OIT News – April 2013

OIT News
Monthly news briefs, information and announcements
Office of Information Technology, NC State University
Issue 66, April 2013

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Follow OIT on Twitter @NCStateOIT
For up-to-the-minute reports on OIT systems, see SysNews
For help with computing problems, contact the NC State Help Desk

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01:
University revises Computer Use Regulation
02: Future of IT in higher ed forum to keynote Indiana University CIO
03: Survey seeks your input to create university IT Strategic Plan
04: OIT revises Password Standard
05: Accessibility @ NC State University centralizes resources
06: OIT website features NC State branding
07: Google Apps @ NC State is now on Twitter
08: OIT to sponsor “media toss” on Earth Day
09: Google Reader to retire on July 1
10: New service evaluates accessibility of campus websites
11: NC State to sponsor first Puppet Camp, Realm Linux training
12: OIT offers custom training and more: Cisco IP Phone, WordPress Blog, SortSite, InDesign,  Google Apps, and Acrobat Pro
13: SAR training scheduled for April 17
14: Goodbye Java 6

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01:
University revises Computer Use Regulation
NC State University has revised its Computer Use Regulation. The revised version, which consolidates the Computer Use Regulation and the now-repealed Software License Requirements Regulation, further defines and clarifies acceptable use of campus information technology (IT) resources — such as computer equipment, software, networks, computer system accounts, and other digital assets and resources — for administrative, academic and personal use.

A summary of recent changes to the regulation includes the following:

  • Section 2.4 clarifies who may request a review of data residing on or passing over university IT resources, as well as the circumstances under which a review may occur.  
  • Section 2.5 clarifies that employees should have no expectation of privacy, subject to Section 2.4, with regard to any personal material stored on, archived on, or passing over university IT resources.
  • Section 2.16 clarifies that employees using either university or personally-owned mobile devices must ensure the protection of sensitive data stored on or passing over the devices.
  • Section 3 clarifies that employees may still use university IT resources for limited personal use, but not for private enterprise.
  • Section 7 incorporates the former Software License Requirements Regulation in to the Computer Use Regulation.

 

A new Summary and Use Guidelines document is available under the “Additional References” section of the Computer Use Regulation and contains specific use cases to help students, faculty and staff determine acceptable use of university computing resources. All members of the campus community are expected to understand and abide not only by university IT policies, rules and regulations, but also by state and federal laws that may apply to use of these resources.

For more information, view the Computer Use Regulation on the Policies, Regulations and Rules website.

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02: Future of IT in higher ed forum to keynote Indiana University CIO
Dr. Bradley Wheeler, Indiana University vice president for information technology and chief information officer, will speak at a forum on the future of IT for higher education on Monday, April 29 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the James B. Hunt Jr. Library Auditorium. This presentation is a part of the new University  IT Strategic Planning taking place on campus.

An innovator and leader in the field of IT in higher education, Wheeler currently leads university-wide IT services for IU’s eight campuses, and has co-founded and led some of higher education’s most transformative software and service collaborations, such as the Sakai Project for teaching and learning software, Kuali for financial and other administrative systems, the HathiTrust for digital copies of scanned books as part of the Google Book Project, and the formation of Internet2’s Net+ Services. He is also a professor of information systems in IU’s Kelley School of Business.

For information on the NC State IT Strategic Planning Process and how you can get engaged, visit the University IT Strategic Planning website.

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03: Survey seeks your input to create university IT Strategic Plan
The NC State IT Strategic Planning Process Steering Team has been gathering input through a variety of forums to help shape the creation of the first-ever university-wide Information Technology Strategic Plan. If you missed these opportunities, you can share your ideas by completing a brief anonymous employee or student campus survey.

Your input will help provide a vision and framework for how the university’s comprehensive IT environment can best support and accelerate achievement of its mission, vision and goals, as conveyed in The Pathway to the Future: NC State’s 2011-2020 Strategic Plan. The process steering team expects to complete the plan by late October.

To find out more about the NC State IT Strategic Planning Process, visit the University IT Strategic Planning website or send your comments and suggestions to itstratplan-feedback@ncsu.edu.

 

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04: OIT revises Password Standard
OIT has updated its Password Standard, which provides a framework for passwords and account types that are used in the authentication process for university-wide applications.

Available online, the new revision:

  • reflects current university password security practices
  • reflects organizational changes of central campus IT units and new campus IT committees
  • includes some language simplification throughout the document

A team from OIT and other university IT stakeholders will conduct a review of the Password Standard in conjunction with the next phase of the university identity management project. The needs of the wider university community, privileged access management, and recent research on password entropy also will be taken into consideration during this review.

For questions or comments concerning the Password Standard, contact John Baines, assistant director of IT Policy and Compliance in the OIT Security and Compliance unit, at john_baines@ncsu.edu.

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05: Accessibility @ NC State University centralizes resources
With so many accessibility resources on campus, it can be a daunting task to figure out where to go and whom to contact for services.

To make it easier for university students and employees to locate accessibility services as well as related policies and procedures, NC State has designed a new central landing Web page for all things concerning accessibility.

Sponsored by the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED), IT Accessibility, and the Disability Services Office (DSO), Accessibility @ NC State University shows several ways the university provides effective access to its educational programs, services and activities.

Currently, the Web page features resource information in these eight categories:

  • student and employee accessibility services
  • creating accessible content
  • accessible parking, transportation, pathways, and building information
  • accessible technologies and facilities
  • information and communication technology procurement
  • university policies and regulations
  • accessibility news
  • general help information

If you have previously bookmarked campus accessibility links or used them on your website, please remember to update those links with the URL (http://accessibility.ncsu.edu) for the new online resource. If you have any additional questions, email accessibility@ncsu.edu.

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06: OIT website features NC State branding
On April 3, OIT updated its website to meet NC State branding standards.

The website now features a new look and feel similar to the NC State’s homepage and provides fixed navigation on the left side of each page so site visitors will be able to easily locate directional links. The redesign also resulted in improved performance and site management, significantly simplifying the process of creating, editing, and managing content. If you experience any issues using the site, please contact the NC State Help Desk at 515-4357(HELP) or help@ncsu.edu.

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07: Google Apps @ NC State is now on Twitter
OIT announces @ncsu_google on Twitter for all things tweetable about Google Apps @ NC State, which provides the official university email and calendaring services and collaborative apps and tools for all students and employees.

The new Twitter feed joins the Google website and the Google-Discuss and Google-Announce lists in the collection of resources available to you to keep abreast of news, announcements, discussion, best practices, tips and tricks, and the 21 apps (and growing!) currently available in Google Apps @ NC State.

To follow the feed, visit @ncsu_google and click on “Follow.” If you have questions about this new Twitter feed, please send a direct message on the feed, or contact the NC State Help Desk at 515-4357(HELP) or help@ncsu.edu.

 

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08: OIT to sponsor “media toss” on Earth Day
Has the fact that electronics are now banned from landfills deterred you from disposing of those CDs, DVDs and even diskettes or VHS tapes you’ve been meaning to clear out of your office or house? If so, OIT employees will help you with this conundrum on the Brickyard on Earth Day, which is Wednesday, April 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Bring your media and test your aim by “flinging” them frisbee-golf-style into recycling bins for electronics! And then, draw for a chance to toss a betamax cassette!  If you don’t have any media to dispose of, stop by our tent to toss extra media that we’ll have on hand! Or just say hello and grab a handy (recyclable!) fold-out pamphlet about how to recycle electronics on campus all year long.

 

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09: Google Reader to retire on July 1
Google Inc. recently announced it would retire several of its products, including Google Reader, on July 1 to focus on its core services. In recent years, Google has also experienced a decline in use of its Real Simple Syndication (RSS) feed reader.

Google is providing a three-month sunset period to allow its users sufficient time to find an alternative feed-reading solution. If you want to retain your Reader data, including subscriptions, to import into a new feed reader, you can do so through Google Takeout.

 

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10: New service evaluates accessibility of campus websites
The Information Technology (IT) Accessibility Office offers campus Web designers and developers free automated accessibility evaluations of their websites. To date, IT Accessibility has scanned more than 360 campus websites, totalling almost 150,000 Web pages. The evaluation report includes:

  • accessibility errors, based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
  • broken links
  • spelling errors
  • accessibility ranking of campus websites

 

The scan is limited to public Web pages only. Check to see if your website has already been scanned. If it has, you can view the evaluation report and the accompanying guide to correct any accessibility problems. You can also submit additional websites to be scanned at Accessibility Scan.

Want to learn how to interpret your scan results?
OIT is sponsoring a Lunch and Learn Session, “Interpreting Your Accessibility Scan Report” on Wednesday, April 17 from noon to 1 p.m. in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. In this session, you will learn which accessibility errors are most critical and some strategies and techniques to prioritize and correct them. To register, visit Classmate.

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11: NC State to sponsor first Puppet Camp, Realm Linux training
Campus system administrators are invited to attend NC State’s first Puppet Camp on Thursday, May 16 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Room 1025 of Engineering Building II. This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

Held worldwide, Puppet Camps are gatherings of users and developers of Puppet, an “IT automation software used to help system administrators manage infrastructure throughout its life cycle, from provisioning and configuration to patch management and compliance.”  During the summer, Puppet will become the default tool used to manage Realm Linux on campus.

To register for Puppet Camp, visit the OIT Campus Linux Services website. Breakfast and lunch will be included for all Puppet Camp attendees who register. Event details are still being finalized. Space is limited, so please register early to reserve your seat!

Want to know more about Puppet and Realm Linux?
OIT Campus Linux Services will sponsor two training sessions, “Installing and Managing Realm Linux: Moving Toward Puppet,” for campus system administrators and those interested in learning about NC State’s managed Linux deployment on:

  • Tuesday, April 23, 2 to 4 p.m., 3211 Engineering Building II. To register, visit Classmate.
  • Friday, April 26, 2 to 4 p.m., 216 Scott Hall. To register, visit Classmate.

These sessions will provide an overview of the installation and management of Realm Linux workstations and servers, and will cover new technologies used for managing Realm Linux as well as the migration from the Bcfg2 configuration management tool to Puppet. Session topics will include:

  • What’s New in Realm Linux: Puppet
  • Using Web-Kickstart
  • Installing Realm Linux
  • Defining User Access and Root Access
  • Managing Existing Installs: A Puppet Overview
  • Best Practices

 

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12: OIT offers custom training and more: Cisco IP Phone, WordPress Blog, SortSite, InDesign,  Google Apps, and Acrobat Pro

If you’re interested in custom software training for your department, unit or classroom, OIT can help! Some of our popular training sessions include Google mail and calendaring, Adobe InDesign and Photoshop, and WordPress. To request training, please complete the Custom Training form.

Upcoming workshops include the following:

  • “Getting to know your new Cisco IP Phone” will be offered on Tuesday, April 23 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. If you or your office has recently upgraded to Cisco Voice over IP (VoIP) phones, this workshop will help you learn the basic features and functions of your new phones. To register, visit Classmate.
  • “Create a Free WordPress Blog Site” will be offered on Tuesday, April 23 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in ITTC Lab 2 of the D.H. Hill Library. Did you know that you can request a free WordPress Blog at NC State to host your personal, temporary or project blog or website?  In this workshop, you’ll learn how to configure your site and add pages, posts, images, and more. You must request your WordPress Blog Site prior to the workshop. Sites in the Blog Service include the NC State Brand Bar, are WRAP-enabled and are backed up daily. Sites will have a URL such as mydomain.wordpress.ncsu.edu.To register, visit Classmate.

  • “Introduction to SortSite” will be offered on Thursday, April 25 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. Available to campus, the SortSite tool allows you to evaluate the accessibility of your individual Web pages or entire websites. This hands-on workshop introduces you to the tool and how to effectively use it. To register, visit Classmate.

  • “InDesign: Intermediate” will be offered on Tuesday, May 7 from 9 a.m. to noon in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. This workshop builds on the skills learned in “InDesign: Introduction” and includes more details on InDesign’s tools, shortcuts and interface customization options. You will enhance your design and technical skills by creating a tri-fold brochure with advanced image manipulation techniques and page layout design. To register, visit Classmate.

  • “Google Apps @ NC State mail and calendar training” will be offered on Thursday, May 9 from 9 a.m. to noon in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. This hands-on workshop is designed to help you become familiar with the basic functions of Gmail and Google Calendar at NC State. You will need an active Unity ID to participate in this training. To register, visit Classmate.

  • “Acrobat Pro Introduction: PDF Collaboration and Editing” will be offered on Thursday, May 16 from 9 a.m. to noon in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. In this workshop, you will learn how to:

    • edit a PDF document using Adobe Acrobat Pro’s text and image editing tools
    • import and export with Microsoft Word 
    • use Adobe’s collaboration tools 
    • create a PDF document

To register, visit Classmate.

Check the Classmate training calendar for other available workshops. If you have any questions about OIT training, please email classreg@ncsu.edu.

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13: SAR training scheduled for April 17

Security Access Request (SAR) training for campus requestors and approvers of access to secured university data will be held Wednesday, April 17 from 9:30 a.m. to noon in the ITTC Lab 2 of D.H. Hill Library. Please visit Classmate to sign up for training. There will be no SAR training in May.

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14: Goodbye Java 6

Are you running Java 6 on your computer? Oracle is no longer supporting Java 6 and is recommending you migrate to Java 7 to continue to receive public updates and security enhancements. All Java 6 releases, including 6u43, have been moved to the Oracle Java Archive.

Special Note: With the exception of certain campus groups, university-managed desktops will automatically be updated to Java 7. If your machine is not a university-managed desktop, contact your IT support staff for local update plans. Some applications are not compatible with Java 7.

Current version of Java

To determine the version of Java you’re running on your Mac or PC:

  • Visit Java.
  • Select the “Do I have Java?” link.
  • Click “Verify Java version.” The latest Java software is Version 7 Update 17.

Updates for Mac users

  • If you have a Mac with OS X 10.6 or earlier, use the Apple software update (in the Apple menu) to update to Java.
  • If you have a Mac with OS X 10.7 or 10.8, download Java software.

Updates for PC users

  • If you have a PC with Windows OS, download Java 7 and enable automatic Java updates.

Whether you are a Mac or Windows user, if you don’t need Java, uninstall it so you won’t have to repeatedly apply software patches to your machine. Keeping Web browser plugins like Java, Flash player and Adobe Reader updated is one way for you to avoid malware and virus infections.

For additional information, contact the NC State Help Desk at 515-HELP(4357) or help@ncsu.edu.

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