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Systems Support Users
Group Minutes |
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Systems Support Users
Group Minutes |
Present:
Bob Aaron, Connie Barling, Kathy Beal, Bill Cummins, Erin Dwyer, Tom
Fowles, Shawn Hayes, Eric Hodges (Chair), Julie Goodlick, Shirley Murphy, Carmen
Plummer, Tim Szerlong, Linda Thomas, Ari Turetzky, Jane Vorhies, Tina Wright,
Cheryl Young
Absent:
Shannon Covey, Donna Simms,
Update (Vorhies)
1)
System Support has been updating computers, service packs, at night for
the past week. If the night-time
scheduling works, it may become a routine practice, not just for updates, but to
add new software, too.
2)
With Windows 2000 and the updates, we will be prepared for the
campus-wide Active Directory, which is being tested now.
After the pilot is done with Student Accounts and AIS, the rest of the supported areas will be set up to use Active Directory.
3) It is critical that all computers are logged off for this conversion. If a computer is logged on during one of the evening updates, files or settings may be lost. E-mails with instructions (and visuals) will be sent to alert everyone. The Users Group may be called on to assist in making sure all computers are turned on the day this conversion is done. If a computer is NOT logged off, SS can tell that by remote and these (hopefully few) will be converted independently by runners.
Rebooting Servers
Telecommunications will be
blocking one hour a few days a week in the early a.m. (4am-5am) during work days
for rebooting servers. This should
not affect users during regular work hours.
Virus Scanning/Firewalls (Turetzky)
The “Firewall” Committee
has met and are exploring the potential for replacement of McAfee when its
contract with the University ends in February.
The options have been narrowed to: Norton,
McAfee, F-Secure, Trend Micro, Zone Alarm, and Zygate. These are now being
tested according to three criteria: 1)
applicability for students and home computers, 2) central administering, and 3)
management of files through regular updates.
The complexity of firewalls makes supporting them difficult, but the more
comprehensive packages are better for users and those administering them.
There will be three more weeks of testing, then consultants will come to
campus to discuss the final choices. The
committee’s recommendations will then go to ECAT.
TechTuition is funding this project.
The Users Group was invited,
and accepted, the opportunity to be part of the pilot for Outlook. McCleskey
will conduct a training session on Outlook at the next Users Group meeting.
Because of budget
constraints, SS is looking for ways to be more cost-efficient, and asked the
Users Group for input regarding priorities of SS services.
The discussion indicated that important priorities included phone
assistance; early morning support; and training on software programs that are
not already covered by FTSS. Issues
that affect a majority of people usually should be addressed before those
affecting less people. Use the SSUG
to help with spreading the word about unanticipated outages or consider setting
up a phone message indicating that Systems Support is aware of the problem,
rather than having multiple calls asking if they are aware.
Use SSUG to help with training—perhaps train SSUG members and let the
training of others come from them.
Eric mentioned training and a
discussion of how training could be delivered more cost effectively ensued.
The possible of videotaping the trainers and letting users access the
video either individually or as a group was considered.
The idea of training SSUG members to then disseminate the training was
considered. Dell on-line training was mentioned for specific types of hardware
and software issues.
Meeting brief prepared by
Cheryl Young and Kathy Beal
10-28-02