The Computer and  Information Technology Section has been established in the Institute in order to facilitate various research divisions, offices, sections and support cells of the institute with the latest facilities in the field of Information Technology. The role of the section is to provide/maintain network (LAN and WAN) facilities and to strengthen the computer activities with latest facilities in the Institute by procuring the necessary Hardware and Software. The cell is also responsible for arranging training to the Officers/Scientists/Staff members of the Institute whenever it is required. Following facilities are being provided by the IT cell.

 Local Area Network (LAN)

 TFRI has established Local Area Network (LAN) at its campus in 2000. A high speed 100mbps Switched Ethernet fibre backbone is used. The LAN at the Institute is distributed in five Office/laboratory buildings with one fibre optic backbone. Ten switches have been used for the entire networking. Three servers, visible to the outside world, are connected to the backbone switch which in turn is connected to the router. Backbone switch is connected to access switch at different building via six-core multimode fibre optic cable. The UTP Enhanced CAT-5 and Cat-6 cable connects the nodes to the working switches. The local area network of the institute is comprised of about 125 nodes with around 100 active users.

Wide Area Network (WAN)

 A virtual private network (VPN) at the campus is currently being provided by ICFRE through National Knowledge Network (NKN) as an Internet Service Provider (ISP). The bandwidth currently available is 100 mpbs. The Web Site of the Institute and its satellite center CGRHRD, Chhindwara, globally accessible on http://tfri.icfre.gov.in and http://cfrhrd.icfre.gov.in are developed, hosted (at ICFRE Server) and maintained by the Computer and IT Section.

 Facilities and Services

 The Computer and IT Cell has been entrusted for the facilities of

• The Procurement and maintenance of different computing and associated equipments.
• The operation and maintenance of the local area network at the Institute.
• Providing all the research divisions of the Institute with the internet connectivity through the leased line.
• Operation and maintenance of the Website and the Web server.
• Operation and maintenance of the Email server.
• Operation and maintenance of Management Information System.
• Organizing the required computer trainings for the staff.
• Providing the facilities of CD copying, taking backups, scanning & other computing matters
• Deployment of the softwares.
• Hardware and software maintenance of different computing equipments at the Institute.
• Design and Development of institute's and its satellite center CFRHRD, Chhindwara's website.
• Design and Development of websites of seminars & conferences.

     Services 

Maintenance of Hardware

 Apart from maintenance of the Network Hardware this section also undertakes the maintenance of Computer and peripheral hardware installed at the institute through the third party vendors.  The Hardware have been categorized and inventorized accordingly for its proper maintenance and coordination with the vendors.  The section also manages the supply of consumables for the institute by entering into a Rate Contract of Consumable items and Printers cartridges is also processed.

 Video Conferencing

The Video Conferencing facility among different Institutes with the rest of the world has been started on 01.05.2008. This section also manages the video conferencing facility at the institute.

 Implementation of Indian Forestry Research & Information System (IFRIS)

 The institute successfully implemented Indian Forestry Research Information System (IFRIS) developed by ICFRE catering to the Research, Finance and Human Resource Management need of the organization.  

The following modules have been functioning extensively at the institute:

• Research Information Management  System (RIMS)
• Payroll Management System
• Personal Information Management System (PIMS)
• Electronic Document Management  System (EDMS)    
• Financial Accounting System (FAS)

RIMS-primarily use for uploading of concept note of the project, submission of project proposal from scientist to higher level of hierarchy for the approval as well as for the progress of the project. The various types of reports regarding projects viz: active, started, priority wise, division wise, institute wise may be obtained.

PIMS-The Leave module has been implemented for On-Line Leave. All officials are operating On Line Leave across the institute.

FAS-module used for allocation and distribution of budget under different heads of budget, vouchers entry for all expenditure incurred in plan and projects head across ICFRE institutes.

EDMS-module used to archive the old and current documents and also for streamlining the official work flow on day-to-day basis. 

 In-house trainings

The section is also responsible for conducting training on computer applications from time to time to enhance the computer skills of officers and office staff of the Institute.

The section also provided training to Ph. D. Scholars for their compulsory course.

 Publication of Journal and e-Magazine

 The institute's on line open access e-Magazine Van Sangyan (ISSN 2395 - 468X) is composed and published online by the section on monthly basis.

 For further details please contact:

Shri V. Soundararajan

In-charge

Information Technology Cell

Phone: +91-761-2840012 (O), 0761-2744171, 172, 174

E-mail: itcell_tfri@icfre.org