INTRODUCTION
The Information Technology Unit is responsible for the maintenance and technical support of IT facilities for research, laboratory diagnostic services, consultation and training activities. Efforts have been taken to continually upgrade the facilities to meet the increasing users requirement. Network enhancements, system stability and dependable email services have been given highest priority.
Network Assessment
In October 2007, an IT Consultant was appointed to conduct a network assessment with its main objectives
- to assess the network design, data flows, application and overall network performance and health, and to identify their weaknesses
- to recommend the best solutions to upgrade and enhance the network facilities for IMR research community.
Major findings were detection of signal deterioration, intermittent connectivity, heavy broadcast and multicast, and high utilization of internet connection. Serial interface on the router for internet connection has been 97% utilized.
Services and In-House Applications
The Unit continues providing maintenance and supporting services to ILMU application of IMR Library, and applications of Government initiatives. A total of 18 new PCs were provided for eSPKB users in the Finance Unit.
Technical supports, including one-to-one tutorials in design and development of few in-house desktop applications were given to users. IT Unit assisted the development of two new stand-alone applications: inventory system for laboratory consumables and a monitoring system of unit’s operational budget.
Self-Learning Tool: Excel-CD
The Unit created How-To videos in CDs and distributed them to all units to guide users through specific tasks in Microsoft Excel. This Excel-CD has since been used as self-learning tool and reference material for students of Medical Laboratory Post-Basic Courses. The students were trained on how to use Excel as an effective tool in the management of medical diagnostic laboratories.
IT Training and Courses
In line with the Malaysian Public Sector Open Source Master Plan, we are upgrading the skills and knowledge of our ICT technical support staff. In 2007, five staff were trained in open source operating system, scripting languages and office productivity package: Linux Operating System, development of web-based applications using PHP and Ruby On Rails, and Open Office.
Meanwhile, IT Unit continues providing IT courses to enhance staff’s basic knowledge and skill in using office automation applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint and web development.
Mr Zainuldin as a resource person of WHONET (WHO program to monitor antibiotic resistance), provided training to laboratory personnel of all government pathology laboratories during the National Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing Workshop in Kota Kinabalu, August 13-15.
On-going ICT Projects
IMR has been selected to be in the following pilot projects:
- Next Generation Communication System (NGCS)
- Laboratory-based Surveillance System (eLBIS) and
- Virtual Library
Staff List
Head of Unit
Mohd Zainuldin b. Taib
MSc in IT (UKM), BSc (Hons) (UKM) Dip. Information Management (INTAN)
System Analyst
Haliza bt Husain
BSc Hons Comp Sc (UKM)
Rozita bt Ismail
BSc Hons Comp Sc (USM)
Research Officer
Cheong Yoon Ling
MSc in Remote Sensing & GIS (UPM), BSc Hons IT (UNITEN)
Programmers
Wan Marina bt Wan Mohamad
Dip. Computer Science (UiTM)
Norsalnizah bt. Niah Ahmad
Dip. Computer Science (UiTM)
Mohd. Affendi b. Ngah Sa'aya
Dip. Electronic Eng. (Computer) Politechnics Ungku Omar
Technical and Support Staff
Noorpisah bt M. Nor
