Workshop Planning Items
NSRC Requirements
1-2 Months Before Workshop
- A local contact or contacts who provide critical information 1 month before the start of a workshop, including:
- Venue confirmed
- Venue layout and technical details
- Room size (how many students, computers, space for instructors)
- Power - Available plugs for student laptops, workshop equipment, etc.
- Shipping address and consignee information
- Network setup, bandwidth, addressing
- Verification that classroom network address will not be excessively filtered*
- If required, network testing to be completed to remote machines.
- Plan for workshop attendees
- How many?
- Who?
- How will attendees be chosen?
- Instructor Housing Location
(*Ports to be opened include ping (icmp echo request), ssh, dns, smtps, http, https and imaps.)
Once the checklist items above are confirmed, teaching teams and travel commitments for NSRC workshop trainers will be arranged.
Two Weeks Before Workshop
- List of attendees with names, institution and email addresses
Local Requirements
A workshop can be run without fulfilling all of these items, but the event will run much more smoothly if these items are included in planning.
CLASSROOMS/LAB
This facility will be used to conduct the training exercise. The following will
be required in the room.
a) Functioning air conditioning if the climate is warm.
b) Electrical capacity to serve the equipment in use as well as multiple
functioning electrical outlets (6 to 8 minimum) that can be used to supply
power to student laptops or desktops and instructor laptops as needed.
c) Multiple power strips and power extension cords. Sample of number needed:
Item Plugs
------- ------
- 35 laptops = 35
- Projector = 1
- Wireless Access Points 2
- Sound system 2
- Workshop infrastructure 2
--------------------
Total Plugs 42
d) UPS. This can make the workshop run _much more smoothly_. UPS can keep the
workshop infrastructure running, including Access Points, in case of power failure..
e) Secondary UPS for projector. With this the workshop can continue with presentations
in case of power failure.
f) Sufficient chairs for students, instructors and visitors
g) A table and chairs near the front of the classroom for instructors
h) A table near the front of the classroom for NSRC's lab equipment with 1 or 2 power strips
i) If Desktops are in the classroom space and students are using laptops, then it should be
possible to remove the desktops and screens, or place them on the floor to ensure enough
room for student laptops.
j) Water for the instructors and students
EQUIPMENT
The host should provide network access and necessary network equipment for the classroom
lab. For most workshops NSRC brings a self-contained workshop environment and local equipment
needed only includes projector, screen network jack, power strips and 1 or 2 UPS's. If Desktop
PCs are to be used, then a switch that can be uplinked to our local switch on which the PCs are
connected. A sound system is only necessary if the workshop classroom has loud ambient noise or
is very large.
The only required software is Secure Shell and a Web browser. SSH can be obtained and installed
for Windows. A good, free SSH client is Putty SSH.
INTERNET CONNECTIVITY
This is dependent on the workshop. We attempt to create our workshops so that the minimum
amount of network bandwidth is necessary, but more bandwidth makes for a better workshop
experience.
NETWORK FILTERING
If possible, no filtering is ideal. Many of the references and package update systems need
access to ports for ssh, dns, smtps, imaps, https, and many network monitoring tools need
functioning icmp echo request to be available. NSRC staff knows how to work around most of
these issues, but less filtering of ports makes for a smoother running workshop.
AUDIO/VISUAL/MEDIA
* A projector that supports 16x9 presentation layouts
* A backup projector or additional light bulb for the projector is a good idea.
* Medium size to large white board with stand and white board markers;
* Flip chart with stand and markers.
SECURITY
The room should be able to be locked and secure overnight so that equipment can be left
in the room.
ACCESS
The workshop infrastructure equipment should either be accessible via SSH from the location
where the instructor team is staying, or the workshop classroom should be accessible to the
instructor team 24x7 during the workshop.
Access to the venue should be available 1 day (or more) before the workshop begins.
ACCOMODATION
If possible, it is preferred that the accommodation and the classroom facility for the workshop
be provided at the same location. If not possible, it is preferred that the venue and local
accomodation be within walking distance of each other. We understand that this is not always
possible.
Hotel capacity must be sufficient to accommodate workshop participants,
instructors and some additional guests.
Fresh ground coffee made available during breakfast and breaks is enthusiastically
welcomed by the instructor team :-)
LOCAL LOGISTICS
The local hosting organisation should also be prepared to:
* Provide logistical support during the workshop, NOC setup, interaction with hotel
or institutional staff, etc.
* Provide a name badge of some kind to participants and instructors. It is useful
if the badge includes name and institution of the participant. Many workshops do not
make this available, but it is a nice feature to have as instructors and participants
get to know each other.
* A local contact to act as a consignee to receive equipment and/or book
donations shipped before the event.
* Handle Internet connectivity to the hotel or conference centre.
* Obtain equipment, set up and tear down the rooms, and have staff available to
answer attendees questions. Local hosts sometimes rent the needed workstations,
UPSs, power strips, etc. or borrow them from a local university or other organisation.
* Facilitate instructor pickup and dropoff at local airport.
* Organize transport to/from the workshop venue as needed for particpants each morning and
evening (when necessary).
CERTIFICATES
In most cases workshop participants will want a certficate of completion at the end of the
workshop. This is the responsibility of the local host to create and print the certificate
before the end of the workshop. We recommend that the certificate be signed by the NSRC
instructor in charge of workshop coordination and the appropriate local adminstrators.
The NSRC has a repository of sample workshop certificates located at:
https://nsrc.org/logos/certificates/
that you are free to re-use as needed. It is highly desirable that the certificates be
created and printed with enough advance time so that all signing parties can sign each
certificate before the end of the workshop.
OTHER ITEMS
Naturally any other particular item that local hosts may find useful we definitely want
to hear about them. Thank you!
Last modified 1 October, 2023