IT Bulletin, January 2012
Welcome to the January 2012 edition of IT bulletin.
Information Security
Mobile Strategy
Reporting lost or stolen hardware
The Microsoft Office conversion information
IT Services will NOT be submitting any estimates for those items currently coming from school funds. This includes local software licence costs and those for phones or tablets. For more details of the scope of our planning please view the page IT maintenance and purchase scope 2011/12.
Critical Dates Diary
To ensure you are informed about the next edition join the mailing list it-update@bristol.ac.uk. You can subscribe by visiting the subscription request page in Sympa .
In this edition:
- Information Security
- Mobile Strategy
- Identity Management
- Reporting lost or stolen hardware
- Microsoft Office Conversion
- Scope of hardware purchasing
- SITS upgrade, 17-20 February
- Proactis essential maintenance on Friday 10 February
- Critical Dates Diary
- News and contacting IT Services
Information Security
You should already be aware, following the message from the Deputy Vice-Chancellor on 16/01/2012, that a University Information Security website and a new self-paced information security training module are available.
All University staff should familiarise themselves with the contents of these.
Mobile Strategy
Nikki Rogers, Enterprise Architect, January 2012
Over the past year I've been developing a Mobile Strategy for the University. Recently I've had conversations with members of the CMS project, the Student Portal service, and with the Learning and Teaching advisors network, with a view to planning our next steps in line with both systems architecture plans and the new e-learning strategy in the coming months. To view the latest developments with the mobile strategy you can read my blog post at http://enterprisearchitect.blogs.ilrt.org/category/mobile-strategy/ .
Identity Management
Jon Hay, January 2012
An individual who has a relationship with the University may have a number of 'memberships' and each membership account may have privileges associated with it in terms of access to university facilities; systems, data, buildings, etc. The membership management project was initiated in order to establish clear, consistent policies and effective processes for administration of these relationships.
The project team have been evaluating identity management (IdM) software, which underpins the membership management project. As part of the procurement we have received full day presentations from suppliers and made a number of visits to reference sites. We aim to reach agreement on the IdM platform within the next couple of weeks. This will enable us to move into more detailed planning and then procurement of an implementation partner. Further information can be found on the Strategic Projects Office website.
Reporting lost or stolen hardware 
If you suffer a data loss (or suspect that you may have) you must report the loss without delay to the Information Security Team (email: cert@bristol.ac.uk). In your initial report, do not be too specific about the nature of the loss; make sure you provide contact details and we'll get back to you promptly.
If the loss is a result of a crime (for example theft) which involved University property or took place on University premises, you should also report the loss to the University's Security Services.
If you think that the loss may be covered by University insurance, please visit the Secretary Office's insurance website.
http://www.bris.ac.uk/infosec/uobdata/mobile/reportloss/
The Microsoft Office conversion information
The IT Services' website has been updated to explain the changes that users will see between different version of Microsoft Office (2003-2007, 2007-2010, 2003-2010). There is also a page of information on Windows 7. Full training materials on the various versions Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access are available from our Find a Learning Resource facility.
IT hardware purchasing procedure
In the round of planning for 2012-13 budgets IT Services will be submitting proposals for replacement costs for desktops, laptops and other items of IT hardware such as data switches and networks. From our records we have a good view of the age and capability of the whole IT estate and can submit estimates of replacement costs. You should contact your Zone Team Leader if you have specific projects requiring large scale expenditure. Any information will help us fine-tune plans.IT Services will NOT be submitting any estimates for those items currently coming from school funds. This includes local software licence costs and those for phones or tablets. For more details of the scope of our planning please view the page IT maintenance and purchase scope 2011/12.
Upgrade to SITS Vision, 17-20 February
The next SITS upgrade and is planned to take place over the weekend of 17 to 20 February. This upgrade includes changes to the SITS database. To ensure the maximum support from key Information Systems staff this upgrade will start at 1.00pm on the Friday. Access to the SITS client and eVision will be restored by 10am on Monday 20 February.
During the upgrade the mailing list system (Sympa) may be affected and some messages may not be delivered. It is recommended that you avoid using Sympa during this time. If this is not possible please check messages after sending.
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/it-services/news/2012/sits10jan.html
Proactis essential maintenance, 10 February
The Proactis database is being upgraded and moved to a new server on Friday 10 February and will be unavailable between 9:00-17:00.
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/it-services/news/2012/proactis23jan.html
Critical Dates Diary
IT Services schedule maintenance activity, where possible, to cause the least disruption to users and in particular to ensure key services are not impacted during critical business periods. To aid us, we keep a list of planned changes and of critical dates to avoid. For example, we would not plan to make changes to admissions systems during Clearing, or finance systems at year end.
Please note that we routinely make changes to IT services on Tuesdays between 8.00 and 9.00. Where such activity causes short interruptions to the service communications are sent out to relevant users.
News and contacting IT Services
As you all know you can log those IT requests (and track them) with the Service Desk by using the online Service Desk site (UoB only). And you know that IT publish news and there is a status page that you can check if things seem to be a bit slow or inaccessible!
But, did you know that you can also follow IT Services on:
- IT Services' Facebook page - this includes posts and comments as well as access to support for mobile and personal IT via a 'support' link. 'Like' the page to keep in touch.
- IT news on Twitter @UoBISpress - Follow us or set up your mobile to receive text messages.
- IT status on Twitter @UoBISstatus - Follow us or set up your mobile to receive text messages.