Campus Technology Services

 TechNews - June 2011
This is a summary of the activities supporting faculty, staff and student technology services at SUNY Oswego that occurred during May 2011.

Reminders

1. Routine Service Outage
   As part of Campus Technology Services' efforts to keep servers running at optimum levels, a regular maintenance period has been designated. From 6AM to 10AM on the second Sunday of each month, several services such as E-mail, editing of both departmental and personal web pageswill not be available. The next scheduled outage is Sunday, June 12th, 2011.
2. NYALERT
   For information on NYAlert: http://www.oswego.edu/administration/public_affairs/emergency/nyalert.html or
   visit http://www.suny.edu/SUNYALERTsec to sign up.
3. RAVE Guardian
   For information on Rave Guardian http://oswego.edu/student/blogs/?cat=11 or to sign up: https://www.getrave.com/login/oswego

Summer Projects
Talk a look at more detail  for projects  taking place  the summer of 2011.

Patch Wednesdays
CTS now has the capability of updating your campus owned computers for security fixes as well as functionality on a regularly scheduled basis. This may include software updates to programs such as Adobe Reader or Microsoft Word or to change Windows settings to better support your computers. In order to streamline this process we will only perform these updates on Wednesdays.  These changes will be implemented only after thorough internal CTS testing. You may possibly notice a slight slowdown in computer performance at that time however it will go away shortly. Updates will be added to a CTS calendar so you may see what changes have occurred to your computer on any given day. The calendar is still being revised at this time but will be up and running shortly.

Technology Support Center
LANDesk remote control and inventory are being incorporated into our HEAT ticketing system.  This will give us easy access to understanding the user's computer and requesting remote control of the user's computer all from within the ticketing system.  This will also be easier for our student workers in terms of not having to learn another system.

We are planning the training of eight new students that will be working for the TSC at the start of the fall semester.

Lakerpedia is being upgraded to version 6.3.  We are also working on implementing two new modules.  One will provide an automatic response to questions sent to help@oswego.edu.  The software will look for keywords in the user's question and provide a generic response saying our staff is working on the ticket and to check some online resources we have available pertaining to their question that might help resolve their issue.  The other is a custom search that can be inserted onto web pages to search only the content of that department's knowledge articles.  CTS will be inserting this onto our website to easily search our content within the knowledgebase.

Are you on Facebook? Want to receive updates from CTS on new services, updates, system outages, and more? We recently created a “SUNY Oswego – Campus Technology Services” Facebook group. Become a fan and start receiving updates!

You can reach us by phone at 312.3456 or at 26 Lanigan Hall or our website.

Learning Management System
Please note that ANGEL is currently NOT compatible with Firefox 4 and IE 9.  SLN will be posting an announcement on ANGEL when they are deemed compatible.  If you have installed either or both Firefox 4 or IE 9, you may need to downgrade to continue to use ANGEL.  Please see the official announcement from SLN with links and information on downgrading at http://wiki.sln.suny.edu/display/SLNKB/SLN+Online+Course+Browser+Compatibility.

Please check the ANGEL website for dates and times for upcoming workshops.

If you are interested in setting up a community group, please visit the ANGEL web site at www.oswego.edu/academics/angel. Community groups are limited to academic and/or university related activities only.

Professional Development
We are currently offering a few workshops over the summer for Office 2010.  In addition to instructor-led workshops, there are additional training opportunities for learning Office 2010, including recorded, on-demand tutorials in iTunes U. Check out the MS Office training opportunities page for more information.  CTS Workshops are freely available to all SUNY Oswego faculty, staff and students.

Software News
Office 2010/2011 is now available for install on all campus-owned computers.  The programs are also available for install on faculty and staff personal machines for $9.95 each.  Please consult the CTS MS Office site for more details.

We are advising people to refrain from upgrading to Windows 7 as, currently, not all campus applications are compatible with it.

A new piece of software is officially being introduced to the campus as a pilot project this fall.  The Elluminate web-conferencing software allows you to either present or participate in a conference all from the Web. Listen to or give a presentation from your office, home, wherever you can find a computer connected to the Internet.   Common uses for Elluminate include online workshops, online meetings, online office hours and general presentations. We are actively seeking pilot project participants for the fall. If you think you might be interested please fill out the pilot participation form.

Microsoft is offering students a significantly reduced price on its Microsoft Office Ultimate 2010 software. The "Office Ultimate Steal" entitles eligible students to the Microsoft Office Ultimate 2010 software at a price of only $79.95. Microsoft's store price for the same software is $679.95! The Ultimate edition is packaged with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Groove, Publisher, Access, InfoPath, and Accounting Express. To determine if students qualify for the special price and to buy online visit www.theultimatesteal.com.

UBMicro has a great new site for purchasing various software products for your home machine. They include Microsoft Office and some of the Adobe products. Visit their site at http://www.ubmicrosuny.com/

Web Update
We are working on testing our many applications with the newly released Firefox 3 browser as well as Internet Explorer 8 and with the recent releases of Windows Internet Explorer 9 and Mozilla Firefox 4, Campus Technology Services (CTS) would like to inform everyone that these browsers are not yet fully compatible with some of the campus services that you need to access.

Specifically, the SUNY Learning Network has indicated that both of these browser updates are NOT compatible with ANGEL at this time. Sungard(myOswego)has also indicated that these browsers are not supported and users will has some inconsistent behavior. CTS will continue to evaluate other services on campus.

The use of an unsupported browser can result in inconsistent or unpredictable behavior when working in applications. You should refrain from updating at this time.

As soon as vendors update these applications for compatibility with these services, we will post notices.

The OU Educate product for creating and maintaining personal websites will be decommissioned on June 30.  The small number of people using the product may migrate their site to LakerApps Sites or if their site is being used for class-related information, ANGEL.  Migration workshops are being offered every two weeks through the beginning of July.  The workshop will review LakerApps Sites and ANGEL and assist users in getting started migrating their content.  More information is available from the OU Educate web site.

Ingeniux trainings continue to be held.  Please check the Ingeniux training site for dates and times and online registration.

New Student Orientation
CTS will be participating in this year's new student orientations.  We will be showing a video which provides an overview of our technology services.  This video was recently revised to include our latest service offerings.  We also will be handing out a CTS bookmark, which lists 10 items to help get students prepared for technology services upon their arrival to campus.  We will be presenting to both parents and students.  In addition, we will be hosting a table at the "Cruisin' the Campus" session for students and parents to ask specific questions.

Desktop Support 
Campus Technology Services technicians have continued to aid faculty, staff and students in resolving hardware, software, and account related issues. In May we have assisted in the resolution of 46 hardware, 90 software, and 22 account related support requests.
 
Enterprise Desktop Services Committee
EDSC has continued its ongoing work with Landesk, Windows 7 compatibility, and preparations for the campus roll-out of Microsoft Office 2010 (windows), and 2011 (macintosh). During the month, EDSC has also been working to improve and refine the documentation provided to users when a new machine is delivered, and began a review and evaluation of the software request process with a goal of streamlining this process and providing for more rapid resolution of these types of requests.

Equipment Deployments
Our desktop support technicians continue to prepare and deploy new equipment as it arrives. During the month of May, new equipment has been configured and installed within: Athletics Department, CSTEP/McNair Programs, History Department, Lifestyles Center, and Theater Department.

Departmental moves and equipment relocations
During the month of May, Campus Technology Services desktop support technicians assisted with relocation's of equipment in the following departments and offices: Curriculum & Instruction, English, Facilities Design and Construction, Office of Learning Services labs, School of Arts and Sciences Deans Office, and School of Communications Media and the Arts Deans Office.

Virtual Lab Pilot
Over the course of the semester Campus Technology has been working in conjunction with the Art, and Psychology departments to pilot test a virtual lab environment. One entire Art class, and a subset of a Psychology class have utilized the Virtual Lab environment to provide access to campus licensed software in locations where this software would not normally be available. Overall this small initial pilot was successful, however it has identified some complications and issues that Campus Technology Services is working to address. This pilot project will continue over the summer session.

Banner/myOswego
• Began the CashNet /Banner eCommerce integration; attended training, meetings, and began development of data extracts and exports for the ePayment of student bills
• Continued working with Institutional Research and the Financial Aid Office to complete the SUNY Financial Aid Data Submission (FADS) as required by System Administration; have submitted first aid year and are awaiting approval
• Assisting Student Accounts with the Enrollment Confirmation survey that will be required of all students registered for fall 2011. All must verify that they will attend fall classes; failing to do so will delay financial aid and/or result in deregistration from classes after the third day of the fall semester
• Continued Intelliworks Graduate Student/Banner student integration project
• Adapted Res Life business process to include the assignment of resident summer students in Adirondack with Banner Housing, Resnet and Millennium building access applications
• Completed development of Orientation programs to facilitate the processing of new students and guests
• Adapted the myOswego Parent Plus information sheet to include if refunds should be addressed to the student
• Installed Student 8.5, General 8.4, Alumni 8.4, WebTailor 8.4, Finance 8.4, Financial Aid 8.11 and associated web releases to production database
• Continued testing the use of the SICAS ASC interface to load Admissions Applications

Document Imaging
• Complete the request to batch load data files from Compass for advisement use, including student information sheets and math placement exam results and recommendations

Other Administrative Support
• Continued testing to allow myOswego login using the Laker NetID.
• Participated in discussions about improving the current student withdrawal process
• Assisted Registrar's with planning for new business processes
• Completed modifications to approximately 35 sqr, cobol and Argos applications
• Developing an Argos Data Cube for Extended Learning which will provide program progress information for their students
• Test applications on Windows 7
• Move 1 computer from ACC_SERVER domain to CTS-DOMAIN
• Setup Color Cube printer with print server for IRA office.
• Setup Student accounts printer on print server
• Upgraded Theatre Manager to version 9.0.7
• Modified AD import utility from ldap to set must change password at next login.
• Modified all user accounts in domain that had not logged in to have to change password at next login.
• Created utility to update blank user account record in AD from ldap.
• Installed Crystal Report Professional on Barb StMichel's computer and showed her how to link to R25 ODBC connection.
• Worked  on Millenium import from Banner.

Future Administrative System projects
• Installation of recent SICAS releases on Bantest
• Replace the housing Judicial Officer with Conduct Coordinator
• Set up the Fusion Middleware (FMW) and phase out jinitiator connections to Banner

Provided AV support for the following events

Campus Projects

Department Support

CTS Projects or Support

Telecommunications Projects
• Res Hall floor phone installations
• SOE relocation
• Wiring SOE Dean's suite
• Arts & Sciences Dean office renovations
• Culkin 5th floor network closet start
• Bldg 20 SOE terminations

Telecommunications Administration
• 84 Adds
• 4 Swaps
• 2 Changes
• 94 Disconnects
• 18 Moves
• Generate Monthly Bills.
• VM Audit
• Updating VOIP phones in Pinnacle

Networking Update

Staff Updates

May 1-7, 2011, Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices , Rochester, NY
 It is also the first step to CCENT certification.-- David James, Matt Perez

May 12, 2011, Campus Technology Virtual Conference 2011, 26 Lanigan Hall
 a free virtual conference with speakers speaking on future direction of It, cloud-based lecture capture and awakening the digital imagination.-- Nicole Decker

May 24-27, 2011, CIT 2011, Oneonta, NY
Annual SUNY Wide conference on instruction and technology
Nicole Decker,Kathi Dutton, Dan Laird, Joe Moreau, Dave McQuin

May 24, 2011, COA Regional Forum on Netowrking and System Admin
One day event discussion of future technologies and current infrastructure use in networking.-- Greg Fuller, David James

May 31, 2011, CASHNet training via webinar - Sue Fisk, Michael Pisa

Phone Calls to the Technology Support Center (5/1/11-5/31/11)
 770

Call Logging Statistics - 5/1- 5/31/2011