OIT News – October 2014

OIT News
Monthly news briefs, information and announcements
Office of Information Technology, NC State University
Issue 84, October 2014

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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: Protect Yourself! Protect the Pack! Win great prizes!
02: Financial System maintenance planned for Oct. 25-26
03: Upcoming data center maintenance to impact major IT systems and services
04: In ServiceNow
05: OIT seeks students for Project Management Lite Internship
06: OIT/ComTech Academic-Year Student Calendar wins SIGUCCS Award
07: Google Apps offer tricks and treats!
08: OIT fall workshops feature Google Apps and WordPress training
09: SAR training scheduled for Nov. 5

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01: Protect Yourself! Protect the Pack! Win great prizes!
There are many “human-like” ghosts and goblins — in your cyber space — who simply want to provide you a ghastly experience! To arm you with simple yet effective security measures to fight off cyber hackers, OIT is sponsoring the Cyber Security Awareness Month (CSAM) campaign, Protect Yourself! Protect the Pack!

October 2014 marks the 11th annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) event sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security in cooperation with the National Cyber Security Alliance “to increase the awareness and prevention of online security problems.”

OIT invites you to participate in these CSAM activities:

  • SANS Securing the Human Video Contest
    Heighten your awareness of technology practices to reduce security risks and win great prizes by viewing 13 NC State security videos and completing their short quizzes. Prizes include an iPad, iPod Nano, iPod Touch, a Venue 8 Pro tablet, Beats Studio wireless headphones, an ASUS Transformer Book T100, and a $200 gift card.Some video topics include: Social Engineering, Email and Instant Message (IM), Browsing, Social Networking, Passwords, Data Protection, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Cloud, and Hacked!You get one entry for each completed video and quiz. Visit SANS Securing the Human Video Contest to enter. Contest runs through Friday, Oct. 31, and winners will be announced on the Cyber Security Awareness Month website on Monday, Nov. 3.
  • Information Security Awareness Video and Poster Contest hosted by EDUCAUSE
    NC State students can win cash, gain experience and earn recognition by submitting a 30-second video or a poster focusing on cyber security topics. EDUCAUSE is accepting submissions mid-April through early September 2015. Winners will be announced in late September 2015 (right before NCSAM 2015)! If you submit an entry for any category, please email OIT at group-csamservices@ncsu.edu. OIT may use your submission in future CSAM campus campaigns.For past winners and additional information, visit the EDUCAUSE website.
  • Benefits of Google’s 2-Step Verification
    Noon, Friday, Oct. 17
    216 Scott Hall
    Google’s 2-Step Verification can help prevent your Google account from being compromised by phishing attacks. You will receive an overview of 2-Step, benefits of activation, and step-by-step instructions for enabling 2-Step on your account. Light refreshments will be available. To register, visit Classmate.
  • Mobile Device Security Checkpoint
    11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 22 (Rain date, Thursday, Oct. 23)
    On the Brickyard
    OIT Security and Compliance staff will run a very quick diagnostic check on your iPhone or Android phone, Windows or Mac laptop, or iPad to see if your device is protected against the most common risks. Light refreshments will be available, and you will have the opportunity to play great games and win prizes.
  • Securing Android Devices
    Noon, Wednesday, Oct. 29
    216 Scott Hall
    An OIT expert will take you step-by-step through measures recommended — and required if you have a university-owned device — to secure your Android devices. You’ll leave the session with the peace of mind gained by knowing your devices are secure. Light refreshments will be provided. To register, visit Classmate.

Visit OIT’s Cyber Security Awareness Month website for more information on this year’s events.

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02: Financial System maintenance planned for Oct. 25-26
OIT will perform maintenance on the Financial System from 6 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 25 through midnight Sunday, Oct. 26.

During this time, Financial Production, Financial Reporting and the Wolfpack Reporting System (WRS) will be unavailable, along with the Travel System and MarketPlace.

For maintenance updates, check the Announcement section under the For Faculty & Staff tab of the MyPack Portal and SysNews.

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03: Upcoming data center maintenance to impact major IT systems and services
OIT will perform extended maintenance affecting multiple core components of the infrastructure of the university’s data centers from 7 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 8 through 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9.

OIT services with dependencies on Data Center 1 or Data Center 2 may be degraded or unavailable for extended periods during the maintenance window. These services include, but are not limited to the:

  • MyPack Portal
  • Human Resources, Financial and Student systems
  • DELTA Wolfware (Moodle, Mediasite, Collaborate and WolfWare Classic)
  • Virtual Computing Lab (VCL)
  • WolfPrint services
  • Remedy
  • Web Registry
  • Hosted systems
  • Networked Attached Storage (NAS) shares and exports
  • Backup services

For more information, contact the NC State Help Desk at help@ncsu.edu or 919.515.HELP (4357). For maintenance updates, see SysNews.

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04: In ServiceNow
After logging its two millionth ticket last month, and 15 years in services, the Remedy call tracking system will be replaced with ServiceNow.

The campus Technology Support Tools and Processes Advisory Team — part of the IT Governance’s Client and Application Support group — recommended earlier this year to replace the aging Remedy System that currently tracks general campus and IT problems and resolutions. ServiceNow offers campus a richer and more diverse set of tools for call tracking and many other facets of IT service management.

Over the next few months, OIT and the advisory team will implement ServiceNow, providing training and addressing data concerns as part of the service rollout to campus. For updates on the ServiceNow project, subscribe to the servicenow-info mailing list.

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05: OIT seeks students for Project Management Lite Internship
OIT is putting student learning and success in the forefront of what it does. This summer, OIT collaborated with the Poole College of Management (PCOM) to initiate the Project Management Lite Internship to expose sophomores and juniors to real-world experiences.

The program also benefits OIT by leveraging the talents of students embodied with new generational knowledge. If you know students who may be interested in this internship, please have them contact Verna Little, program coordinator, at verna_little@ncsu.edu. See OIT Jobs for additional information.

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06: OIT/ComTech Academic-Year Student Calendar wins SIGUCCS Award
The OIT/Communication Technologies (ComTech) Academic-Year Student Calendar has won the Special Interest Group on University and College Computing Services’ (SIGUCCS) 2014 Communication Award for printed/how-to guides.

Published annually for the last 12 years, the calendar is a reference guide of OIT student services. It is distributed each August to students living on campus. Copies can also be picked up from the West Dunn Building, the Hillsborough Building or Avent Ferry Technology Center.

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07: Google Apps offer tricks and treats!
Google Apps @ NC State users will notice several tricks and treats in their accounts this month. Some include:

  • Insert Special Characters in Google Docs
    Have you ever needed to insert a character that isn’t conveniently available on your keyboard or in the Google Docs menu? There is a new tool to help you locate and insert special characters in your document. With it, you can scroll through a list of available characters, search for characters by keyword or draw a rough sketch of the character you need. See Special Characters in Google Docs.
  • Customize Themes in Google Forms
    Google now offers a tool that allows you to edit and customize themes, backgrounds, fonts, images, and more when creating a Form! Take a few minutes to learn more about this powerful new feature in the Customize Themes in Google Forms video.
  • Look out for unlimited storage in Google Drive
    Before long, you won’t have to worry about maxing out the storage limit in your Google Apps account. Google recently announced that all Google for Education customers will have access to unlimited storage in Google Drive. See Announcing Drive for Education: The 21st Century backpack for students.

For Google updates, follow:

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08: OIT fall workshops feature Google Apps and WordPress training
OIT training workshops include:

  • Google Forms will be offered on Tuesday, Oct. 21 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. Are you looking for a way to easily create surveys, plan events or gather data? Are you interested in learning more about specific apps available in Google Drive? If so, don’t miss this interactive session on the basics of creating forms and viewing responses. You will also learn several advanced features, such as embedding forms in websites, adding page breaks and incorporating question validation. If you would prefer to use your own laptop, feel free to bring it. To register, visit Classmate.
  • Introduction to Google Services at NC State will be offered on Thursday, Oct. 23 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in ITTC Lab 2 of D.H. Hill Library. This session will provide an overview of Google Services at NC State. Topics will include a review of currently available Google apps on campus, accessibility, recommended settings, security tips, support, Web Registry tools (generic accounts, calendar resources, etc.), and much more! To register, visit Classmate.
  • Create and Collaborate with Google Drive will be offered on Friday, Oct. 24 and Nov. 21 from 10 a.m. to noon in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to use Drive in a collaborative environment, including editing a file simultaneously with other people, securing a document through file-sharing permissions, and creating files for use by a group of colleagues or friends. For this workshop, you will need to have an active NC State Unity account with access to Google Apps at NC State. If you would prefer using your own laptop or other mobile device, feel free to bring it. To register, visit Classmate.
  • Google Slides will be offered on Wednesday, Oct. 29 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. This session will focus on how to create, edit and share presentations. It will also include themes, transitions, animations, and more. If you would prefer to use your own laptop, feel free to bring it. To register, visit Classmate.
  • Gmail: Beyond the Basics will be offered on Wednesday, Nov. 5 from 9 a.m. to noon in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. This workshop will provide an in-depth overview of Gmail features, including Labels, Search tools, Contacts management, Chat, Tasks, Settings, Labs, and new features. If time permits, a brief introduction to Google Hangouts will be provided. To register, visit Classmate.
  • Google Sheets will be offered on Friday, Nov. 7 from 10 a.m. to noon in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. During this two-hour workshop, you will be given an overview of Sheets and learn how it differs from Microsoft Excel. You will also learn about features, including formatting options, find and replace, and notifications. To register, visit Classmate.
  • Google Calendar will be offered on Tuesday, Nov. 11 from 9 a.m. to noon in ITTC Lab 2 of D.H. Hill Library. If you’re comfortable with the basics of Google Calendar and are ready to use some more of its features, this hands-on workshop is for you. This workshop will focus on features such as appointment slots, event attachments, maps and directions, sharing and embedding calendars, labs, quick add, search options, mobile notifications, scheduling online meetings, and more. For prerequisite information and to register for this event, visit Classmate.
  • Gmail: Advanced Plus Tools, Tips & Tricks will be offered on Thursday, Nov. 13 from 9 a.m. to noon in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. If you’re comfortable with the basics of Gmail and are ready to take it to the next level, this more advanced hands-on workshop is for you. You will learn more about creating labels, filters and canned responses, scheduling Google Calendar Events, and using Google Drive through Gmail, along with any planned or newly released Google features. To register, visit Classmate.
  • Introduction to Google Sites will be offered on Friday, Nov. 14 from 10 a.m. to noon in in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. In this class, students will learn how to create a website using Google Sites, control access, and embed Docs, videos, images, and links. The workshop will also cover some customization and basic Web design principles. To register, visit Classmate.
  • Basics of WordPress will be offered on Wednesday, Nov. 19 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. Learn everything you need to know to get started using WordPress here at NC State. The workshop will cover topics including setup, configuration, themes, plug-ins, settings, options, and management of WordPress. To register, visit Classmate.

For other available training sessions, see Classmate Scheduled Workshops. If you’re interested in custom software training for your department, unit or classroom, complete the Custom Training form. If you have any questions about OIT training, contact Katie McInerney, OIT training coordinator, at 919.513.4091 or via email at classreg@ncsu.edu.

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09: SAR training scheduled for Nov. 5
Security Access Request (SAR) training for campus requestors and approvers of access to secured university data will be held Wednesday, Nov. 5 from 9:30 a.m. to noon in Room 108 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. Visit Classmate to sign up for training.

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