Change to Personal Web Pages

Uncategorized

Information Technology is making changes to the way we store, secure, and provide access to faculty, staff, and student web sites hosted on Michigan Tech servers. This information is important if you maintain  personal sites or teach a course and instruct students on how to create web content.

For a long time a person’s web files were located in a folder located on a person’s H: drive (Windows) or home drive (Mac/Linux) called public_html. A few years ago, we we created a link on the multidrive called my_web_files for Windows and Mac OS users to aid them with having the correct permissions on files located in public_html.

At the end of the spring semester, IT will be moving all users’ public_html folders from their home drive to its own file system.

If you currently have web files, this means that:

  • Windows and MacOS Users – Your web files will only be accessible by visiting your multidrive and using the my_web_files folder. Files put into this directory will be written with the appropriate permissions to be accessed on your web site.
  • Linux/Mac Users – Your web files will be accessible from /local/my_web_files/[username] when logged into a Linux login server.
  • All users will be able to use programs like Dreamweaver or WinSCP to have SFTP/SCP access by using the path /local/my_web_files/[your username] on the same server you previously used.

    For Example: User J.Q. Public (userid: jqpublic) will log in to their department login server thru SSH/SCP and their web files will be in /local/my_web_files/jqpublic.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact IT Help at 906-487-1111 or email us at it-help@mtu.edu.

Efforts to cut down on spam and phishing email

Business Services, Security

Michigan Tech IT has seen an increase in spam and phishing email enabled by email spoofing—when a user or system sends an email with a forged header so that it appears to be from an @mtu.edu address. We have been working on solutions, and on March 7 a preventative measure will be enabled to help reduce spoofing. After the change is made, email sent from a forged @mtu.edu address will have a much greater chance of being marked as spam.

We recognize there are legitimate tools that include spoofing as a feature (e.g., survey software) and have pre-approved many of the services used on campus that include spoofing as a part of their normal operation. The following will not be impacted by this new tool:

  • Alumni – iModules
  • Qualtrics Surveys
  • Survey Monkey
  • Collegiate Link/Campus Labs
  • EMAS Recruiting software
  • Systems on campus that relay mail through IT-run services

If you use a tool that isn’t listed above, and the email that it sends appears to be from an @mtu.edu address, please contact us so that we can make sure your service isn’t affected. If you have any questions or experience any issues sending legitimate “spoofed” email after March 7, please contact us at it-help@mtu.edu or 7-1111.

VPN Update

Miscellaneous, Security, Services

Last week we updated on-campus, on-domain PCs to use the new VPN server. Notably, the new VPN server supports Windows 10 and OSX Yosemite.

On  September 22 at 6 AM, we are going to switch everyone over to using the new VPN. From that point forward, you will be using the new hardware when you go to vpn.mtu.edu.

Documentation on installation and usage of the new VPN client is available at www.it.mtu.edu/vpn.

If you have any issues, please contact IT at it-help@mtu.edu or 906-487-1111.

New guest wireless service

Network & Internet

Information Technology has turned on a new guest wireless service which eliminates the need for University guests to register or have a temporary username/password. This experience is similar to what you typically find in hotels and coffee shops.

Guest wireless is available on all existing wireless access points. This service is only for unregistered users; individuals already associated with the MichiganTech wireless will be unable to join.

If you have guests visiting campus, simply have them connect to the MichiganTechGuest wireless SSID. After connecting, they can proceed to a web browser where they will need to read and accept the Terms of Service Agreement. Users will then be connected to the network.

If you have any questions, please contact IT help at it-help@mtu.edu  or at 906-487-1111.

Windows 10 and printing on campus

Computing on Campus, Printing

If you’ve recently upgraded to Windows 10 and were using the Papercut client to print to campus printers from your laptop, you will need to reinstall Papercut to return printing functionality.

The Papercut client can be downloaded here:

http://www.it.mtu.edu/printing

Videos on how to install Papercut are here:

http://www.it.mtu.edu/print

As always, if you have any questions, please contact the IT Help Desk at it-help@mtu.edu or call 906-487-1111.

OUCH! September

Security

Check out the September issue of OUCH! This month’s issue focuses on two-step verification. Specifically, what two-step verification is, why it’s so important and the steps to enable it. We ask you share OUCH! with your family, friends and coworkers.

English Version (PDF)
http://www.securingthehuman.org/newsletters/ouch/issues/OUCH-201509_en.pdf

Translations & Archives
http://www.securingthehuman.org/ouch/archives

MichiganTech Wireless Changes – Certificate Warning

Mobile Communications, Network & Internet, Security

Michigan Tech is implementing a new controller for the MichiganTech wireless network.  This change is needed to implement AirPrint and GooglePrint features this fall.  This change will only affect the MichiganTech SSID.

After Wednesday August 19 at 7 AM you may see a certificate popup on your mobile device or laptop (similar to the image below).  When you see this message, click Accept and you will continue to be connected to the wireless network.

As always, if you have any issues or questions, please contact IT Help at 906-487-1111 or it-help@mtu.edu

CP_cert

Important Campus Information on Windows 10

Computing on Campus, Software

Windows 10 is available to users free for one year; this offer expires July 29, 2016.  More information is at: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-faq.

However, there are three issues all home users need to know before upgrading:

  • Windows 10 is NOT COMPATIBLE with our campus F5 VPN Server, i.e., off-campus users will not be able to “Get an MTU Address.” The goal is to have this fixed by late August, but currently there are no workarounds.
  • Microsoft Edge web browser (New Internet Explorer) is not compatible with Banner, Banweb, and possibly other Michigan Tech related sites.  Workaround: You can install Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox and get most functionality, however not all.
  • Hundreds of campus applications have not been tested, so we cannot make any guarantees that your software will work.

Starting late fall semester, Information Technology will solicit volunteers from our Faculty/Staff to pilot a deployment of Windows 10.  Volunteers will have their machines upgraded to Windows 10 with our standard faculty/staff image, and we will work to test standard applications.  After the standard applications have been tested, we will work with faculty and staff to test specific departmental software, e.g., Mathematica, Matlab, ImageNow, Sewer/Water/AutoCAD, etc.  If you’re interested in being an early adopter, send an email to it-help@mtu.edu and we will add you to the list of volunteers whom we will contact when testing begins.

IT to eliminate most monthly Telcom bills

Telcom Services & Support

The Executive Team and the IT Governance Committee have approved a proposal to eliminate most monthly bills for network and voice services, beginning July 1, 2015.

The chargeback billing model is an antiquated system that most universities have abandoned. It was appropriate during the 1990’s, due to explosive growth of network connections and the internet, but has long since outlived its usefulness.

To recover the necessary revenue, most departments will have their general fund budgets reduced by the amount that they paid in Telcom charges in Fiscal Year 2014. Some Auxiliary and Research units will continue to be billed, but not on a per-jack or per-phone basis.

New network connections will be allowed, with only a nominal $50 activation fee, plus any needed parts or student labor costs if a jack requires an upgrade.

New phone lines will be allowed, but the department will pay the actual cost of the telephones, along with the nominal activation fee and any necessary parts or student labor if the jack requires an upgrade.

There will be no recurring monthly fees for any network connections or telephones. IT will continue to charge monthly fees for Cable TV and security cameras.

The proposal, which contains all the details, is available at http://www.it.mtu.edu/OIT/documents/telcom_funding_approved.pdf.

Contact CIO Walt Milligan at milligan@mtu.edu for further information.