In this issue:

• Remote Assistance
• iCalendar Adds Features to Outlook
• New Campus Wireless Network Locations
• PeopleSoft Upgrade
• Windows XP: Not Yet
• Network Security
• Why Generic Domain Names?
• Deadline for Faculty for Lab Software Requests
• Undeleting Email

eNews Extra:
(electronic version only)

• Save on End-of-Year Computer Purchases

IT Offers Remote Assistance for UW Computer Users

Have you ever been working on your office computer and run into a problem that you think can be fixed with a quick question to Information Technology’s Help Desk? But you discover it’s just not that easy to explain to the Help Desk consultant what’s happening on your computer. The consultant just can’t quite visualize what’s going on and it becomes apparent the only way to get your problem fixed is an office visit from your IT consultant. Your heart sinks as the consultant says, "I’m sorry, but I’m swamped. My first availability for an office appointment is next Tuesday."

There’s some exciting news regarding this discouraging scenario. For supported hardware and software, Information Technology will soon be able to fix many of your problems without ever having to make an office visit. Beginning in June, Information Technology consultants will begin implementing ExpertCity’s DesktopStreaming, a new remote help desk screen-sharing capability. With this capability IT consultants will be able solve many computer problems in minutes.

DesktopStreaming allows consultants to work on user computers remotely using a simple Web interface. With Internet access from any location, any UW faculty or staff computer user can take advantage of the service. Even users working off-campus, including professors on sabbatical or employees working from home, can now have Information Technology assist them with many of their computer problems.

In the IT Support News, 2001 Innovation in Service Awards, ExpertCity’s DesktopStreaming won the Most Innovative Tool Award. "Desktop-Streaming enables a high level of interaction during support calls, making them much more effective, with reduced call-handling times," says Andreas von Blottnitz, Expertcity CEO and president.

DesktopStreaming may also be used as a training tool ("How do I…?"), a diagnostics tool, and a technical support and repair tool. Here are a few of the exciting product features IT will be employing to support our customers in today’s changing world of technology:

• ChatLink™ enables the Information Technology consultant and user to immediately connect and chat in real time.
• ScreenSharing empowers the Information Technology consultant to remotely view the user's computer and share mouse and keyboard control.
• Whiteboard allows both the user and the consultant to draw and highlight on the other's screen.
• File Transfer allows the consultant to send files to and receive files from the user.
• Web Page Push allows the consultant to send a Web page to the user.

Your security and privacy are Information Technology’s priorities. In using DesktopStreaming your privacy and security are assured. Before a consultant can begin to diagnose a problem, set up a printer, or explain a simple Microsoft Word feature, you must grant permission for the consultant to access your system. You give the consultant permission to view your computer screen and to control the mouse and keyboard through a process called screen-sharing (see ScreenSharing window). After permission is given, everything you can do with your mouse and keyboard can be done remotely by the consultant, while you watch. You are also reminded to close all confidential files.

Once the consultant begins working on your computer, you can always reclaim control. If you are concerned about what the consultant is doing, or want to show something to the consultant, you can use the mouse or keyboard to override the session and take control. You can also choose to close the session.

More information will be made available when Information Technology begins releasing the service in June 2002. In the meantime, we encourage anyone with questions about DesktopStreaming to contact IT through their consultant or the IT Help Desk at 6-4357.

Recovering Deleted Email Messages

If you accidentally delete email from your Microsoft Outlook Exchange mailbox, you can usually recover it for several days after the deletion occurs. The email isn’t completely deleted. It is moved to the Deleted Items folder. Until this folder is emptied, you can move items back from it into your Inbox or any other folder. What many users don’t know is that even if they empty the Deleted Items folder (either manually or by closing Microsoft Outlook), the deleted email can still be recovered for up to seven days.

To restore a deleted email begin by selecting the "Deleted Items" folder while running Microsoft Outlook. Next select "Tools" from the menu and then select "Recover Deleted Items." A list of files deleted during the past seven days will be displayed. You can individually select the deleted emails and recover them by moving them back to the Deleted Items folder.

iCalendar adds useful features to Outlook

Many UW faculty and staff currently use the calendar features of Outlook and Exchange to manage their calendars and schedule appointments with others. When meetings are scheduled using Outlook, the meeting appointment is automatically added to the calendar of each invited person that has accepted the appointment. However, when an invitation is sent by email, instead of using the appointment scheduling capability of Outlook, each attendee must individually add the meeting to their electronic calendar. Typically they have to rewrite all the information or cut and paste the information into the new appointment.

iCalendar makes it quick and easy for you to invite several others to a meeting or campus function and makes it easy for them to add the appointment to their Outlook calendars. iCalendar lets you set up a meeting, with all the details, and email it to all the people you want to invite. All the invitee needs to do is click on the iCalendar attachment in their email and add it to their calendar – no more cutting and pasting the details.

To send an appointment invitation to someone else that uses Outlook, open up your Outlook calendar, make or find the appointment you want to send and then highlight it by clicking on it. Choose “Actions” from the drop-down menu. From the Actions menu select “Forward as iCalendar.” In the “To:” field of the new email message, enter the email addresses of people you want to invite. The invitation list can include individual names or a listserve name. One restriction: the listserve name cannot be a moderated listserve (uw-faculty and uwstaff-l are not moderated listserves). Also include the details of the appointment in the body of the email for those invitees who don’t use Outlook.

Once you send the email, the invitees will then be notified of the meeting by reading their email. The iCalendar invitation will come as an attachment. Recipients can open the attachment and add the appointment to their Outlook calendars. They don’t need to accept or reply to the message.

Wireless Networks Expand to More Campus Locations

The University of Wyoming has installed wireless Ethernet networks (specifically, 802.11b networks) in several campus locations and will continue to extend coverage as funding permits. Special thanks goes to the Central Student Fee Committee for funding the wireless networks in the Union, Coe Library, Law Library, and Science Library. Wireless access is available in the following buildings:

• College of Business
• Coe Library
• Law Library
• Old Main
• Ivinson Building
• Wainwright Buildings
• Science Library (planned for summer 2002)
• Wyoming Union (planned for summer 2002)

The preferred method for connecting to the wireless network is to configure your wireless network card to use LEAP, a proposed standard for authentication on a wireless network. Both Windows XP and Apple OS X support LEAP, as do most Cisco wireless Ethernet cards. Older operating systems, in conjunction with an appropriate Cisco wireless card, are also supported. When using LEAP to access the wireless network, users will be prompted to enter their UWYO or UWSTUDENT domain name and password. With LEAP, all user data transmissions are encrypted and therefore not viewable by other users on the wireless network.

If your operating systems and network card do not support LEAP, you can register your wireless Ethernet MAC hardware address with Information Technology. By registering your address you will be able to connect to the UW wireless network. Please note, however, that your data will not be encrypted or secure as it passes across the wireless network. To register your MAC address, please contact the Information Technology Help Desk at 766-HELP.

For Departments who wish to install their own 802.11 base stations, there are a number of considerations that need to be taken into account, including possible conflicts among access base stations within a building. To ensure the highest wireless performance and to make the wireless network reliable and secure, departments are asked to register their access points with Information Technology. This will allow the access points to be properly tested and configured to work in the UW campus environment. Your user consultant can help with this process.

UW to Upgrade PeopleSoft

In February of 2002 the University embarked upon a project to upgrade two of its administrative applications: PISTOL, our financials system from PeopleSoft and HRS, our human resource and payroll system from SCT. This effort will involve several university departments and many technical and functional groups within those departments. The upgrades are scheduled to be completed in 2003.

PISTOL is currently on PeopleSoft Financials v7.02 and will be upgraded to the newest version, PeopleSoft Financials 8.4. HRS is currently an older mainframe-based application that will be replaced by PeopleSoft HRMS 8.3, also the newest available version from PeopleSoft. These upgrades will provide significant enhancements in functionality and flexibility. The new interface to both applications will be Web-based. A Web-based interface will make the applications easier to use and reduce support costs. PeopleSoft users will also no longer have to have special software on their desktops. The applications will be accessed using only a simple Web browser, such as Internet Explorer. As a result, many remote users will see a significant increase in performance. Moving to the newest versions of the PeopleSoft applications will ensure that the university has the most up-to-date functionality and best support possible from PeopleSoft.

The PeopleSoft upgrades are a large and complex effort. In order for all involved staff to communicate and stay informed, a Web site is being developed that will contain project information as well as information on the applications themselves. The Web site (www.uwyo.edu/peoplesoft) will be available in the next few weeks. In the meantime, general questions may be directed to Chad Marley, project manager, at cmarley@uwyo.edu, 766-4874; HR/Payroll PS questions, Duane Timmerman, duane@uwyo.edu, 766-3558, Financial PS questions, jeffery@uwyo.edu, 766-2842.

Why Does UW Use Generic Web Addresses and Domain Names?

The Web addresses, or URLs, for most UW Web services use generic address names. For example, Information Technology’s Web address is www.uwyo.edu/infotech. When a user types this address into their browser the address is converted to uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/infotech. The converted address identifies the computer server where the IT Web page actually exists. In this case the server is named uwadmnweb. So why is a different generic address used in the first place? Why doesn’t IT just publish the uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/infotech address? Because use of generic names ensures that Web addresses do not need to change even if a service is moved from one UW computer server to another.

To maintain reliability, and because of conflicts among different pieces of software, several servers exist at UW and provide a variety of functions. The software requirements of a given Web site require the system administrator to store it on a specific server, with each server having its own unique name. For various reasons Web pages may have to be moved from one server to another. When this happens, by using generic Web addresses, users don’t need to know the new server name. The generic address the user types in the browser window is simply redirected to the new address.

In the example of Information Technology’s Web site, the user only needs to know the permanent Web address: www.uwyo.edu/infotech. As mentioned, this address is currently directed to uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/infotech. The server that stores the Web site is uwadmnweb. Because the infotech Web site might be in the future moved from the uwadmnweb server to another location, the uwadmnweb location should never be advertised in publications. Thus, for publications, bookmarks, letterhead and similar documentation, the official, generic, URL of IT’s Web site, www.uwyo.edu/infotech, can be used permanently.

Information Technology has also assigned generic names to the UW network time server, news server, student email server, Exchange email server, student Web server, and central email gateway. Following is a list of the most commonly used servers, listed according to their generic domain names:

exchange.uwyo.edu	Microsoft Exchange SMTP server & Web email
mailhost.uwyo.edu or mailgate.uwyo.edu	central email gateway
mail.uwyo.edu	SMTP mail relay
news.uwyo.edu	news server
time.uwyo.edu	time server
uwnetwork.uwyo.edu	network ping test from off-site
w3.uwyo.edu	student World Wide Web server
webmail.uwyo.edu	student Web email
www.uwyo.edu	Web servers

Windows XP Not Yet Recommended for Campus Use

When Microsoft or Apple releases a new operating system, it generally takes the third-party software companies several months to update their applications to run on these new systems. In the case of Windows XP, which was released by Microsoft in October 2001, there are two major desktop applications in use at UW that have not yet been updated by their respective companies: PeopleSoft and TrendMicro’s OfficeScan.

Not all UW users run the PeopleSoft application, but as the university’s recommended antivirus standard, most UW desktop computers do use OfficeScan. Because PeopleSoft has a limited user base at UW, the only obstacle preventing most UW users from upgrading to Windows XP is the need for virus protection. TrendMicro is working on an updated release of OfficeScan. TrendMicro says that the current version of OfficeScan can be installed on Windows XP but is "prone to operational issues." IT has been reasonably successful in running OfficeScan on Windows XP Professional but has experienced some problems during logon.

Because of the trailing vendor support for PeopleSoft and OfficeScan, Information Technology does not recommend upgrading to Windows XP Professional at this time. Yet, for those who still want to make the change, we will provide limited assistance. New computers should be purchased with the Windows XP operating system if they are not being used to run PeopleSoft. If problems are encountered using Windows XP, users may have to have their consultant install a known and stable operating system such as Windows 2000. Windows 2000 is still the recommended operating system for use with PeopleSoft.

TrendMicro’s updated OfficeScan release is planned for next month. Once Information Technology has had adequate time for testing TrendMicro’s new software release of OfficeScan it will be made available to campus users and non-PeopleSoft users will be free to upgrade to Windows XP. Please note that IT does not support Windows XP Home Edition.

UW Network Offers Increased Security

The Internet has matured and millions of the world’s computer systems are now accessible via the Internet. Such far-reaching connectivity is a blessing for most Internet users but a curse for network administrators who must be concerned about viruses, hackers, and related threats to vital computing resources. As a consequence, network administrators are now forced to spend a significant amount of time and resources attempting to detect and prevent potential computer attacks.

In the coming months, the university will be installing various network security devices and making network configuration changes designed to protect university computers from external and internal threats. At the same time, these changes will address federal requirements and auditor concerns regarding network security. Information Technology will attempt to make the security changes as transparent as possible, however some network and computer users may be affected. Whenever possible, Information Technology will give the university technical community advanced notice of planned changes.

Many of the changes will restrict unauthorized university computer access from off-campus. The use of a new Virtual Private Network, or VPN, will allow authorized off-campus users full access to the UW network. Off-campus users will access the UW network by entering a valid username and password. Details of the VPN will be formally announced in the future.

Deadline Approaching for Faculty to Request Computer Lab Software

In an effort to provide the most reliable and secure computer labs and classrooms, twice each year Information Technology updates and rebuilds over 800 lab computers. As the summer rebuild nears, IT reminds instructors and faculty that July 1 is the deadline for submitting software for general use in computer labs and classrooms this fall. If your students will need access to new software for coursework, including the CDs that often accompany textbooks, please call or email one of IT’s Academic Support Unit (ASU) staff, listed at the end of this article, to make your request.

You’ll be asked for the installation media (CDs or disks) and the software’s documentation and licensing information. After receiving your materials, ASU will evaluate whether the software is compatible with the UWSTUDENT lab system. The evaluation period normally takes thirty days. If the software is compatible with the lab system and is properly licensed, an installation date will be scheduled. After a final consultation with the responsible parties, ASU will install the software in the appropriate locations for fall semester 2002.

Currently, the classroom and student lab system houses 46 general-use software packages. Specific campus computing lab locations have an additional 176 software applications available for more specialized use. Many of the departments and student computer fee committees in charge of these rooms have contracted with the ASU to maintain hardware and specialized software. To learn what software is currently installed and where, visit: microlab.uwyo.edu/software.htm. An index of campus computer labs can be found at microlab.uwyo.edu/alllabs.asp.

If you have questions or software requests, call or email Scott Johnson, ASU manager, at 766-5288 (sjohnson@uwyo.edu), or Jesse Ballard, lab coordinator, at 766-2081 (jessejab@uwyo.edu).

eNews Extra:
End of Year Purchases -
Save  Approximately $200 on Desktop Computers

Information Technology, the UW Partners group and UW Purchasing have worked together to develop hardware specifications and special pricing for end-of-biennium computer purchases. The University has negotiated a special deal with Compaq, Dell, and Gateway for the lowest base price possible for business class computer systems. This discounted, centralized purchasing service is available only until June 14, 2002. Departments currently considering computer purchases are encouraged to take advantage of this offering.

The UW Partners Computer Hardware Recommendations Overview Web page explains the need for departments to purchase business class computer systems. After reading the explanation please click on the VENDORS/MODELS link for information on detailed configurations and pricing. The minimum standard configuration for Compaq, Dell and Gateway are at right. Departments can make limited customizations to the basic configurations to meet their individual needs. Base prices are in the second table at right.

Available upgrade options include flat panel monitors, CDRW, CDRW/DVD combinations, 250 MB internal zip drives, and modems. For an additional $25 per system on Dell and Gateway, Information Technology will unpack the computer in your office, set it up, and download the UW configuration (image) to the hard drive. There is no additional charge for this value added service on Compaq computers. The UW image includes Windows XP (or Windows 2000 for PeopleSoft users), Office XP, and virus protection pre-installed; network ready for the UWYO domain. If you wish to receive this helpful service, please indicate this request on the IDR and add it to the total price.

Instructions for purchases and pricing are located on Infotech's Recommended PC Offerings Web page. If you have any questions or need additional information, email Kirk Brown at kcbrown@uwyo.edu or call 766-2875.

* In response to Service Support Plan IT Action Item #7, representatives from the Partners Program have developed recommended hardware specifications for a standard office desktop computer configuration. The recommended computer configurations are intended to meet general computing needs for most faculty and staff, and will be reviewed and updated as new technology is released. The Partners subcommittee also recognizes the need for flexibility and higher end computer systems. Those types of systems are not included in this service. They may be configured and obtained through the normal purchasing processing.

Standard Office Desktop Computer Specifications*

Processor:	Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 1.8GHz
Memory:	256MB
Hard Drive:	20GB
Floppy Drive:	3.5" 1.44MB diskette drive
CD-ROM:	20x min./48x max. CD-ROM drive
Operating System:	Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Professional FAT32
Monitor:	17" Color Monitor
Keyboard:	104+ keyboard
Mouse:	varies with vendor
Sound System:	Integrated Sound
Network Adapter:	Integrated Intel® 10/100 Ethernet Adapter

Base Prices

Compaq Evo D500 Series
Minitower	$1,029
Desktop	$1,054
Small Form Factor	$1,098
Dell Optiplex GX240 Series
Minitower	$939
Desktop	$987
Small Form Factor	$997
Gateway E-3600 Series
MidTower	$973
Desktop	$923