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Archive: July 6, 2005

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Security and
Internet Services

Security home

WINDOWS USERS: NEW PATCHES RELEASED 6/14/05
Microsoft released a number of patches for Windows on June 15, 2005. Make sure you apply these new patches as soon as possible. Details at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms05-jun.mspx.

AUTOMATICALLY CHECK FOR PATCHES
A quick way to verify that your Windows computer is set up to automatically check for patches/updates is to run the QUICKSTART Basic Security Settings Wizard at https://www.quickstart.umn.edu. (UM InternetID and password required).

THOSE PESKY PHISHING E-MAILS
Does it seem like the amount of phishing emails keeps growing? Data recently released, indicates that phishing increased by 226 percent in May 2005. Read what Information Week has to say at http://informationweek.com/shared/printableArticle.jhtml?articleID=164904348
or at this tiny URL: http://tinyurl.com/dmfbf.

KEEP YOUR VIRUS PROTECTION UP-TO-DATE
With almost 8000 new viruses recognized since the beginning of 2005, it is important to check for anti-virus updates daily. Unprotected computers can become infected in less than 15 minutes online. Read what The Register has to say at http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/07/01/sophos_1h05_malware_report/print.html or at this tiny URL: http://tinyurl.com/7psvh.

OVER 12 MILLION BLOCKED: SPAM AND VIRUS STATS
In June, 2005, Central e-mail spam controls blocked 12,014,946 messages. Anti-virus controls blocked an additional 50,654 messages.

Network and Telecommunication
Services

NTS home

COMPLETED: GOPHER GIGANET CUTOVER
Another milestone was met with the campus building cutover ending at the end of June. While this is a critical event, and a fast pace conclusion of a very big project, a few more locations and some of the private network conversions still remain. Off campus locations will be moved in July and August. Private network connections remaining as a private LAN will be moved to GGN backbone connection with special arrangements this summer.

GIGANET CUTOVER NUMBERS
At the end of June, approximately 47,764 Etherjacks were moved to the new Gopher GigaNet network; 2,585 new switches were installed in 860 communications switch rooms/closets. Trouble tickets reported were at 1,683 totals for the cutover period from September 2004 to June 2005.

GIGANET AUDIT AND ETHERJACK INFO
Another thorough audit of the data network connections was done before and after every building cutover. Etherjack information about the jack location, IP address, the switch connected to, port number and VLAN is tracked in the NTS database.

GIGANET FEEDBACK STILL WANTED
The project team still wants to hear from all campus staff and faculty about how we have handled this upgrade so far. You can complete a different survey for different buildings. If you have not already completed a survey, do so at https://wwws.nts.umn.edu/cgi-bin/nu/giganet_survey.cgi.

FIREWALL UPDATE
Firewall installation and testing continues with the Academic Health Center group and will gradually be implemented along with other features and services of the Gopher GigaNet. Look for news items on the project web page: http://www.umn.edu/nts/networkupgrade.

VOICEMAIL ON CAMPUS
The campus voicemail system is used extensively. Did you know there are 19,000 users of private mail boxes and nearly 145 automated- menu driven answering systems?

VOICEMAIL UPGRADE COMING THIS FALL
In fall 2005 voicemail services on the Twin Cities Campus will gradually be changed and upgraded. The new voicemail will be interactive with the central e-mail system, offering web based feature controls, text messaging, fax, and video conferencing. The actual implementation date of the voicemail upgrade depends heavily on a stable installation and testing. Information coming soon to NTS website.

VOICEMAIL UPGRADE TRANSITION PERIOD
NTS will implement the new system gradually across campus, staggered around semester breaks to prevent any interference with University events. Old and new systems will work side-by-side, providing a transition period to make this move simpler for everyone and to allow end users to retrieve and address messages on the old system.

REMINDER: GO4SERVICE
Go4Service is a new system for online ordering and managing data and voice services. When the new Go4Service's web interface is offered to the campus at the end of the year, this database will be the essential resource for all users. See March announcement: http://umtechbrief.umn.edu/05/tb0305/tb0305.html.

Academic and
Distributed
Computing
Services

ADCS home

VPN SUPPORT UPDATE
We've updated the Cisco clients you can download from the U's VPN website, including a Mac 10.4 client that does not crash AFP servers. As of August 1, 2005 we will discontinue support for Mac 10.1, which neither Apple nor Cisco supports. After recent upgrades, Windows 95 is no longer supported; Windows 98SE is supported but Windows 98 is not. See http://vpn.umn.edu.

IMPORTANT REMINDER: SSL DEADLINE DRAWS NEAR
Beginning July 18, 2005 everyone must use secure clients and configurations for e-mail, FTP, and Telnet . E-mail clients that are not secure will not be able to view or send e-mail. WebMail is secure and will still work. Details at http://www.umn.edu/securclt.

FREE SERVICE TO SET UP SSL E-MAIL
Having difficulty setting up an SSL compliant e-mail client? You may take your computer to UCS (University Computer Services), and they will do the configuration for you. Charges may apply for other work that you request. UCS appointment info: http://www.umn.edu/ucs.

NEW IN WEBMAIL: ADDRESS BOOK IMPORT/EXPORT
You may now import and export address book entries into and from WebMail. The enhancement supports plain text, VCF and LDIF formats. Access WebMail: http://www.mail.umn.edu.

COMING SOON: AUTO FILING FOR LARGE INBOXES
If you have more than 20MB in your e-mail inbox, you will soon be able to automatically move mail to a folder on the central server using an "auto file" feature. That mail will be available through WebMail or any e-mail client that is set up as IMAP. Look for more details next month.

UMCAL: MORE THAN 5,500 USERS
UMCal, the University's central calendaring system, now has over 5,500 users. UMCal is available to faculty, staff, and students in the classes of 2008 and 2009. Access it through the myU portal's toolkit. Synchronize calendars with most Palm and Pocket PC handhelds and desktop clients. Not using UMCal yet? Request an account: http://www.umn.edu/umcal/newuser. Details: http://www.umn.edu/umcal.

SAS AND SPSS LICENSES: GOOD NEWS
As of July 1 the initial and renewal fees for SAS and SPSS software licenses decreased to $100.00 per Macintosh or Windows machine license (from $150/yr). Details: http://www.umn.edu/adcs/site/list.html.

NORTON GHOST LICENSES: GOOD NEWS
As of July 1 the renewal fees for Norton Ghost licenses dropped to $5.00 per machine license (from $10/yr). Details: http://www.umn.edu/adcs/site/list.html.

NEED A SOFTWARE LICENSE?
Don't have a SAS, SPSS or Norton Ghost license yet but need one - or any number of additional licenses? Submit your application(s) online. Follow the order links at http://www.umn.edu/adcs/site/list.html. Can't find the software license you are interested in? E-mail us anytime with your suggestions: software@umn.edu.

NEW COURSE: SAS - INTRO TO THE SAS MACRO LANGUAGE
Do you find yourself writing the same SAS statements or procedures repeatedly, only to find the process is time consuming and prone to errors? SAS macros can enhance the flexibility and ease the development of SAS programs. For more information see http://uttc.umn.edu.

NEW COURSE: WEBCT VISTA ASSIGNMENTS
University faculty and course designers, learn how to create individual and group assignments that can be submitted as text, a file, or a web site, as well as how to publish assignments for peer review. For more information see http://uttc.umn.edu.

NEW COURSE: COMPUTER SECURITY ISSUES FOR SYSTEM ADMINS
Using concrete examples from multiple operating systems, system administrators will learn techniques to protect servers and desktops on the University network, including maintaining confidentiality and integrity of data and assigning appropriate privileges. For more information see http://uttc.umn.edu.

Digital
Media
Center

DMC home

EMINDER: JULY 20 EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGISTS FORUM MEETING
Learn about campus projects and national initiatives to develop learning objects and learning object repositories, plus attend break-out sessions about participant-chosen topics: July 20, 3-4:30 p.m., 402 Walter Library. See http://dmc.umn.edu/etf/schedule04.shtml#6.

REMINDER: WATCH TECH TALK
The last four episodes of the most recent season of the University TV show about the digital technology we encounter in our daily lives will be rebroadcast Sundays at 9 p.m on TC Public TV channel 17 July 10-31. See http://techtalk.umn.edu/schedule.

REMINDER: GET READY TO TEACH WITH VISTA BY AUGUST 31
DMC/ADCS staff can help instructors get ready to teach with WebCT Vista and other technologies in time for the complete conversion to Vista by fall term. Meet with consultants, hire student developers, obtain training, and more. Call 612-625-5055 or e-mail dmc@umn.edu.

The URL of this document is http://umtechbrief.umn.edu/05/tb0705/tb0n05.html
E-mail UM Tech Brief website comments to oitbrief@umn.edu