|
|
 |
Archive: February 4, 2004 |
No contacts? No links? No problem: send your inquiries and comments
to oitbrief@umn.edu.
Please feel free to send us feedback at any time
|
 |
Security and
Internet Services
Security home |
MALWARE UPDATE: NOVARG, MYDOOM
Novarg (a new mass-mailing worm variant of Mydoom that is delivered
as an attachment) has been arriving in e-mail inboxes worldwide
in various disguises. The good news is that our spam controls have
been able to block most of the mailings. The week of January 25th,
the central e-mail servers blocked approximately 2.5 million messages
(accounting for 50% of the background activity on the server's front-end).
Also, the number of insecure hosts that our spam controls blocked
was almost doubled.
E-MAIL BLOCK REASON GLOSSARY
The "Show Blocked Incoming E-mail" section of your Internet
Account Options page includes links to an E-mail Block Reason Glossary.
That glossary page also includes tips for improving errant hosts'
standing. You can look at the list anytime here: https://www.umn.edu/dirtools/etc/blockreasons.html
MICROSOFT WINDOWS SECURITY
OIT is evaluating the feasibility of making Windows XP and 2000
more secure by making the software available with security patches
already built-in; we're also exploring the feasibility of setting
up processes to "push down" updates. Numerous issues are
unresolved. More security information at: http://www.umn.edu/oit/security/
|
| |
Network and Telecommunication
Services
NTS home |
NETWORK UPGRADE CONTRACT AWARDED
Welcome the future, Gopher GigaNet! The Twin City Campus Network
Upgrade Contract was awarded to Enventis Telecom Inc. on Jan. 15th.
In mid-February the first shipment of equipment should arrive. Equipment
to be purchased for the new network includes Cisco 6500's for the
backbone and core infrastructure and Cisco 3750's for the distribution
and edge devices. [MORE]
CISCO PRODUCT DISCOUNTS
AVAILABLE UNTIL APRIL 20
Deep discounts on Cisco products available until April 20, 2004
from Purchasing Services was announced by Karen Triplett, Director
of Purchasing Services. The discounts are available to departments
on any campus. [MORE]
DHCP CHANGES AHEAD
During summer, 2004 Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) services
will change. DHCP services have significantly expanded since 1995
when they replaced the campus BOOTP (BOOTstrapping Protocol) service.
Initially NTS provided DHCP service for a few hundred nodes; currently
DHCP services over 18,000 nodes. [MORE]
ON A PERSONAL NOTE
TAC staff in Iraq and Bosnia: Tom Murray is in Bosnia with the National
Guard; Sgt. Alyssa Peterson, Minnesota National Guard, was awarded
a Purple Heart for injuries she received in a mortar attack last
October; next July Alyssa and Sgt. Stephen Perkins will be returning
home. Stephen's website has more personal info: http://www.c234k43.com/
|
|
Academic and
Distributed
Computing
Services
ADCS home |
PREMIUM INTERNET ACCOUNTS GET
MORE DISK SPACE
On Jan. 21 the disk space for Premium Interactive Accounts was doubled
to 100MB for files storage and 100MB for personal web space. Previously,
the quota for premium accounts was 100MB shared space for files
and web space. For a fee, staff and faculty may request additional
file storage and/or web space by contacting the accounts office
at 612-626-8366 or accounts@umn.edu
ZSH SHELL FOR PREMIUM ACCOUNTS
Premium Interactive Accounts holders can now select zsh shell from
the "E-mail Accounts Options" section of their Account
Update/Internet Account Options page: http://www.umn.edu/validate.
Zsh (Z-shell) is a command interpreter for UNIX systems; the FAQ
is here: http://www.faqs.org/faqs/unix-faq/shell/zsh/
INCREASE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY WITH WORD
How to be a productive Word user: you talked, we listened. Our new
topical Word classes are now shorter and less expensive. Match your
specific needs to a course: Editing and Sharing Documents Made Easier;
Formatting Papers Efficiently; or Hints, Tips, Shortcuts, and Secrets!
Descriptions and registration available at: http://www.umn.edu/uttc
LEARN JAVASCRIPT AT YOUR LEVEL
Jump into JavaScript this spring. We've divvied our class in two
just for you. Non-techies: learn to enhance a website with pull-down
menus, automatic slide shows, and more, by taking JavaScript: Basics
for Non-Programmers. Coders: expand your repertoire by taking JavaScript:
Programming for the Web. Choose the class that's right for you:
http://www.umn.edu/uttc
ENTERPRISE PASSWORD EXPIRATION DATES
Now it's easier to keep track of your Enterprise Password's expiration
date. When you successfully change that password, the confirmation
window now includes the date and time it expires. For uninterrupted
access to enterprise/institutional data that requires that password,
enter the expiration date on your calendar and change it before
it expires: http://www.umn.edu/validate
|
|
Digital
Media
Center
DMC home |
SPRING TEL SEMINARS
Faculty and staff members and students will discuss current TEL
issues at four spring sessions on: "Inquiry-Based Learning
Activities," "Learning Technologies and Public Engagement,"
"Student Views of TEL," and "Disciplinary TEL Teaching
Communities." See: http://dmc.umn.edu/series/spring04.shtml
AND 3 REMINDERS
FEB 10: EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGISTS FORUM MEETING
David Ernst (CEHD), Charlie Miller (CEHD), and Jerry Stenger (CSOM)
will discuss the Arctic Transect 2004 expedition, an online adventure/learning
program; then small groups will discuss participant-chosen topics:
FEB 10, 3:00-4:30 pm, 101 Walter Library. See: http://dmc.umn.edu/etf/
DUE FEB 17: TEL GRANT PROGRAM APPLICATIONS
Through this program, faculty members are awarded grants for developing,
implementing, and evaluating technology-enhanced learning (TEL)
experiences. A Call for Proposals for 2004 is online: http://dmc.umn.edu/grants/
DUE FEB 20: FACULTY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM APPLICATIONS
Each year the DMC accepts new applications for the program from
Twin Cities faculty members; 3-5 are chosen to receive fellowships.
A Call for Proposals for 2004-05 is online: http://dmc.umn.edu/fellowship/
|
|
The
URL of this document is http://umtechbrief.umn.edu/04/tb0204/tb0204.html
E-mail UM Tech Brief website comments to oitbrief@umn.edu
|
|
