General Information for the Online Database

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Case

Western

Reserve

University

Architectural Services Department

[email protected]

General Information for

the Online Database

Standards

for

the

CWRU

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Purpose:

This document provides an overview of the CWRU Online Archive Database, which

contains information about all of the blueprints owned by CWRU. Included in this paper is

general information about what can be found within the database, as well as history and uses

of the database.

Background

and

Evolution

of

the

Database:

The need for a Database was

stimulated by a lack of accessibility to drawings from past building plans and renovations.

Currently, all drawings are stored in the Architectural Services Office where they are each given

a unique archive number and stored in drawers. A Microsoft Access Database was created to

allow for simple searching through all of the projects. A folder system of all the electronic

drawings was created on the Architectural Services network drive, and users were able to

search for projects and easily locate them electronically or physically. The main drawbacks to

this method were the requirements and closed nature of the system. Only people with access

to the network drive that holds the Access Database could search for drawings. For security

reasons, not everyone who needed to search for drawings could be given access to the network

drive.

An increase in drawing requests has made the old archival system obsolete. Whenever an

individual or firm (the “user”) requests a drawing, under the old system, that user must specify

the types of drawings needed, and the Architectural Services department is left with the

responsibility of deciding exactly which drawings to forward to the user. This flawed system

generally results in repeated requests because the user will either realize more or different

drawings are needed. Additionally, the user must sort through the drawings provided by

Architectural Services in order to find the specific information for which the user is looking.

With the new Online Database, anyone with a CWRU Single Sign On username (abc123), also

known as the CWRU Network ID, can be granted permission to access the Database and search

for projects and sheets. This allows for a user to know specifically which drawings are needed

and potentially download any available drawings from the convenience of any computer that

has access to the internet. With this new system, the user will be able to request specific

drawings, increasing the efficiency of the drawing request process for both the user and the

Architectural Services Department. The new Online Database also allows for restricted access

to drawings and functions of the Database, such that the security of the old database is not

compromised. With the additional ability to track a specific user’s usage within the database

using the CWRU Network ID.

Security:

Currently a tiered security system is in place for accessing the Online Database. The

highest level (0) has full control to view, edit, or delete the information within the database as

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level 0 users. This allows for the restriction of information to only necessary projects. Lower

level users can be granted privileges by building to facilitate the access of needed information,

but users cannot access drawings by floor. Floor access cannot be granted because there is no

standard between Architectural Firms for floors, so as of now it is not possible. The database is

also integrated with the CWRU Single Sign On Service. Each user must have a CWRU network ID

(abc123) to be given any type of access to the database, and each user must request access

through Architectural Services.

‐ See Appendix for outline of Tiered Security Details and Restrictions

Architectural

Projects:

This portion of the database provides a complete list of the

Architectural Projects in the archive. The list contains a search function to allow users to quickly

access projects of interest. Currently, users can search by Archive Number, Project Title,

Project Description, CIP Number, Drawing Date, Architectural Firms Involved, and Buildings

Involved. Once the desired project is found, the user can view which sheets are available for

download as either lossless image formats or CAD drawings as well as if the sheet is available as

a Hardcopy within the office. Additionally, the projects are labeled with correlating Box

Information. This information details the location of the project’s O&M manuals, spec sheets,

and other such documents. Furthermore, the projects are labeled with Book/CD Information.

This information details where a CD backup of the project can be located. The CDs are stored

within the Architectural Services office and are a physical backup should any project

information become corrupted or lost.

Box

Lists:

The Box List page of the database contains a list of all boxes of project information

in the possession of CWRU. Each Box contains a specific project’s O&M manuals, spec sheets,

and other such documents. From the Box List page, users can see what project information

CWRU has in boxes, the related project’s Archive Number in the database, and who has flagged

each box (see Flag Boxes below). Additionally, the Box List page allows users to print labels for

each of the boxes so that new boxes of information can be properly organized. The full content

of each box is listed, allowing users to gauge exactly what information is available.

Flag

Boxes:

A flag is a marker that allows users to reserve Box Numbers for a project. This

keeps all of the information for a project together as a set of boxes. All of the required

documents are then put into the physical box, and a label is printed from the Box List page and

applied to the box. The box is then stored in the Cedar Avenue Service Center by the

Architectural Services Department. This is a temporary method for keeping projects together

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closeout procedure has been finished, the final box information is added to the Online

Database.

Buildings:

The Buildings Page provides a complete list of all of the buildings on campus or

owned by CWRU. The page allows users to search for a specific building by Building Number,

Building Name, Street Address, City, Zipcode, and SIS identification tag. Each Building contains

LDAP names, Parcel Numbers, Longitude and Latitude, a URL to the CWRU Wiki, Building Date,

and other information. This information can be printed or used to search through the

Architectural Projects.

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For Architectural Service’s Archive Database Tier 0 - (T.I.S. Admin and A.S. Student Programmer)

Note: Front end and backend correspond to the use of index.html and frontend.html to search the database information. The ability to change programming architecture is not implied.

- Unrestricted administrative access to the database files (i.e. edit files such as index.html, buildings.js, etc.) as controlled by TIS and complete access to edit both the front and back end of database (i.e. edit database information such as archive number, drawing number, etc.). (example users: Technical Infrastructure Systems (TIS) representative, Architectural Services (AS) representative, other main programmers for database) note: all access to files are controlled by TIS.

Front end Back end

-view/search projects -add, edit, delete projects

-download projects -flag boxes

Tier I - (A.S. Staff)

- Limited access to both front and back end of the database. This would be utilized by AS student workers who would require access to input and edit project information. (example users: AS student workers would not need to alter any programming architecture for front or back end)

Front end Back end

-view/search projects -add, edit, delete projects

Tier II - (Construction and Facilities Services CWRU Staff)

- Read only access to the entire front page of the database. Only ability to alter system would be to temporarily request/flag box numbers. Can view and download project information and drawing files. (example users: Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) Project Managers and other CWRU representatives that would utilize the database on a regular basis; at least four times a month)

Front end Back end

-view/search projects -none

Tier III - (General CWRU Staff and Outside Architectural Firms & Consultants)

- Read only access to the front page of the database. Can view and download project information and

drawing files. (example users: CWRU employees and other Architectural firms or contractors that would require access depending on the project. Off site contractors would need to acquire or renew their CWRU Affiliate ID to access database.)

Front end Back end

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Tier

3

Tier

2

Tier

1

Tier

0

Architectural Projects

view 1 1 1 1

print projects ‐1 1 1 1

unrestricted search ‐1 ‐1 1 1

add/edit/delete projects and info ‐1 ‐1 1 1

Box List view 1 1 1 1 print labels 1 1 1 1 Flag Boxes view ‐1 1 1 1 Buildings view ‐1 1 1 1 print buildings ‐1 1 1 1

add/edit/delete buildings and info ‐1 ‐1 1 1

Groups view ‐1 ‐1 1 1 add/edit/delete ‐1 ‐1 1 1 Subgroups view ‐1 ‐1 1 1 add/edit/delete ‐1 ‐1 1 1 Types view ‐1 ‐1 1 1 add/edit/delete ‐1 ‐1 1 1 Users view ‐1 ‐1 ‐1 1

add/edit/delete building restrictions ‐1 ‐1 ‐1 1

FAQ