Re: Workspace vs Projects (WAS Re: Forums)

Here is one way to design a very basic system and will require some work:

Basic requirement:

"Representatives from each of these regional centers have been tasks with 
implementing a collaborative scheme that increases communications not only 
within the regional center, but also communications between researchers and 
administrators at different rce's."

Let use a key concept here as " implementing a collaborative scheme that 
increases communications" and lets leave the definition of "communications" 
open ended for now. Note this will need to be defined in detail at a later 
date. 

Since the organization is "project centric" this will be a key component of 
the design concept. Secondly as security is an issue based on the subject 
matter more then on an organizational level, user authentication and 
protection of data (not from theft but from alteration) is an important 
element to be consider as well.

So on with the task:

1. Authenticate all users through a refined LDAP schema
2. For each "project ie: anthrax" use a separate OGo instance
3. Discussions, threaded or other, incorporated with each "project"<>ogo 
instance.
4. As new projects are raised a new instance of OGo is implemented via a load 
script.
5. Domain issues are basic: http://marce.vbi.vt.edy/<new project name>
6. Add a separate install and instances of OGo for institutional or 
organizational requirements to keep them separate from "project" 
infrastructure. ie: MARCE Admin Core; NIAID RCE Program Office. Its important 
to keep these infrastructure elements separate from the project structures 
both for maintenance, workflow and security considerations. 
7. hardware, postgresql layout, apache, loadbalancing, system maintenance are 
all issues that need to be considered as well. 

So then for each "project, eg: anthrax" 
-the news system becomes the general info distribution tool, 
-all tasks are related to the subject matter, ie: master subject=anthrax
-calendars are specific to the "project" and contributors who have access to 
that "project" and related to the subject matter, one public/shared others 
private.
-the OGo projects module becomes the main information container for, notes, 
tasks, documents and possibly discussions related to the "project:anthrax"
-create an OGo project called "workspace" to make it easier for contributors 
to orientate as this is what they are used too.
-so intellectually users are confronted with for example; 
Project Anthrax>	News
				Tasks
				Schedule
				Contacts
				Workspace
				Discussions
Project Emerging Viruses
				News
				Tasks
				Schedule
				Contacts
				Workspace
				Discussions
All are accessible via URL pending permissions...:) 

eg: 	http://marce.vbi.vt.edy/anthrax
	http://marce.vbi.vt.edy/emerging_viruses

Note: http://marce.vbi.vt.edy then becomes the main external information 
portal and access point to the various "projects" This is where zope can 
become very handy for the portal front end by allowing for controlled 
migration of data between the firewall LAN  and WAN if and where required. 
This requires some work however.  

More elements and workflow components can be defined once the term 
"communications" is defined as stated above. This term's definition will also 
have a direct impact on user authentication and authorization schemas. 

So whats missing?
-mail system config: not included as this is easy but there is no data on that
-discussion forums (threaded or other) but this can be developed or added via 
third party
-db replication: this would be nice to have but requires further investigation 
with the postgresql project and probably needs some development effort.
- security review and audit. 

Could work right across the board ..:)

/ch
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