón peak in northern ChileNowadays, science, governments and megacorporations think in terms of big data—and big data doesn’t dally. For instance, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey started inhaling data from outer space in the year 2000. In the first few weeks of operation, the redshift survey telescope collected more data than had been stockpiled in the entire history of astronomy. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, scheduled to light up in 2021, will big crunch that accomplishment. The wide-field reflecting telescope will map the Milky Way Galaxy and hunt near-Earth asteroids using a 3.2 gigapixel digital camera to snap more than 200,000 photos annually. Wrangling that kind of data is expected to shake out as the toughest aspect of the project. Anxious scientists estimate 100 teraflops of computing power will be needed in the early going with a matching 15 petabytes of required storage space. One teraflop, by the way, is one trillion floating-point operations per second. The term, “flops,” refers to a measure of computer performance, not an Olympic diving technique.The Big Three Supercomputers
Titan | Cray | 20 Petaflops
Oak Ridge National Laboratory | Oak Ridge, Tenn.Sequoia | IBM | 16 Petaflops
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory | Livermore, Calif.K computer | Fujitsu | 10 Petaflops
RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science | Kobe, Japan
Weirdly enough, thoughtful neuroscientists have tagged the human brain with a computational power equivalent to one exaflop, or one quintillion floating-point operations per second. Nations are racing to build the world’s first exaflop supercomputer, which would wolf down $3 billion in electricity a year. Nearest completion date for one of these colossal workhorses is 2018. A zettaflop computer, which could arrive as early as 2035, will be able to predict the Earth’s total weather package 14 days in advance by relying on one sextillion of those floating-point dealios. In case you’re wondering, the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Arctic oceans combined hold roughly six sextillion cups of water.
The DCTC Connection
Todd Jagerson, the chief information officer, or CIO, at Dakota County Technical College, might not have a bank of zettaflop supercomputers in his arsenal, but his IT department does operate in streams rushing with critical data. “The popular conception of our IT department on campus is simple,” Todd said. “If it plugs in, we’re responsible.”
Todd employs an agile philosophy when delivering IT assistance to DCTC students, staff and faculty. Smart technology is essential, but customer service is priority one. “We take a more humanized approach to IT,” Todd said. “We don’t talk over people. We don’t try to outgeek our clients. Our college community is too small a group for that. We are a tight family.”
Of course, information technology as an industry has no qualms about trying to outgeek its own array of experts and old hands. That means new challenges are always blitzing the IT pipeline. BYOD, or Bring Your Own Device, is one such challenge. BYOD in an academic setting refers to students using their own personal mobile devices in the course of their studies.
“We are always working to find more efficient and secure ways for students to get the services they need on their laptops, tablets and smart phones,” Todd said. “Our task centers on providing a superior BYOD experience that fits within the technology scope of our campus.”
“The popular conception of our IT department on campus is simple. If it plugs in, we’re responsible.” — Todd Jagerson | DCTC CIO
Cloud-based services present another complex challenge. Software behemoths like Microsoft and Adobe are speeding away from selling licenses for software bundles like Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite. Cloud storage capacities are steering commerce toward software subscriptions, which are not only more expensive, but also more difficult to deliver to the IT department’s collegiate customers.
“Right now we buy software licenses for individual computers,” Todd said. “With the software subscription model, every student, staff member and instructor will need their own account for any software application they use. Solving that problem won’t be easy, but we’ll find a way so that it works to the advantage of the people we serve.”
Fortunately, Todd Jagerson has a crack staff of IT pros with the knowledge, experience and skill range to meet any challenge. They are also ridiculously customer-friendly.
Ray Pascoe
Information Systems Specialist
Ray resides in Eagan, Minn., with his wife, Judy. The couple has two sons. Tim and his wife, Michele, reside in Raleigh, N.C., and have provided Ray with two grandchildren, Kyra, 11, and Gus, 6. Andrew and his wife, Julie, live in Hudson, Wis., and bring four grandchildren to the Pascoe extended family, Sam, 13, twins Kate and Luke, 11, and Gracie, 9 (going on 12).
12 Questions
- What brought you to DCTC?
DCTC was looking to hire a Paradox programmer to manage the new MSIS student data system. I got the job and have been with the college ever since. 2014 will mark my 20th year at DCTC. - What skill set or knack makes you good at your job?
I am a good student of technology. I can read manuals and actually understand them. - What’s the hardest part of your job?
Keeping up with technology and security issues. As an “old-geezer,” I remember how simple things were in the old days. - Ray’s Second Life avatarWhat is your favorite pastime or hobby?
That’s easy! Songwriting and performing my songs live in Second Life to audiences around the world. - What is your greatest accomplishment to date?
I am very proud of the Second Life music video I made for my song, “Dance with Me M’Lady.” The project was a collaborative effort with help from multiple avatars. I also wrote a virtual book in Second Life titled The Blue Crystal, which is an imaginary adventure I have with a several colored crystals—blue in particular. The book has six chapters with seven picture plates. - What is the one thing you have not done that you would really like to do?
I would like to rent real studio time and work with other professional musicians to record a full-length album with 14 of my songs. The album would be called Me, Myself and Alice. - Judy and Ray Pascoe at the Palace of VersaillesWhere in the world would you go if you could go anywhere?
Paris, in a heartbeat! My wife and I spent two weeks in France, including Paris, in fall 2012. That was the best trip of my life. - What is your favorite season of the year?
Autumn - If you could learn to do anything, what would you learn to do?
I would like to become a decent recording engineer. - If you had to change your first name, what name would you pick?
I first thought of “Ramón,” but if I really had to change my name, I would have to go with “Todd.” -
Sea otter
If you could be any kind of animal for a day or even a year, what kind of animal would you be?
Sea otter. My second choice is a fainting goat. - What’s the best gift you’ve ever given?
Paraphrasing Elton John, “My gift is my song…” Some of my songs have touched people in special ways.
Tom Kennedy
Network and Server Administrator
A 1995 graduate of Harding High School in St. Paul, Minn., Tom Kennedy, 35, turned a natural affinity for computers into a solid and rewarding career. Tom accepted an IT position at a company called R2 Corporation about the time of the Y2K, or Millennium Bug, which cost the world at large $416 billion in 2013 dollars in prevention and correction measures. He started at the help desk, but gravitated toward computer infrastructure and network systems, becoming a network administrator and IT manager at TechServe Alliance out of Chicago.
Tom’s duties as the network and server administrator at DCTC focus on maintaining the continuity of the college’s business infrastructure. He creates backups for network storage and deals with IT nuts and bolts like Internet IP addresses and file share. That means working with mysterious, behind-the-scenes machines called servers. The Science Dictionary formulated a helpful definition for people who think a server is a waitress at Hooters: “A computer that manages centralized data storage or network communications resources. A server provides and organizes access to these resources for other computers linked to it.”
Charles Babbage’s difference engineTom also keeps tabs on possible security issues by regularly reviewing logs in search of unauthorized access or other breaches. So far no People’s Liberation Army cyber attacks to report, but security is always a serious concern, considering the profusion of malwarein the digital multiverse, including viruses, worms, spyware, trojan horses, keyloggers and phishing expeditions.Tom resides in St. Paul with his wife, Liz, and their two sons, Liam, 7, and Finn, 4. He is proud of his urban garden and enjoys pre-computer electronic devices such as Charles Babbage‘s difference engine, a mechanical calculator from the 1820s.
12 Questions
- What brought you to DCTC?
I always knew I would like working in IT. DCTC had an opening in the area I like most. - What skill set or knack makes you good at your job?
I understand the low-level functions of large-scale computer systems. I know how computers work, which is critical for troubleshooting. - 1971 VW BeetleWhat’s the hardest part of your job?
My expertise is in the complex infrastructure of large systems. That doesn’t always translate to Help Desk solutions. I sometimes feel a little silly when I can’t quickly solve a basic desktop problem. - What is your favorite pastime or hobby?
I like working on old cars and motorcycles. Right now I’m working on a 1971 VW Beetle. - What is your greatest accomplishment to date?
Our two little boys, Liam and Finn. - What is the one thing you have not done that you would really like to do?
I would like to spend a day in a park or woods building a fire without a lighter or matches. -
Machu Picchu
Where in the world would you go if you could go anywhere?
My first choice is Machu Picchu, the Inca site in the Peruvian Andes. My second choice is St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow. - What is your favorite season of the year?
Spring - If you could learn to do anything, what would you learn to do?
I would like to learn how to be a blacksmith. I visited a recreated blacksmith shop in Greenfield Village at The Henry Ford in Detroit. It was awesome. - If you had to change your first name, what name would you pick?
“Elvis” was the first name that came to mind, but on second thought “Todd” would be my first choice. -
Cheetah
If you could be any kind of animal for a day or even a year, what kind of animal would you be?
Cheetah. My second choice is a sea turtle. - What’s the best gift you’ve ever given?
A friend of mine needed transport. I gave him a beat-up, old car that he really appreciated.
Jason Dean
Information Systems Specialist | Adjunct Faculty
Bill Cosby plugging the TI-99A resident of Farmington, Minn., Jason Dean, 39, was born in Carpentersville, Ill. Jason dove into computers at the age of 10 with a Texas Instruments TI-99, an early home-style PC. He and his fraternal twin brother, Jeff, did basic programming and created text-based games they shared with their friends. Jason served in the U.S. Coast Guard for four years, doing his basic training in Cape May, N.J. He served in an IT capacity while in the Coast Guard and went on to earn a B.S. in IT management from American Military University. He’s working on his M.S. in software development at AMU.
Before starting at DCTC in 2010, Jason worked as a junior programmer for Mindframe and then a programmer and Web developer for the Department of Health. As a DCTC information systems specialist, he handles the programming, server-side functions of the DCTC website, a mission that included creating a comprehensive Content Management System, or CMS, for the site. He works heavily with databases, and is developing a Customer Relationship Management model, or CRM, that can be employed college-wide.
As an adjunct instructor, Jason teaches Web Server Programming and Web Client Programming. In fall 2013, he will begin teaching Cross-Platform Mobile Application Development. He is also developing a training program in HTML5 mobile applications for the college’s Customized Training division.
Jason and his wife, Becka, have three children, Elizabeth, 10, James, 6, and Andrew, 11 months. James wrestles for Farmington; Elizabeth is into gymnastics and competitive cheerleading. Her cheerleading squad took second in the state in 2012. Andrew is a computer forensics engineer at the CIA’s Directorate of Science and Technology.
12 Questions
- What brought you to DCTC?
I always wanted to work in academia. DCTC also gave me the opportunity to teach. - What skill set or knack makes you good at your job?
I’m a good programmer with the right blend of analytical and creative skills. Creativity is a very important aspect of computer programming. - What’s the hardest part of your job?
Transferring data between DCTC and MnSCU. The process is complicated and time consuming, taking up to 11 hours every night. I’m working on a way to reduce that time to one hour with more data transferred. Runewars Board Game - What is your favorite pastime or hobby?
My kids are number one. I’m a big fan of board games, though. I own more than 100 games and we play as a family. Some of the games have 40-page rule books. I also like video games. I have the three main consoles, PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii. - What is your greatest accomplishment to date?
Again, my kids. I am proud of my achievements in the Coast Guard, however. I won all five Academic Awards in basic training as well as a Seamanship Award. I’m proud of my B.S. degree, too. - What is the one thing you have not done that you would really like to do?
I want to write a novel in the science fiction or modern adventure genre. -
Pyramids of Egypt
Where in the world would you go if you could go anywhere?
I would like to visit Egypt and the pyramids. - What is your favorite season of the year?
Autumn - If you could learn to do anything, what would you learn to do?
I would like to learn more about mathematics, especially calculus and trigonometry. - If you had to change your first name, what name would you pick?
At first, I thought “James,” but then I realized “Todd” would be the best name to have by far. -
“Kweh!”
If you could be any kind of animal for a day or even a year, what kind of animal would you be?
Chocobo. My second choice is a drop bear. - What’s the best gift you’ve ever given?
I gave my parents a 12-panel room divider with picture frames on the panels. They’ve had the divider for 12 years and they keep updating the frames with new photos of their grandchildren.
Shaun Burg
Information Technology Specialist 2
Shaun Burg, 34, got his diploma from Bloomington Kennedy High School in 1997. Shaun took a run at higher education by attending a nearby community college, but he didn’t find his footing until he enrolled at DCTC. Information technology gave Shaun the traction he needed to not only pummel the books, but to also land an internship in the college’s IT department. He graduated from DCTC in 2012 with an A.A.S. degree in Networking Administration.
Shaun’s duties as an information technology specialist start with making sure every printer on campus is topped off with toner and functioning properly. He handles Help Desk requests, replacing defective computer devices, solving printing issues or correcting network login problems. He also works on office computer relocations and new installs. He noted that 99 percent of his job involves troubleshooting; 1 percent is actually fixing the troubleshot problem.
Always a fan of computers and a natural at taking things apart to see how they worked, Shaun found his way into the IT field by talking with friends. He resides in Prior Lake, Minn.
12 Questions
- What brought you to DCTC?
I became an intern in the DCTC IT department and worked my way into a temporary employee position. Interning is a really cool way to go. It takes a lot of pressure off the interview process. Thanks to the college’s Information Systems programs and IT department, I now have a full-time job in a field I love. - U.S. Third Army in WWIIWhat skill set or knack makes you good at your job?
I have a lot of patience. You need patience when you’re looking for the cause of a difficult problem. I know how to see things through to the end. - What’s the hardest part of your job?
Intermittent problems are always the hardest to solve. You need to be creative to find the information you need to fix problems that are less than obvious. - What is your favorite pastime or hobby?
I enjoy traveling. Road trips are the most fun. The West Coast and San Diego are great. - What is your greatest accomplishment to date?
Earning my A.A.S. degree at DCTC is my top achievement. I’m the first person in my family to get a college degree. - What is the one thing you have not done that you would really like to do?
I’m big into history. I like European history. I’m interested in World War II and Germany in particular.
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Berlin Museum Island
Where in the world would you go if you could go anywhere?
Berlin, Germany - What is your favorite season of the year?
Autumn - If you could learn to do anything, what would you learn to do?
I would like to become a painter. - Pablo PicassoIf you had to change your first name, what name would you pick?
No question, I would change my name to “Todd.” - If you could be any kind of animal for a day or even a year, what kind of animal would you be?
Cheetah - What’s the best gift you’ve ever given?
I bought my parents matching Movado watches for Christmas about 10 years ago.
For more information about the IT department at DCTC, contact:
- Todd Jagerson
DCTC Chief Information Officer
Adjunct Faculty
651-423-8518
For more information about Information Systems programs at DCTC, contact:
- Nathan Blommel
Information Systems Technology Instructor
651-423-8616 - Scott Determan
Information Systems Technology Instructor
651-423-8349 - Darryl Erickson
Information Systems Technology Instructor
651-423-8338 - Betty Krueger
Information Systems Technology Instructor
651-423-8560 - Judy Suddendorf
Information Systems Technology Instructor
651-423-8385
