IT News and Announcements

This morning around 1:00 AM the University's Internet Service Provider (ISP) reported network problems affecting multiple customers. Off campus users were not able to access any SHU IT services, including the SHU Web site, campus portal, email, and Banner. Users on campus were not able to access external Internet sites. Service was restored around 8:30 AM this morning.

Beginning about 5:30 PM this evening the Seton Hall University data center on the South Orange campus experienced a problem with the storage area network (SAN). Multiple systems were affected. Most critically, Piratenet, the SHU community portal, was down, so users were unable to access Webmail, Blackboard, or Banner Self Service. All services were restored by 8:00 PM.

Stephen Landry, CIO

Seton Hall University
South Orange, NJ 07079
Tel.: 973-761-7386
Email: stephen.landry@shu.edu
Web: pirate.shu.edu/~landryst/

For the latest news from SHU IT, see the IT News and Announcements blog at: http://tltc.shu.edu/blogs/projects/DoIT/
For the latest news on technology in teaching and learning, see the ePirate blog at: http://tltc.shu.edu/blogs/projects/epirate/

For the latest information and advice on using SHU's IT systems and services, see the IT Tech Tips blog at: http://blogs.shu.edu/projects/tech_tips/

A shipment of Lenovo ThinkPad T500 laptops for the final orientation last week was delayed. As a result, approximately thirty incoming students were issued new Lenovo T61 laptops during orientation. A delivery of ThinkPad T500's came in earlier this week. All fresmen and juniors who received a ThinkPad T61 during orientation are eligible to upgrade their laptop to the ThinkPad T500 at the Mobile Computing Asset Office in the first floor of Corrigan Hall during normal business hours (Mon.-Fri., 8:45 AM - 4:45 PM). Note that the office will be closed this coming Monday, September 7th, for the Labor Day holiday.

PC Support Services and the Computer Training Center are working together to bring the University community the new "Tech Tips" blog. This blog discusses some of the most frequently asked questions to the Technology Help Desk, as well as more general advise on how to make the most of the technologies available at Seton Hall University.

Check out the Tech Tips blog at:
blogs.shu.edu/projects/tech_tips/

At this time the Media Services team is not operating at full-staff and will therefore have the following hours of operation until further notice:

Media Services Support Hours effective August 31, 2009
Mon-Fri: 8:00 am-11:00pm
Saturday: 8:00am-4:00pm
Sunday: CLOSED

Please note we will also be closed on the following Saturdays:
Saturday, Sept. 5th for Labor Day Holiday weekend
Saturday, Nov. 21st for Thanksgiving Holiday weekend

Events or programs starting or extending beyond the hours of operation posted above, that require audio visual support or a technician on site will be considered, please contact us at mediaservice@shu.edu or (973)761-9554. Please see the Media Services website at www.shu.edu/offices/services/tltc-classroom-and-event-support.cfm for policies and procedures for support outside of operating hours.

In Monsignor Sheeran's charge to the University Sustainability committee this past year, he asked the University community to determine ways to become better stewards of the Earth and the resources at our disposal. As a response to this charge the Teaching, Learning and Technology Roundtable created a committee on digital sustainability, charged with determining how technology can be used to conserve energy and limit waste. To date printing has been free and unlimited to students and we have printed 3 million pages in the last academic year alone. The current printing policy promotes excessive consumption of resources and a mind-set incompatible with the University's goals of conservation and sustainability.

The Digital Sustainability committee, chaired by Richard Stern and Michael Taylor, faculty in the University Library and in the deaprtment of Political Science, with the support of the Faculty Senate IT Committee, has recommended that the University alter its printing policy to reduce unnecessary printing by limiting the amount of free printing available in the computer labs and the University Library and by encouraging the use of digital alternatives where appropriate.

In accordance with this recommendation, beginning August 31, 2009 full-time students on the South Orange campus will be allotted 400 pages and part-time students will be allotted 200 pages, per semester, at no charge. Printing above this amount will result in a charge of $0.05/page that will be deducted from the student?s Pirates Gold account.

For frequently asked questions about printing on campus please click here.

From Teaching, Learning & Technology Center

Blackboard 9 is here! Get ready for the Fall semester!

Take advantage of the opportunities available though the TLT Center to learn how to use the new features of Blackboard 9. Please visit our Blackboard 9 information page at www.shu.edu/events/blackboard-9.cfm for more information, including available Blackboard 9 workshop dates and times. To accommodate your schedule both instructor led and on-line sessions are available.

On Friday, July 31 the legacy Novell file and print servers will be permanently decommissioned. Former Novell users may notice a change to their PC login screens.

If you are running the Novell client, indicated by a red "N" in the bottom right corner of the desktop, please note the following:

• At your next login after July 31, the Novell login prompt may be replaced with the standard Windows login screen.


• If the Novell login screen still appears, please make sure that the "Workstation only" option is checked before logging in.


• If you encounter problems with login, file access or printing and have not rebooted since July 31, please reboot and log in again.

Daniel E. Svitavsky
Systems Support
University IT Services

To the University Community:

University IT Services (UITS) understands the importance of continued access to the University's IT systems and services. To minimize the impact of upgrades and repairs, UITS always attempts to schedule work affecting systems and services during off hours. To help the community plan for upgrades and outages, UITS has established regular maintenance periods. Weekly maintenance occurs every Sunday morning from 12:01 AM to 7:00 AM. For larger projects, UITS estblishes two annual extended maintenance periods that take place over the Christmas break and between the end of the second summer session and the start of Law School orientation.

This summer's IT maintenance window will begin Friday, August 7, at 5:00 PM EDT and will end on Monday, August 17, at 7:00 AM EDT.

Most IT systems and services will be available most of the time during that period, and UITS will always attempt to alert the University community whenever a system is expected to be down during this period. During this time, however, some systems may be brought down for extended periods and with short notice in order to facilitate major upgrades to UITS networks, systems, and services. Please plan your work accordingly.

Stephen G. Landry, Ph.D., CIO

Blackboard has informed the University that they need to perform an emergency repair in their data center early tomorrow morning (Wed., May 6) between 3:00 AM and 5:00 AM. Blackboard will not be available during this time.