ISI Web of Science Service for UK Education
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During autumn 2001, users and trainers of the ISI Web of Science
service have reported difficulties in accessing Web of Science and
in the search response times once connected. This announcement
informs users about the measures put in place to meet demand in
the spring term and to explore options to improve service delivery in
the longer term.

Usage for WoS increases every academic year, and the service
has also turned out to be much more resource hungry than either
ISI or the JISC originally estimated. The service was designed to
support 1000 concurrent users with user response times for a
simple search to be under 5 seconds. However, as a result of the
resource intensive nature of the Web of Science software, following
demand during the Autumn term we have learnt that despite one
additional upgrade, the configuration purchased is only able to
support around 800 - 850 concurrent users if adequate search times
are to be achieved.

In 2001 the JISC also funded an extension to the agreement with
ISI for a separate "training service" to be provided from a separate
ISI server.  This ran from September to December 2001and was set
up to deal with the high volume of WoS training that takes place in
our institutions during the Autumn term.  The service was extended
by ISI without additional charge until the end of January pending
discussions between ISI, JISC and MIMAS. Following a meeting on
9th January 2001 between JISC, ISI, MIMAS and CHEST, the
parties are pleased to announce that JISC is to fund an extension
to the WoS training service to 30 April 2002.  This is intended
to meet the anticipated demand in the spring term.  Use of the
training service during this period will also be broadened to
complete general access

Furthermore, JISC, MIMAS and ISI are investigating options for an
enhanced service through the use of additional servers in the longer
term, taking into account the implications of additional features
available through Web of Science version 5.  Further information
will be announced publicly in the coming weeks. Concurrency
levels, turnaways, response times and the training service are all
monitored by the MAU. The Web of Science Enhancement
Committee (comprising representatives of the user community,
CHEST, JISC, ISI and MIMAS) meets to discuss these
performance matters and enhancements to the Web of Science
service.

As outlined above, the ISI Web of Science Training Service will
continue to be available from: http://wos.mimas.ac.uk/training.html
but will be extended to complete general access.


Jessica Eustace MA, MLIS
Web of Science User Support
Manchester Computing
University of Manchester,
Manchester,
M139PL
Email: [log in to unmask]
Tel: 0161 275 6825
Fax: 0161 275 6040