PM Distributed Learning System (DLS)  

 

Digital Training Facility (DTF)

Student Workstation (SW) Configuration

(3 Dec 2004)

 

Introduction:

 

1.      Army Distributed Learning (DL) courseware must load and play on SW computers inside PM DLS DTFs with the configuration outlined in this document. This includes courseware developed under contract through the Army Training Support Center’s (ATSC) DLXXI contract, under other contracts, or through school in-house development efforts.  Contract statements of work (SOWs) for DL courseware development must include this requirement.

 

2.      To help ensure that courseware runs in PM DLS DTFs, schools have been directed to conduct early prototype tests and validations of courseware in DTFs.  Schools have also been directed to provide written verification to ATSC that courseware was tested in DTFs when final courseware is provided to ATSC for replication/distribution. 

 

3.      The following DTF SW configuration may be modified with sufficient justification.  If problems are encountered during courseware testing/validation in DTFs that may require modifications to configuration, please contact the DLS Help Desk and request that informational ticket be opened and forwarded to PM DLS for follow-up. DSN 826-4745 / toll free COMM 877-251-0730).  For new courseware development efforts please submit requests for modification prior to beginning courseware development. These items will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

 

4.      Please contact the following offices with other comments, questions, or recommendations.

 

ATSC, Technical Standards and Specifications Team (TSST)  / DSN 826-3508 / COMM 757-878-3508

TRADOC TDADD, / DSN 680-5536 / COMM 757-788-5536


PM DLS DTF Student Workstation Configuration:

 

1.        The typical student workstation has following hardware configuration:

 

Pentium II to IV

233 to 3.6 Ghz CPU speed

128 to 512 Mbytes RAM

Sound Blaster compatible sound card 

Graphics card is either 32 bit  PCI or AGP

4.3 to 80 Gbyte hard disk

 

2.        Student workstation drives are designated as follows:

 

A-Drive:  3 ½  inch floppy disk drive

C-Drive:  hard disk partition with workstation image hidden from student view

D-Drive:  hard disk partition for OS and temporary storage of courseware and other files

E-Drive:  CD-ROM drive

H-Drive:  DTF network server connected drive space of 30 Mbytes allocated to student use for course duration

 

3.       To assure security certification and simplify operation, some functions normally accessed using the “Start” menu in the lower left-hand corner of screen have been disabled or the functionality has been transferred to icons on the desktop screen.

 

4.       The A-Drive for 3 ½  inch floppy disks is now accessed by clicking on the “3½ Floppy” icon.  Save functions for this drive can still be accessed as part of the normal menus in Microsoft Word, EXCEL, Power Point or for courseware requirements. 

 

5.       Other special modifications to workstation include:

 

    1. Screen resolution is set to 800x600.  It can be changed by the student.
    2. The BIOS is set to reboot from C-Drive only.
    3. The BIOS is password protected.
    4. The Run command has been removed from the Start menu.
    5. The student will not see the Command prompt
    6. The Find command has been removed.
    7. The Task Manager has been removed.
    8. Guest and administrator accounts have been renamed.
    9. Students are not allowed to request firewall or communication port changes from the site DOIM

 

6.       The workstation hard disk (drives C and D) is wiped clean upon reboot and after each student’s use. It is restored back to baseline (re-imaged) with the software listed in Table 1 below (DTFM in Table 1 refers to “DTF manager”).

 

7.       The C-Drive is used to store only the workstation image.  Courseware developers must not “hard code” to the C-Drive to store temporary files required by courseware. Courseware should be coded to utilize operating system variables for determining where to load files, it must not be assumed that the operating system is loaded in the default directory “C:\windows”

 

8.       The hard disk is partitioned for a D-Drive where temporary files, required by the courseware, can be stored. The directory “D:\Courseware” has been created as a general location for storages of courseware materials.

 

9.      The student has limited local machine administrator privileges for the workstation to allow for courseware installation.

 

10.    Preloaded plug-in software to support courseware is listed in Table 1.  Students are assumed to have insufficient time and experience to load a new plug-in to support courseware each time they use a workstation.  Additional plug-ins will be considered for addition to the workstation image with sufficient justification and within certain parameters.   Requests for additional plug-ins must be forwarded though the DLS helpdesk by opening an Informational Trouble Ticket as stated in the introduction section.

 

11.   The student has access to an H-Drive (Student storage area) on the DTF server.  The student is allowed to store up to 30 MBytes in files in their directory for the duration of the course.  The student user’s manual describes how to access the H-Drive.  An icon on the student desktop screen contains shortcut to H-Drive to simplify access for the student.

 

12.   The workstation has a command to allow reboot of computer without a re-image (see para 6 above) if courseware requires a restart of the computer after installation of software or drivers.  The student desktop screen contains the “Legacy” icon that allows the machine to be restarted one time, with out re-imaging.

 

13.   The student can access the world wide web using the Internet Explorer icon.  The default home page on the Internet is Army Knowledge On-line (AKO).

 

14.   All DLS students are assumed to have AKO accounts.  Although students can access AKO e-mail accounts from any computer with Internet access, they must register for the account from a “*.mil” e-mail address.

 

15.   AKO provides the student e-mail, and the student has access to real time text chat and threaded discussion if required for the course(s) in which they are enrolled.

 

16.   Autorun feature was enabled to facilitate CD-ROM courseware that utilizes this feature to automatically start or install.

 

17.     Software following in Table 1 is preloaded on DTF workstations.

 

 

Software

Version

Remarks

Windows XP

Professional with SP2

 

Office 2003

Professional build11.0.6361

 

Outlook 2003

2003

DTFM workstations only

Internet Explorer

v6.0.2900.2180 128-bit SP2

 

MS Virtual Machine

IE Information and Privacy Update

Update for Security Vulnerabilities

Microsoft Libraries Update

Windows Media Player

10

 

Macromedia Shockwave

v10.1.0.11

 

QuickTime

v6.5.2

 

Macromedia Flash

7.0.19.0

 

Asymetrix Neuron

7.2

Load in non-secure mode

Click2Learn Neuron

8

Load in non-secure mode

Real Player

RealOne

 

Adobe Acrobat Reader

v6.01

 

Norton Antivirus

Corporate Edition v8.5

Latest approved signature file

Tivoli TMA

3.7

 

ImageCast

4.6.1

 

Ligos Indeo

v5.11

 

SmartForce Player

2.63

 

WinZip

v9

 

NetMeeting

3.01 (4.4.0.3400)

 

DirectX

 9.0c

 

ActivCard Gold Future Pack 1 for CAC

PKI v3.0.1.1076.1

 (For Card Reader)

InterVideo WinDVD

v4.0

 

IBM RecordNow

v5.1

 

PowerQuest Deploy Center

v5.5

 

NGRAIN

v2.2