Media Releases
Setting the Hot Stage for the 40th WorldSkills Competition
May 25 2009, Calgary, Alberta, Canada – Eight people, four days, one extensive Information Technology system to configure for an international event that is 2/3 the size of the ’88 Winter Games.
In less than four months Canada will host the 40th WorldSkills Competition on Calgary’s Stampede Park. The international Competition of skills, trade, and technology includes an IT system that will set the precedent for future events of this magnitude. From May 25 until May 29, a team assembled by WorldSkills Calgary 2009 will ‘hot stage’ the Network Operating Centre (NOC) in Winnipeg, MN, using a portion of the equipment.
WorldSkills Calgary 2009 IT Manager, Roger Dery, leads the hot stage team, along with members of some of the IT Project’s partnering companies including Cisco, Allstream, HP, and Epic Information Solutions. WorldSkills International will also be present to test and verify the IT system’s capability of handling the complicated needs of the WorldSkills Competition. Other partners contributing to the IT Project for the overall event are Fluke Networks, Draka, VM Ware, Microsoft, and Autodesk. Dery says ‘hot staging’ includes set-up, configuration and testing of the entire NOC.
The system includes multiple layers of security and reliability methods. Dery says it is comparable in size to TransCanada Pipeline building networks in downtown Calgary, AB, Canada.
The main goal of the IT Project is to ensure a reliable and secure network for the 40th WorldSkills Competition. Testing the NOC with a reliable representation of the equipment involved will provide organizers with insight on any enhancements needed for the September 1 – 7 event. The international event, held in Calgary, AB, Canada, will involve over 900 Competitors from 51 countries/regions competing in 45 different skills. Each skill will be tested from a Competitor and judging perspective during the hot staging. Other systems include streaming audio and video and secure wireless Internet that will be available for Competitors and guests throughout the grounds.
During the 40th WorldSkills Competition in September, the NOC is set to manage an extensive network of equipment, including:
- 1,100 monitors
- 105 46 Inch LCD displays
- 900 desktops
- 100 laptops
- 200 personal printers
- 4 enterprise printers
- 9 plotters
- 450 cell phones
- 200 CB radios
Technical Backgrounder
WorldSkills Calgary 2009 Information Technology Project
WorldSkills Calgary 2009 Information Technology (IT) Project includes the implementation of a secure, resilient Cisco network supporting high performance wired and wireless infrastructure for the 40th WorldSkills Competition. Selected partners are Cisco, Fluke Networks, and EPIC Information Solutions. They are teaming up with MTS Allstream, HP, VM Ware, Microsoft, Draka and Autodesk.
The entire system will be monitored and tested by WorldSkills International to ensure that all the highest level of efficiency is being reaching during the event. The WorldSkills Calgary 2009 Ltd. mandate is to provide an Information Technology Solution that offers security, reliability and accessibility with the least amount of management throughout the Competition.
The Network Operating Centre (NOC) includes multiple layers of security and reliability methods for the Competition Information System (CIS), which is needed for judging of the 45 skilled categories. It is the first time a system of this capacity will be used. It will set the precedent for future WorldSkills Competitions, and could also be implemented as the future design for educational institutes.
NOC includes various security appliances from Cisco and Fluke Networks. The Security Monitoring, Analysis and Response System (MARS) monitors the Data Link and Network layer of the backbone. The NOC backbone is designed on a Windows Server 2008 Platform with VMware/SAN based set-up and backups offloading to an HP Deduplication unit. There are three physical servers each installed with virtual servers. This structuring provides several back-ups if one or more servers fail. Servers can easily be moved while still running, thereby allowing maintenance without causing any downtime. NOC will use several disaster recovery techniques and 8 terabytes of memory to ensure the security and reliability of the system throughout the Competition.
Fact Sheet
WorldSkills Calgary 2009 Information Technology Project
The WorldSkills Calgary 2009 Network Operating Centre (NOC) produces a secure and reliable network for the 40th WorldSkills Competition. It creates innovative technology to set the precedent for WorldSkills Calgary 2009 Ltd. and the future of the WorldSkills Competitions.
The equipment used will provide a legacy of technology, equipment, and education to pass on to students. The WorldSkills Calgary 2009 Information Technology Project showcases the absolute latest in technology.
Features of the IT Project for the 40th WorldSkills Competition
- Network backbone design created by Cisco Certified Internetwork Experts from MTS Allstream
- Comparable in size to Petro Canada and TransCanada Pipeline building networks in Calgary, AB, Canada,
- Procurement, design, testing, logistics & staging will all be completed in 6 month time frame;
- projects of similar scope are completed in 2 years
- 8 terabytes memory; equivalent to 8000 trucks full of books
- Over 43 km’s of CAT 6 cable supplied from Draka International
- 98 fiber locations with media cross over installed throughout Stampede Park
- IronPort scans 5 billion webpages through URL/SPAM filters to eliminate all unwanted content
Backgrounder
WorldSkills Calgary 2009
WorldSkills Calgary 2009 marks the second time Canada hosts this international event in its 59-year history. In May 2004, at the WorldSkills General Assembly in Hong Kong, Canada officially won the right to host the WorldSkills Competition. The successful bid was made possible through collaboration with Skills Canada Alberta and Skills/Compétences Canada. Shortly thereafter, WorldSkills Calgary 2009, a not-for-profit organization, was established.
For the past five years, WorldSkills Calgary 2009 has been working closely with legacy, government, and industry partners to make the 40th WorldSkills Competition the most successful to date. Although the event is held from September 1 – 7, 2009, WorldSkills Calgary 2009 has been working with legacy partners to actively help the global skills movement that addresses labour shortage, competency standards, and education programs designed to motivate and encourage young adults to explore successful career options in skills, trades, and technology.
Skills/Compétences Canada
Skills/Compétences Canada was founded in 1989 as a national, not-for-profit organization that works with employers, educators, labour groups and governments to promote skilled trades and technology careers among Canadian youth.
Its unique position among private and public sector partners enables it to work toward securing Canada’s future skilled labour needs while helping young people discover rewarding careers.
Skills/Compétences Canada offers experiential learning opportunities including skilled trades and technology competitions for hundreds of thousands of young Canadians through regional, provincial Headquartered in Gatineau, Quebec, Skills/Compétences Canada is the Canadian Member organization of WorldSkills International and the official legacy partner of WorldSkills Calgary 2009.
In 2002, Skills Canada Alberta and Skills/Compétences Canada began the planning process which established Alberta as the host of the 40th WorldSkills Competition.
The 38 members of Team Canada (7 females, 31 males, average age 21), that will represent Canada at the 40th WorldSkills Competition, reached the national level by first competing at provincial/territorial skills competitions, and then contending at the 14th Canadian Skills Competition skillscanada.com
WorldSkills International
WorldSkills International’s mission is to promote, through the cooperative action of Members, a standards of competence make to the achievement of economic success and personal fulfillment. WorldSkills International’s principal activity is organizing the WorldSkills Competition in a different Member country/region every two years. These Competitions bring the best young professionals from trades, service and vocational programs from around the world to showcase their talents and ability at the WorldSkills Competition.
The 40th WorldSkills Competition is coming to Calgary, Alberta, Canada from September 1 - 7, 2009. The organizing committee, WorldSkills Calgary 2009, is leading the event coordination with support from WorldSkills International, Skills/Compétences Canada, and Skills Canada Alberta.
