OIT News – June 2014

OIT News
Monthly news briefs, information and announcements
Office of Information Technology, NC State University
Issue 80, June 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: Trend Micro antivirus ends June 29; Install new Kaspersky Antivirus now
02: NC State funds captioning grant
03: Wireless eduroam pilot begins June 20
04: SAS University Edition available
05: Data Center 2 renovation continues
06: Web Registry renewal reminder
07: Convert external files to Google Docs to save storage space
08: OIT’s summer workshop schedule is now available!
09: SAR training scheduled for July 29
10: Use two-factor authentication to add a layer of protection between you and hackers

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01: Trend Micro antivirus ends June 29; Install new Kaspersky Antivirus now
OIT announces the availability of Kaspersky Antivirus, the university’s new antivirus solution, at no charge to current NC State students, faculty and staff.

As part of its continuing efforts to keep the campus network secure, NC State requires approved antivirus software to be installed and kept up-to-date for computers connecting to the campus network.

Kaspersky — available for both personally-owned and university-owned devices — replaces Trend Micro, which will expire on Sunday, June 29, 2014. After this date, your devices using Trend Micro will no longer be protected from various malware and viruses. To protect your data and the university’s systems and data, it is imperative that you install the new antivirus on your devices prior to June 29.

To install Kaspersky on your personally-owned device:

  • Visit the Kaspersky Web page.
  • Log in with your Unity ID and password if you haven’t already done so.
  • Follow the instructions for downloading and installing the personal version of Kaspersky. You can install this on up to three personal devices.
  • Do not install the personal version of this software on university-owned devices.

To install Kaspersky on a university-owned device:

  • Contact your local IT staff to determine your unit’s schedule to install Kaspersky on university-owned devices.
  • If you do not have local IT staff to assist you, visit the Kaspersky Web page for instructions on how to install the campus version of Kaspersky on your university-owned device.
  • Do not install the campus version of this software on personally-owned devices.

IMPORTANT: Instead of Kaspersky, you may use one of the Approved Alternate Antivirus Products. Be aware that the NC State Help Desk does not provide technical support for any alternate antivirus software.

HELP

  • Visit NC State Antivirus Resources to learn more about Kaspersky Antivirus and how it works.
  • Contact the NC State Help Desk during normal business hours at help@ncsu.edu or 919.515.HELP (4357) if you have questions.

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02: NC State funds captioning grant
NC State University has established a Captioning Grant to assist faculty in creating accessible multimedia.

Creating captions can be a significant investment of financial resources. This grant will allow faculty to more easily use modern course delivery mechanisms to ensure all students can fully engage with the content.

The grant provides funding for captioned video:

  • when a student with a disability requiring this accommodation registers in a course with video; and
  • for courses if captioning is used in a strategic proactive manner.

Faculty wanting to apply for the grant can do so by completing the Captioning Grant Application Form. Applications to meet the needs of a student requiring this accommodation will be processed immediately. Those for proactive captioning will be processed in September, February and June.

For more information, see Multimedia Accessibility. You may also send your questions to accessibility@ncsu.edu.

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03: Wireless eduroam pilot begins June 20
On Friday, June 20, OIT Communication Technologies will launch a pilot of eduroam (education roaming), an encrypted wireless service for the international research and education community.

It is essentially a new wireless SSID (service set identifier) that allows NC State students, employees and guests who have “home” certificate-based credentials to have secure Internet connectivity both on the NC State campus and while visiting participating institutions. They will seamlessly connect to the eduroam network when visiting those institutions, without needing guest credentials. The technology of eduroam is based on the 802.1X standard and a hierarchy of RADIUS proxy servers, which allows user authentication to take place between eduroam participating and home institutions.

OIT’s long-term goal is to make eduroam the primary SSID on campus. The current “ncsu” SSID will still be available for those who can’t use the new service, and the “ncsu-guest” SSID will remain available for campus visitors. More information about the eduroam service and how to register for it will be available soon on Wireless Network Access. See also eduroam.

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04: SAS University Edition available
SAS is offering its new SAS University Edition, a free version of select SAS statistical software, to university students and researchers who want to perform quantitative analyses.

SAS University Edition, which includes Base SAS, SAS/STAT, SAS/IML, SAS/ACCESS, and SAS Studio, is recommended if you want to learn basic SAS skills, compile basic data, or have problems downloading the full SAS download. SAS University Edition offers a smaller download and runs via a Web browser on a stand-alone PC, Mac or Linux workstation. Once downloaded, you won’t need an Internet connection to use the software.

In this new suite of software, you also get tutorials and access to SAS Analytics U, an online community where you collaborate on projects and get resources for teaching and learning. To download the software or learn more about SAS offerings, visit SAS University Edition.

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05: Data Center 2 renovation continues
Today (June 12), the Data Center 2 Team finished installing the center’s third chilled water HVAC unit as part of the power and cooling renovation that’s been in process since early March.

In late May, the team completed the plumbing necessary to replace the center’s four air cooled climate control units with water cooled units to reduce data center power consumption for cooling. The team plans to install the fourth and final unit beginning Tuesday, June 24. No significant adverse effects on OIT systems and services are anticipated, as all other DC2 cooling systems will still be in operation.

The team is now performing preliminary work to:

  • install a new stand-alone backup chiller to reduce the center’s reliance on a single primary cooling source; and
  • install an independent backup generator to reduce the non-data center loads on the existing generator.

The power and cooling renovation, which is expected to help mitigate risks of future outages in DC2, will be completed by August. See SysNews for continuing updates on this project.

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06: Web Registry renewal reminder
OIT reminds contact persons for Google groups, resources or generic accounts managed by Web Registry to renew their accounts by Monday, June 16.

You should have already received via email your Web Registry renewal notification with instructions on renewing and/or requesting deletion of your Google group, resource or generic account. Be aware that non-responses are treated as requests to delete.

Also be sure to log in to Web Registry to ensure that the contacts for your Web Registry items are up-to-date. Remove contacts that are no longer valid and add new ones as necessary.

If you have any questions concerning the renewal notification, contact the NC State Help Desk at help@ncsu.edu.

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07: Convert external files to Google Docs to save storage space
You can save storage space in Google Apps @ NC State if you convert your external files to Google Docs.  Not only will you save space (Google Docs won’t count against your storage.), but you can also share your documents, reports, presentations and projects with others to view, comment or edit.

Note: Files can still be shared even if they are not in a Google format.

To convert external files (such as Microsoft Office, Excel, or Powerpoint files) to Google Docs:

  1. Simply drag your files into the Google Drive folder space; or
  2. Open your Google Drive.
  3. Click the Arrow button to upload files.Screenshot of drive

 

  1. Browse your computer to locate and select the desired file.
  2. Confirm the Upload Settings for each file. When converting external files, make sure to check the first option:
    Convert documents, presentations, spreadsheets, and drawings to the corresponding Google Docs format.
  3. Select Start Upload.
    Screenshot of settings

Once the upload is complete, the newly converted file will appear in your Drive.

Note: If you do not see the Upload Settings window, change your account settings from the Settings button on your Google Drive home page. Select Upload Settings and check the option Confirm settings before each upload.

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08: OIT’s summer workshop schedule is now available!

If you’re looking for new experiences this summer, OIT is offering a variety of workshops:

  • “Gmail: Beyond the Basics” will be offered Tuesday, June 17 from 9 a.m. to noon and on Wednesday, Aug. 13 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 Hangouts will be provided. To register, visit Classmate.
  • “Introduction to Google Hangouts – Laptop/Desktop Application (Lunch & Learn Series)” will be offered on Wednesday, June 18 from noon to 1 p.m. in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. Join this fun and interactive workshop to learn about Hangouts, Google’s free Web conferencing tool that allows you to communicate with others on campus or around the globe via video, audio and text messaging.  Learn how to use the Hangouts platform to share your screen and documents, add a personalized banner and download apps that offer additional helpful features. To register, visit Classmate.
  • “Google Apps: Google Calendar” will be offered on Wednesday, June 25 from 9 a.m. to noon in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center and Thursday, Aug. 7 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. To register, visit Classmate.
  • “Basics of WordPress” will be offered on Thursday, June 26 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.
  • “Lunch & Learn: Google Drive Top 10” will be offered on Friday, June 27 from noon to 1 p.m. in Room 216 of Scott Hall. OIT trainers will take you through their favorite Google Drive tips, features and best practices. If you don’t have time to attend a full-length training session this summer or you’re just interested in learning new ways to utilize Google Drive, then register for this workshop via Classmate.
  • “Lunch & Learn: Gmail Top 10” will be offered on Tuesday, July 1 from noon to 1 p.m. in Room 216 of Scott Hall. OIT trainers will take you through their favorite Gmail tips, features and best practices. To register, visit Classmate.
  • “Google Slides” will be offered on Wednesday, July 9 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in ITTC Lab 2 of the D.H. Hill Library. Learn how to create your own presentations using Google Slides. This session will focus on creating, editing, sharing and collaboration, themes, transitions, animations, and more! To register, visit Classmate.
  • “Google Drive: Sheets” will be offered on Thursday, July 10 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. Google Sheets has recently been updated with even more powerful spreadsheet tools and functionality. Join us for this two-hour overview of Sheets and learn how it differs from Excel. This session will also focus on several specific features including formatting options, find and replace, notifications, conditional formatting, and much more!  To register, visit Classmate.
  • “Lunch & Learn: Google Calendar Top 10” will be offered on Wednesday, July 16  from noon to 1 p.m. in Room 216 of Scott Hall. OIT trainers will take you through their favorite Google Calendar tips, features and best practices. To register, visit Classmate.
  • “Introduction to Google Sites” will be offered on Thursday, July 17 from 10 a.m. to noon 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.

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 July 29
Security Access Request (SAR) training for campus requestors and approvers of access to secured university data will be held Tuesday, July 9 from 9:30 a.m. to noon in Room 108 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. SAR training will not be offered again until early November. Please visit Classmate to sign up for training.

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10: Use two-factor authentication to add a layer of protection between you and hackers
OIT Security and Compliance encourages you to use two-factor authentication wherever possible to reduce your risk of having your accounts compromised due to increased phishing attacks and various malware.

Also known as two-step authentication, this process adds an extra layer of protection between you and the bad guys by requiring you to verify your identity in two steps in order to access your online account services. For example, if you have activated two-factor authentication for your Google Apps @ NC State account, you will be required to log in with both your password and an additional security code that is delivered to your mobile device via text, voice call or mobile app — hence, two steps or factors.

An ever-growing number of services already support two-factor authentication, including Facebook, Tumblr, eBay, PayPal, Twitter, and online banking. To learn more about who supports two-factor authentication, visit Two Factor Auth (2FA). You are also encouraged to read each company’s documentation thoroughly to understand how two-factor authentication works with their service and how to log in if your two-factor device and/or number is unavailable.

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