Setting the `Hot' Stage for the 40th WorldSkills Competition

WINNIPEG, May 27 /PRNewswire/ - 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 Ltd. will
`hot stage' the Network Operating Centre (NOC) in Winnipeg, MN, using a
portion of the equipment.
WorldSkills Calgary 2009 Ltd. 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 Ltd. 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.
WorldSkills Calgary 2009 Competitors and visitors will experience streaming
audio and video throughout Stampede Park and secure wireless Internet within
the WorldSkills Competition network, media center and VIP lounge. Equipment
used in the IT Project includes;

- 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

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 Ltd. 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

- Multiple layers of integrated security employed with Cisco M.A.R.S,
Kaseya, IronPort and McAfee

- Disaster recovery techniques are employed from HP and Epic
Information Solutions to ensure the WorldSkills Competition network
is 100% stable during the event

- Firewall scans 5 billion webpages through two filters to eliminate
SPAM and unwanted content

- 2 Network Operating Systems (NOC's) in Stampede Park; one the nerve
system of the network to monitor traffic; one a simulation for public
observation and learning

- VIP lounge for dignitaries in Stampede Park's Rotary Dream House
includes 46" televisions, home theatre system, BluRay, Satellite, 5
computers with wireless internet

- Technology template will be used for future WorldSkills Competitions,
and could also be implemented as future designs for educational
institutes

- 1100 Samsung monitors, 105 Samsung LCD displays, 800 HP desktops, 100
HP laptops, 200 personal printers, 5 enterprise HP printers, 10 HP
plotters, 450 Samsung cell phones, 200 CB Radios

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/Competences Canada. Shortly thereafter,
WorldSkills Calgary 2009 Ltd., a not-for-profit organization, was established.
For the past 5 years, WorldSkills Calgary 2009 Ltd. 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 Ltd. 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.

Backgrounder

Skills/Competences Canada

Skills/Competences 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/Competences Canada offers experiential learning opportunities including
skilled trades and technology competitions for hundreds of thousands of young
Canadians through regional, provincial/territorial, national and international
events, as well as, skilled trades awareness programs. Headquartered in
Gatineau, Quebec, Skills/Competences 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/Competences 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

Backgrounder
WorldSkills International

WorldSkills International's mission is to promote, through the cooperative
action of Members, a worldwide awareness of the essential contribution that
skills and high 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.
worldskills.org

SOURCE Worldskills Calgary 2009

Roger Dery, IT Manager, WorldSkills Calgary 2009, Direct Line: (403) 210-5999,
Mobile: (403) 472-1093; Maria Pacella, Executive Director, Skills Canada
Manitoba, Direct Line: (204) 927-0250, Fax: (204) 927-0258