RUCS Camden Announcement

Change is a fact of life in the computer field and at RUCS. We try to maintain currency in equipment in the public computing labs, in equipment supporting the central services systems, in the network infrastructure (backbone, Internet access, dorm access), and in software applications that includes the operating systems (Windows 2000, Solaris 8, MacOS 9), applications (web email, SAS, Office 2000) and support functions (samba, firewalls).

The following is a brief summary of changes that is expected to be in place for the fall 2001 semester. For questions, please send email to help@camden, call our Help Desk at 225-6274, stop by the Computer Center in the Business & Science building, or visit our HELP web site starting at: http://www.camden.rutgers.edu/HELP/

Public Computing Labs

The Campus Center lab remodeling should be completed with almost 70% of the space reconstructed. A new Help Desk will be completed early in the semester.
As part of the campus three-year life cycle plan, many systems in the Business & Science building public labs were upgraded: 12 Sun workstations (Sun Blade 100) in room 133, 7 new Mac G4 systems in room 110, and, 43 new Dell Pentium 4 systems in rooms 108-110. The four public PCs in the Dormitory Apartment lab will be upgraded to Dell Pentium 4 systems also.
All PCs in the public labs (BSB, Campus Center, Robeson library, Law building, and resident’s hall) and the Instructional lab (BSB room 117) will be upgraded to Windows 2000 as the base operating system.
Noting its increase in usage by the campus, RUCS is loading and providing basic support for Internet Explorer as a web browser on all platforms (PC, Mac, Sun) in addition to Netscape.
MS Office 97 has been removed from the labs. All PCs support Office 2000.
Started this spring, RUCS Camden staff will continue to test each system across the campus for successful operation each week. Additionally, we encourage everyone to report systems with problems to help@camden. Problems will always be corrected upon notification.

Classroom Support

The Mac computer system on the cart supporting Armitage Hall has been removed due to no use for almost two years. You may still bring a Powerbook and attach it to the projector.

RUNet 2000

RUNet 2000 continues to make progress in Camden. Internal wiring continues in the Fine Arts building, as well as in two buildings on Cooper Street (319 and 323).
Armitage Hall is ready for transition from the legacy network (RUNet) to RUNet 2000. Plans for transitioning have been developed with the building representatives and will be completed early in the fall.
This fall will see the start of the internal wiring in the Science building, Campus Center and Law building.
More on RUNet 2000 found at: http://runet2000.rutgers.edu/home.html

Security

RUCS Camden staff has been busy helping our community clean up from the results of the SirCam virus and the Code Red worm. We re-issued warnings to our community to upgrade their anti-virus software to protect against SirCam and we performed network scanning on all subnets in Camden looking for systems vulnerable to the Code Red worm. RUCS Camden has worked closely with the various UCS staff on campus to help eradicate these security problems. Upgrade your virus protection software from: http://mssg.rutgers.edu/license/McAfee/default.htm

As the campus becomes more populated by returning faculty and students (particularly in the dorms), it is imperative that everyone updates their virus protection programs and obtains the latest patches for their Windows NT & 2000 systems. More information: http://mssg.rutgers.edu/
A secure “telnet” software (called ssh) is available for downloading to local systems that provides a secure connection to clam/crab/shad for those using Pine to read email and for unix applications requiring a logon to one of these systems. More information: http://www.camden.rutgers.edu/HELP/Documentation/Unix/S50-0000_ssh.html
A firewall has been installed on the subnet that supports the student servers (clam/email.clam) and the clients in the public labs in the Business & Science building. This will provide additional security against unwanted access by hackers.

WebMail Project

RUCS Camden has installed a new web based email client to allow our community easier access to email (similar to Hotmail^TM). This new email software is in final testing mode and will be available Sept 1^st. Online documentation will be available for this new software, that will provide secure communications over the Internet. Access: http://webmail.camden.rutgers.edu

Dorms

RUCS Camden is working closely with RUCS Telecommunication Division (and the dorm group) to prepare for the arrival of the residential students for the fall semester. In order to maintain network availability for all students at all times, changes to the address space assigned to the residents have been completed. Each student now receives their own network address (called the IP) that should be valid for their system in any room in the dorms. Documentation (Networking at Rutgers University), Help Desk support (x6274), and in room assistance (dorm-help@camden) is available to assist students in setting up their systems.
Telephone support is available in Camden starting August 20: M-Th 8am-11pm; F 8am-5pm; Sat 9am-5pm; and Sun 2pm-10pm.

Open Ethernet Data Jacks

RUCS Camden continues to support the open Ethernet data jacks that are now located in the Robeson library (open shelving areas on the 2^nd & 3^rd floors), Campus Center lab, and BSB 110 (north wall). Bring your laptop into the Computer Center in BSB to register your Ethernet card for access permissions to be granted. Registration Form: http://www.camden.rutgers.edu/HELP/Documentation/Accounts/S50-8011_Obtain_Library_Connection

Future Plans for this Academic Year

Firewall installed on the subnet supporting the faculty/staff servers (crab/email.crab).
Automatic rejection of computer viruses by the email servers.
Additional disk space installed for the faculty/staff servers utilizing RAID technology for improved performance (limits failures).
Improved web service for faculty/staff streaming video applications (additional disk space and computing power).
Pilot wireless project tested in the Campus Center and Robeson library.
Upgrade the Test Scoring/Form processing scanner and software (supports Windows 98 and Windows 2000).
Renovation of BSB 133 and BSB 134 (classroom) (for the spring term?).
Renovation of BSB 117 (during the winter recess?).
Additional Training Seminars to meet the need indicated in the Faculty/Staff training survey emailed last spring.
Ethernet Data jacks active in BSB 106 & BSB 116.