Contents
Contents
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Allen Porter
As a faculty member, have you ever wished you could easily send an email message to all the students enrolled in your class?
ITC provides automatically maintained listserv-based email lists for every individual course section offered at MSU .These lists are very effective as all MSU-Bozeman students are required to have email addresses and free email accounts are available to all students. The lists are updated nightly in order to closely track drop/adds and student email address changes.
Students can control their preferred email addresses by using MyInfo on the Web -- they simply follow that link from the MSU-Bozeman home page and log into the "Secure Area." Changes made before 9 p.m. are reflected on the lists overnight.
Please contact Allen Porter (ahporter@montana.edu) of the ITC Academic Computing Group for information on using class roll email lists.
Allen Porter
Instructors of record or academic departmental staff can easily download class rolls from the Web in formats suitable for printing or for use in spreadsheet or database programs (i.e. Excel, Quattro, and Access). Class rolls are always accessible for the current term and are also provided for the next term once registration begins.
For more information or to apply for authorization to use this service go to the MSU-Bozeman home page, click the Faculty & Staff button, find the Academic Info section, and choose Class Rolls.
Stay Current about Network Threats
Lisa Bogar
The need for up-to-the-minute information about network and computer security has grown in the past 20 years as intrusive and destructive activity has increased. The high availability of Internet access and the increase in the speeds of the Internet have made it easier for computer security incidents to arise at a furious pace. In response to this serious problem the SANS Institute was formed in 1989 as a cooperative research and education organization. SANS stands for SysAdmin, Audit, Network, Security). SANS specializes in information security training and certification as well as developing and maintaining a large collection of research documents and other information pertaining to information security. They also operate an Internet early warning system – The Internet Storm Center, http://www.isc.sans.org. Security practitioners in government agencies, corporations, and universities around the world dedicate many hours in research and teaching through SANS to serve the information security community.
The SANS Institute has developed computer security newsletters and digests to assist a wide array of individuals and organizations concerned with computer security. To see the complete selection of newsletters available visit http://www.sans.org/newletters. The OUCH newsletter is a monthly security awareness report intended to inform the average computer user. The report provides pointers on how to avoid viruses, phishing scams, and other malware. The accuracy as well as readability of each issue is checked by over 100 security officers before it is distributed.
ITC currently forwards the OUCH report to subscribers of the service providers listserve. If you’re not a member of that list, you can sign up for OUCH or other computer security newsletters and also review the newsletter archives at the URL in the previous paragraph. For more information about ITC listservs, contact the Helpdesk, helpdesk@montana.edu or 994-1777.
Information Security – It’s Everyone’s Responsibility!
Adam Edelman
We’ve all seen the headlines announcing the exposures of sensitive information from several universities over the last few months. Hundreds of thousands of records containing personal information have fallen into the wrong hands through security compromises on server, desktop, and laptop computers.
Is it only a matter of time before MSU makes the headlines? It doesn’t have to be!
Maintaining the security of the computing environment at MSU is everybody’s responsibility. We can all take steps every day to help keep our information secure. In addition, many of the steps we take at work can be applied as well to our computers at home. With the risk of identity theft on the rise, we can work together to keep ourselves safe at work and at home.
What can you do? There are several simple steps we can all take to protect our computers.
What is ITC doing for you? The central MSU computing infrastructure is protected with several layers of security to help keep your information secure. ITC staff work to constantly improve the security of the MSU computing environment. If you are currently enrolled as a student at MSU, you are entitled to receive McAfee anti-virus software at no charge. For MSU-owned computers, faculty and staff can also get free copies of the McAfee software. ITC will soon be offering seminars and Web-based information on what you need to know to stay safe.
Where can you go for help? The ITC Help Desk (helpdesk@montana.edu, 994-1777) and the MSU Enterprise Security Manager (aedelman@montana.edu) are here to help! Do not hesitate to contact them if you have any questions on any aspects of computing security. In addition, your departmental IT support personnel may offer similar assistance closer to home. For more detailed information, the IT Security Web page offers information and links on several security related topics (http://www.montana.edu/itsecurity). Thanks for reading, and be careful out there!
Carol Shannon
The Global Student Computer Labs (managed by ITC) are located in Reid Hall (302-306), Roberts Hall (109-111), EPS 110, and Cheever 121. Two Mini-labs are located in Renne Library (2nd & 3rd floor) with another located in Career Services (SUB). In addition, ITC-managed computers are distributed throughout the SUB for use by students and visitors. In total, 350 computers are available for general student use. The standard suite of software installed includes MS Office Suite 2003, Adobe Creative Suites 2, Corel Suite 12, AutoCAD, Dreamweaver, Matlab, Maple, MathCAD, SAS, SPSS, Minitab, plus many departmental packages. Our Mac’s have Adobe Creative Suites 2 and MS Office Suite X. (Full access to all these applications requires the user to log in with an MSU domain (Microsoft Windows) username and password.) If you are an instructor and have software that you would like to make available in the Global Student Computer Labs, please contact me and I will gladly work with you to see that the labs meet your needs. (See contact information below.)
Printing
Each student is entitled 200 sheets of “free” printing per semester in the Global Student Computer Labs. After that number is reached, students may continue to print at a cost of three cents per sheet. In order to conserve paper, our printers are set to print on two sides (duplex) by default. Students are able to use their “free sheets” in the Library and SUB as well. Faculty and staff may print in the Global Student Computer Labs using their OneCards or by purchasing Library Print Cards. Faculty and staff DO NOT receive 200 “free sheets”.
Faculty server shares and online resources
ITC will continue to set up shared file space (“shares”) on our servers for faculty who wish to have students download or submit files for their classes in that way. Please contact me to arrange service. Another option is WebCT, a complete course management system for online resources. Some highlighted features of WebCT include the following: tools to enable electronic content to be easily shared with students, synchronous and asynchronous public and private communications within a class, and a customizable online grade book capable of releasing grades privately to students registered in a course. For more information about WebCT, contact Julie Pester at the Burns Telecommunication Center, 994-7799.
Faculty can also reserve some of the Global Student Computer Labs for instructional purposes.
Please contact me at 994-5087 or email me at cjshannon@montana.edu with any questions or concerns you may have, or to request assistance with the Global Student Computer Labs.
ITC-Telephone Services Articles
Chris Bauer
Telephone Color Option
For those of you interested in purchasing a digital telephone set from the M3900 series (M3902, M3903, or M3904) here is some colorful news! These sets are now available in platinum (gray) and charcoal (black). To order please specify the color you prefer on the Telephone & Network Request form at http://www.montana.edu/wwwitc/telephoneservices/onlinereg/tsrform2.php. We will notify you of any availability or cost issues. Please contact Chris at 994-1010 with any questions or visit room 58 in the basement of Renne Library if you would like to see the phones.
Campus Telephone Directories
Distribution of the 2005-2006 Campus Telephone directories began in October via Campus Mail and is now complete. The number of directories each department receives is based on the number of phone lines it has. If extra copies are needed please contact Chris at 994-1010 or the Campus Operator at extension 0. New Public Phone Book on Campus This year a new public telephone directory is being distributed in Gallatin, Park, and Madison counties. It is called Yellowstone Country and offers a different format and additional information of local interest, including MSU-Bozeman student information, sports events calendars, a map of the campus, and much more. The cover features a photograph of a bobcat and is this company’s way of promoting the University as a vital part of the surrounding community.
Because this fall marks the first distribution on campus of this directory, ITC will provide each department with a small number of books for faculty and staff to try. Your departmental Telephone Coordinator may request more books for the following year if desired. Keep in mind that we also provide the Dex Media phone book as well as the Yellowbook USA. These are distributed in early spring and June respectively. Departments may request as many of each book as they would like and may do so by contacting Chris at 994-1010 or the Campus Operator at extension 0.
Pat Simmons
Have you ever wished you could monitor your email for an important message while in a meeting? Have you ever found yourself with time on your hands at an airport, but reluctant to fire up your laptop and pay high prices to go online? Have you ever wished you could check a fact online during an out-of-office discussion with a colleague? All of these things, in addition to mobile telephony and personal digital assistant (PDA) functions are possible with a multi-function mobile device called a BlackBerry.
The BlackBerry offers wireless voice and data service for mobile professionals on the Verizon Wireless digital network. In addition to providing basic PDA services such as an address book and task list, the BlackBerry allows users, when away from their desktops or traveling away from Bozeman, to access their MSU Outlook email and calendar. Both services are kept synchronized between the MSU Exchange server and the BlackBerry whenever the BlackBerry is on and within range of the Verizon network. The user can open email attachments such as Word and Excel files and also browse the Web.
The MSU Information Technology Center is joining with the College of Engineering, MSU-Billings, MSU-COT Great Falls, University of Montana, and the State of Montana in offering on-site server-supported BlackBerry PDA services to campus employees for business use. Through the State contract with Verizon Wireless for cellular services, BlackBerry devices, accounts, and accessories are discounted for State entities.
Currently you can purchase the BlackBerry 7250 device for a single payment of $50 when you sign up for a new two-year agreement that includes both telephone and data services (email, calendar, and Web). In this case, the charges for data are $38.25 per month. Because telephone service plans very, we list your choices and their costs below.
Alternatively, you may choose to subscribe only to the data service, with no telephone service. In this case the BlackBerry device has a one-time cost of $99.99 and data services will cost $42.49 per month.
Your voice plan options are as follows:
Mandatory state and federal taxes and fees ranging from $1 to $4 are added to the monthly costs, so the total monthly costs range from about $51 to about $80 depending on the voice plan selected.
For more information or to order, please contact Chris Bauer in Telephone Services at 994-1010 or cbauer@montana.edu.
Cindy Tirrell
Voice and Data Activations
To order a new telephone line ($50) or data port ($135), please complete a Telephone Network Service Request (TNSR) online form at www.montana.edu/telephoneservices. Orders for data ports without any telephone services are handled on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons by the Communication Wiring group. Please see the MSU Telephone Directory for other telephone equipment and service prices. ITC’s current communication wiring projects are listed below. You can always find an up-to-date list of our projects at http://www.montana.edu/wwwitc/telephoneservices/comm.wiring.html. Any questions regarding the status of a project or requests for new estimates and wiring installations can be directed to Cindy Tirrell at 994-2882 or ctirrell@montana.edu.
Current Communication Wiring Projects
Tom Morrison
Montana State University is transitioning the university’s wireless network to the next generation of hardware. The system selected is made by Aruba Networks and utilizes “lightweight access points.” This simply means that the intelligence used to control the network is primarily built into centralized controllers rather than distributed in the wireless access points themselves. This technological advance will enhance security, reduce costs, improve authentication, and simplify management of the wireless network. New lightweight access points are currently deployed in the College of Engineering complex. Renne Library and the Strand Union Building will be converted to the new technology in the near future. Additionally, all existing ITC-managed wireless locations will be converted to the new technology. To see a list of proposed, new locations visit the MSU wireless Web page at www.montana.edu/wireless and select “Possible Next Locations”.
Information Technology Center
P.O. Box 173240
Bozeman, MT 59717-3240
(406) 994-3042
| © Copyright Montana State University-Bozeman | Modified October 18, 2005 |