Update on TFREC networking projects
Last week I listed out the various ongoing projects related to our Center’s network systems. Since that report, CAHNRS IT has set up a Freedcamp account. This is an online project planning and task tracking App. They have broken up and categorized all the tasked related to the overall project and assigned tasks to the people or groups. Jerry and I have several preliminary tasks assigned to us to get the ball rolling. These are mostly information gathering tasks such as getting counts of phones, network outlets in all of our rooms, number of servers and their IPs, and a view other items. We have the majority of the information at hand and just need to get it to a format they can use. There may be some bits of information we will need from you. We’ll be in touch as needed. The only problem I currently see with this process is that there is no set timeline for this project. But be assured that we will push forward to ensure we aren’t forgotten.
myWSU issues fixed
Earlier this week I shared the contents of the campus email regarding the problems with myWSU. Campus IT and the support group from Oracle looked at all the possible causes and tested a solution on a test server on Tuesday. The final test was successful. So, Last night they implemented the fix on the working server. As of this morning, they are claiming success and an end to users being logged out whenever they try to use myWSU. However, there was one caveat, users may need to clear their cache prior to logging into myWSU again and once logged in, users will have full access to all myWSU pages and menu items with no further issues.
Spring test of WSU Alert system scheduled
A spring semester test of the WSU Alert emergency alert system, including campus outdoor warning sirens, will be conducted at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday, March 6, on the Pullman campus by the Office of Emergency Management. WSU Pullman also will test electronic door locking capabilities with a 15-minute door locking test beginning at 11:45 a.m. This will be a full activation of the lockdown function and may take some time to fully initiate. Most doors will lock completely, allowing only first responder access. Interior and exterior doors will unlock at noon. Please note, people will not be locked inside buildings and if you need to exit a building, you may still do so at any time. Faculty, staff and students associated with the Pullman campus who have signed up for emergency notifications also will receive text messages, phone calls and emails — all of which will be clearly identified as test messages. WSU has developed the WSU Alert system to disseminate official information via email, text messages, telephone, loudspeakers, Alert website and other means to notify the campus population of emergencies or threatening situations. Notifications may include such events as inclement weather, violent actions and gas leaks. When such events occur, WSU will activate appropriate components of the system to alert people to the situation and provide them the opportunity to assess their individual circumstances and act to take appropriate safety precautions. WSU encourages students, faculty and staff to be personally aware of developing incidents, assessing each emergency individually, and taking actions to ensure the safety of all.
All WSU Pullman students, staff and faculty can subscribe to WSU Alert by visiting myWSU online to register or update emergency contact information. Follow WSU Alert on Twitter @WSUAlert and see https://alert.wsu.edu/ for more information.
Maintenance to campus VoIP during Spring Break
On March 15th the ITS VoIP team will be moving campus’ voice traffic off the existing ASA firewall to the data center Palo Alto firewall. This will cause a complete voice traffic outage, including internal calls, off-campus calls, and 911. Service outage is not expected to last more than ½ hour. The team has scheduled a total of 4 hours for prep, move, and follow up testing to ensure no customer impact following completion of the maintenance window. The work period is scheduled from 8 pm to midnight. They are hoping that by scheduling the work in the evening during the break, the impact of the actual outage will be minimal. the only impact on us here at the center would be if you were trying to call someone on campus that night and it happened to be during the 30-minute outage.
AIS mainframe connectivity
There have been reports of connectivity issues between WSU and the cloud-hosted AIS Mainframe. This is the system that hosts various administrative functions. Performance was sluggish and some users experienced disconnects of their terminal sessions. After working with the cloud hosting provider, the problem seems to be resolved. Users that continue to experience problems should contact enterprise.systems@wsu.edu.
FTC Releases article on choosing VPN Apps for mobile phones
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued guidance to consumers considering using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) for their mobile phones. Some mobile phone users choose to use VPNs to shield the information on their phones when using public Wi-Fi networks. Find the article here: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2018/02/shopping-vpn-app-read.