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 Fall 2004
Internet Security for All UW Users (eNews Extras are late-breaking stories not included in the printed version of this newsletter) IT Technology Survey Winners AnnouncedThis spring, the Division of Information
Technology surveyed students, faculty and staff to assist us in
improving our services. There were over 1,250 responses from
students and more than 750 responses from faculty and staff.
Students who completed the survey were entered to win an Apple
iPod Mini.
Check your UW email from a Web browser...Your UW Exchange email account is available from any computer connected to the Internet, worldwide. This is particularly useful when traveling or using someone else’s computer. UW’s email system, Exchange, is accessible from any computer with a Web browser at http://exchange.uwyo.edu. You will be prompted for your username and password to access your email account. (ASUWLink mail is also available at http://webmail.uwyo.edu.) Accessing your UW Exchange Email from any browser:
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IT Helps Provide Internet Security for Faculty, Staff &
Students
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Remote Access to UW Software with VPNNow that the UW network firewall is in place, there are essentially two types of servers on the UW network: public servers and private servers. Public servers are accessible from the Internet or the UW network. Private servers are accessible only from the UW network or through the Internet by way of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection to the university. A VPN connection, which requires a username and password, allows a VPN user at a remote location to appear to be connected directly to the university network. There are three environments under which a person may access and run UW-provided software. The first environment is what can be called a local environment, which is a hard-wired network connection to the UW network. Locations offering this type of connection include UW at Laramie, Casper Health Center, UW Outreach-Casper, Casper College, Cheyenne Family Practice Center and the Powell Research Center. There are two types of remote environments: remote without a VPN connection and remote with a VPN connection. “Remote” indicates either off campus or wireless and includes UW DSL†, ResNet†, wireless†, modems† (dial-up), and Internet access from other off-site locations. One such example of an off-site location is the Internet connection that may be available in a hotel room. Certain applications that would not normally be available through a simple connection to the Internet are configured to work from remote locations using a VPN connection. Not all remote connections require a VPN connection (e.g., using Outlook Web Access doesn’t require a VPN session). As IT adds software for campus use, users should refer to the table located on the UW Network Connection Types and Software Availability page (www.uwyo.edu/infotech/services/network/vpn/netsoftware.asp) to see if the software will require a VPN client and if it is supported in remote environments. † UW DSL, ResNet, wireless and modems (dial-up) do not currently require a VPN connection. However, in the near future these access methods may require VPN.
Using Exchange Global Email AddressesThe Exchange Global Address List (GAL) is a useful tool for finding the email addresses of UW faculty and staff. The first thing you may notice upon opening the GAL is that it is sorted alphabetically by first name (John Doe) rather than last name (Doe, John). Exchange requires that names be displayed in the same format in the TO, FROM, and CC fields of an email message as in the GAL. That being the case, UW uses the more friendly firstname, lastname format for UW’s Exchange email system. If the format was lastname, firstname then all outgoing email would appear in that format (Doe, John). Regardless of how names are displayed it is possible for users to search by either first or last name. There are several ways to search for a name:
Many UW users are now taking advantage of the Nickname feature. Human Resources and Information Technology recently implemented this feature. You can read about it, including how to add a Nickname to your account, in the winter 2004 IT Newsletter (www.uwyo.edu/infotech/news/newsletter/2004/04winter.asp#names). In the near future it will be possible to search the GAL for the email addresses of UW faculty and staff that do not have Exchange accounts. In the past, staff members with email accounts on non-Exchange mail servers were not listed in the GAL. Recently, IT has started to work with Human Resources to identify those users and to add their names to the GAL.
UW’s Firewall Project CompletedThe process of moving the UW data network behind a security firewall was completed over the summer. The firewall helps protect the university’s internal data network from external attacks coming from the outside world through the Internet. However, attacks can also come from inside the network, through email, from malicious websites that are browsed by on-campus users, etc. The firewall is only one component of overall network security and does not remove the need for other components. For example, the firewall does not remove the need to keep operating system security patches up to date and install antivirus software. Email coming into the university through the main mail gateway is scanned for viruses, but email coming from other Internet service providers (ISPs) might not be protected and can infect computers inside the firewall. Consequently, it is imperative that all workstations and servers run up-to-date antivirus software and that software update patches are installed on a regular basis. Further information about UW’s firewall can be found on the IT Firewall website (www.uwyo.edu/infotech/services/security/firewall/).
Update on SIS Replacement ProjectThe SIS Replacement project is in full swing. Technical training on the Banner architecture began August 9th and will continue through September. A functional demonstration of the Banner system was presented on August 17th. Meanwhile, the functional groups continue with the analysis of existing UW business processes, identifying process improvements, and determining how the business processes will be implemented in the new system. Various fundamental decisions have also been made that help set the scope and direction of the project. One of the key decisions is that the new student email system will be based on the Microsoft Exchange platform. After a thorough evaluation, it was deemed that Exchange could offer more functionality and flexibility while being fully integrated with and supported by the SCT Luminis portal platform. The most current information surrounding the project can be found on the SIS Replacement Project website (www.uwyo.edu/newsis/). This site is updated regularly and contains an overall timeline, project milestones, organizational structure information, a list of upcoming events, and other information. Please continue to check the project website regularly and forward any questions, comments or suggestions to Jim Berrigan, iTeAM project manager, at 766-2636 or berrigan@uwyo.edu.
IT Automatically Patches and Updates Departmental ComputersSince March IT’s Software Update Services (SUS) has been available for UW campus Windows computers that are members of the UWYO domain. During its first 6 months, 3,456 computers participated and 75,846 patches were automatically installed. These patches help protect computers against viruses, hacking attempts and other problems. With such an amazing and positive response, SUS has already become an important tool on campus. With your help, Information Technology can assist in keeping campus computers up to date and secure like never before. Enhancements will continue to be made to the service. To learn more about SUS and Automatic Updates for Windows, please visit the SUS FAQ page (www.uwyo.edu/askit/displaydoc.asp?askitdocid=487&parentid=1) on the Ask IT website.
Computer Software TrainingAccording to the Human Resources Training Office, the need for software training is mentioned often in university employee performance evaluations. Working with software applications is an important part of many UW job duties. Information Technology’s software trainers offer several types of training opportunities. Hands-On Instructor-Led Workshops: Ranging in length from 3 to 12 hours, these workshops provide lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on experience with Microsoft and Adobe software programs. A complete training manual for future reference is included in the cost of the workshop. Question-and-Answer Workshops: Scheduled for 3 hours, the content of these workshops changes each time they are offered because topics are determined by workshop participants. The cost of the workshop includes handouts and a quick reference card. Tips-and-Tricks Seminars: Scheduled for one hour, these seminars are demonstrations of commonly used features for experienced computer users who don’t want to attend a beginning workshop. The cost of the workshop includes handouts and a quick reference card. New Features Seminars: Scheduled for one hour, these seminars are demonstrations of new features in various Microsoft Office 2003 programs. The cost of the workshop includes handouts and a quick reference card. Hands-On Software Courses: Scheduled for two hours, these training sessions begin with a 15-minute introduction. The rest of the time is spent working on an assigned project with an instructor available to answer questions. The cost of the workshop includes handouts and a quick reference card. Self-Paced Training: As a free service, the IT faculty/staff computer lab is open approximately 8 hours a week for people who want to view computer-based or video tutorials covering Microsoft and Adobe programs. A trainer is always available in the room to answer questions. Online Computer Training Tutorials: Human Resources provides free online tutorials in all of the major software programs (and other topics) for university faculty and staff. Contact Paul Brown, university training and professional development manager (pbrown@uwyo.edu or 766-5605) for information on how to register. Web-Designers’ Lab: Open every Wednesday from 1:00 to 3:00 pm, four university staff members (including a systems programmer, artists, and web designers) are available to answer all questions regarding university websites. This is also a free service. Training Manuals and Sample Files: Training materials for all topics covered in instructor-led workshops are available for individual purchase at the same price as the cost for attending the workshop. Information Technology offers workshops in Windows XP, Microsoft Office XP, Microsoft FrontPage XP, Adobe PageMaker, and Adobe Photoshop. Plans for this fall include upgrading the hands-on workshops to Microsoft Office 2003, FrontPage 2003, and the Adobe Creative Suite, specifically Photoshop and InDesign. Workshop instructors are Alice Freeman and Nancy Taft. Both have been working as computer software trainers for most of the past 20 years and enjoy teaching the new features of programs as they are released. Further information on the computer software training program and the schedule for fall may be found on the IT Training pages (www.uwyo.edu/infotech/services/training/).
Campus-Wide Review of Information TechnologyAs part of the university’s Support Services planning activities, a campus wide review of information technology is underway. This spring the consulting firm of RSM McGladrey, Inc. was selected to conduct the review. One objective of the review is to help identify campus-wide technology issues for the 2005 – 2009 Support Services planning period, including a recommended direction for information technologies that will best strategically align with the university’s mission and objectives. In May of 2004, President Dubois appointed a Technology Services Review Planning Team to oversee and guide the review process. Team members are Robert Aylward, chair and vice president for Information Technology; Rollin Abernethy, associate vice president, Academic Affairs; Henry Bauer III, associate dean, Arts and Sciences; Leellen Brigman, vice president for Student Affairs; William Gern, vice president of Research; Andrew Hansen, presidential faculty fellow; Bruce Hooper, risk management director, Administration; and Maggie Murdock, associate vice president and dean of the Outreach School. One component of the review is the evaluation of departmental technology needs and related issues. The RSM McGladrey consultants, with the Planning Team’s input, prepared two questionnaires – one for department heads and directors, and one for technical support personnel. The Planning Team solicited suggestions from deans and department heads for the names of faculty and staff to complete questionnaires and to be interviewed by the consultants. The interviews were conducted between July 6 and 22, 2004. The consultants also conducted high-level environmental network and system security scans looking for general vulnerabilities. The consultants’ report will be substantially complete before the end of November 2004. The results of the report will be shared with the campus community. The Technology Services Review Planning Team and the Division of Information Technology thank all interviewees and respondents to the questionnaires for their willingness to participate in this important process. More information about the review is available online on the Information Technology Services Review website (www.uwyo.edu/itsr/).
eNews Extra:
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When composing an email message in Outlook, you can also type
part or all of either the first or last name in the TO field and
click on the Check Names icon in the tool bar. This will
open a window that lists all possible matches for that first or
last name. 
CTD chose to use an IBM 3494 Automatic Tape Library (ATL) to
provide both local and remote backup storage on tape. Identical
3494 ATL devices were installed at CTD’s data center in the
Emerson Building in Cheyenne and at the Information Technology
data center in the Ivinson Building.
UW VPN Doesn’t Secure All Data
