Project Status Update

THRUST 1: ICT for Tomorrow's Science

Enterprise Security and Business Continuity: Experiencing delays. The project deadline (December 2006) has passed and a no-cost extension has been requested.
The Program recently received an update on the activities led by IRRI including an update on remaining funds. This information is being used to develop new plans for the Americas region whereby activities will be potentially led by CIP for both enterprise security and business continuity for all Centers in the Americas region.

Second Level Connectivity: Experiencing delays. Project deadline: February 2007.
A no-cost extension is expected to complete activities. The project has now completed the installation of improved Internet connectivity in nine locations and has committed funds for installations at seven more sites. A further seven sites may be upgraded if licensing or other issues can be overcome. Thirteen sites from the original priority list no longer require financial assistance to upgrade their connectivity. Some of these offices upgraded following advice from the project for very little cost, other offices were no longer a priority or have been closed by their Center. Based on lessons learned throughout the project, a new plan has been devised that will focus on three main activities: 1) Improving Internet connectivity, 2) Testing a model for IT regional support and 3) Improving the use of resources available to regional and country offices.

THRUST 2: Content for Development (C4D)

Web Usage and Content: On time. Project deadline: October 2007.
Project activities have come to an end with written guidelines developed for evaluating CGXChange usage as well as guidelines for evaluating web-based products. These guidelines will be made available to Centers to provide background and information on developing and evaluating web-based components (such as websites) as well as information on how best to evaluate CGXChange usage and usability and usefulness. Discussions with the current Project Leader are ongoing for a time extension to use remaining funds to evaluate the current structure of CGXChange by using the guidelines and information gathered, in preparation for activities in 2007, which will heavily populate CGXChange.

E-Publishing: Experiencing delays. The project deadline is Feb 2007, but a one-year extension has been requested.
Currently the project is not on target but has funds remaining, some of which could be utilized to assess the current project direction and focus, and provide definite deliverables to Centers in assisting them to ease publishing workflow via templates, etc. Funds will also be used to provide assistance to Centers in making their publications accessible online and linked to the CGVLibrary.

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