Your patience needed as IRT installs new technology, services

Your patience needed as IRT installs new technology, services

From Information Resources and Technologies

It’s a busy summer. A glance around campus at the incredible holes being dug and throngs of guests finding their way amidst the buzz of cranes, backhoes and chainsaws and the very unusual summer parking lot shuffle are all indications that we aren’t the only service providers preparing for a better campus this fall.

So, Information Resources and Technologies staff members ask for your patience with standard service requests this summer as we complete installation and implementation of the following new services to our community:

  • We are rolling out 1,500 replacement computers campuswide, targeting mid-August for completion. While we try to minimize inconvenience to those affected by this replacement activity, this effort does result in some disruption to your work. 
  • We are replacing more than 40 of our central servers, targeting Aug. 30 for completion. Our plans are to limit systems outages for this activity to planned change-management Sundays; however, due to the volume of replacement work, there may be short-term outages added to the schedule to ensure that services are running normally for our users.
  • We are installing new wireless services in the residence halls and a new wireless security network. In addition to the common areas (public labs) that already are enabled for wireless data access, all residence halls will have secure wireless access prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
  • We are installing equipment in the Information Commons for Internet2 videoconferencing services.
  • We have outgrown and are replacing our current voice-mail environment, targeting Aug. 18 for completion. The change in this environment will impact everyone on campus. When we move to the new system, everyone will need to re-record voice-mail greetings. The old voice-mail system will remain available for a period of time after the cutover to allow users to retrieve messages from the old system. 
  • We are providing new voice services to the new Selby Residence in St. Paul and Schulze Hall in Minneapolis. Schulze Hall will move into the Voice over Internet Protocol world (known as VoIP) with telephone sets different from anywhere else on campus. Selby Hall residents will bring their own telephone sets to campus and plug into the UST system. We look forward to the outcome of these new ventures. Services in both buildings are targeted for completion on Aug. 18.
  • We are migrating department Web sites to the new environment and rolling out Collage as the new Web editor.
  • We are upgrading the e-mail system. The replacement process should go unnoticed by our many e-mail users and the target completion is Aug. 30.
  • We are conducting an intensive ReportNet Boot Camp for report writers from key departments on campus to help them prepare for Banner 7 and the new ODS environment coming in January.

Keeping our service promises to you remains a priority. With all of the projects and events this summer, we at times may be challenged to meet your service expectations due to the rollout of these new services. For example, many standard moves and change requests common during the summer months may take longer than usual. Advance notice and a little more than usual patience should help us meet everyone’s needs, keep our new service projects on course and still allow us all to enjoy the short Minnesota summer. It’s a perfect time to take a stroll and enjoy the beautiful weather or stop on your walk across campus to help a visitor find their way.