VCU is aware of the published vulnerability regarding Symantec Antivirus products. The versions available for download by VCU faculty, staff, and students do not exhibit this vulnerability. Individual users at VCU do not need to take any action at this time.

Most VCU computer labs utilize Symantec Antivirus version 10. This version of Symantec Antivirus does exhibit the vulnerability. As recommended by Symantec, a patch is being applied to the computers in the these labs. For a list of all computer labs please visit www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/labs/.

Please contact the Technology Services Help Desk at 828-2227 with any questions or concerns. You can also visit the Help Desk online at www.ts.vcu.edu/helpdesk/. The Help Desk front page will provide information about technology alerts at VCU. For computer security alerts, please visit the VCU security website at www.ts.vcu.edu

Posted by at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you are a new Lotus Notes user or wish to update your skills, sign up for a Lotus Notes class this summer. Find out more about how to managing your email, use the calendar and track your to-do-list in Lotus Notes. Technology Services will offer a Lotus Notes training class once a month throughout the summer. To register for the training session, go to VCU Training atwww.pubinfo.vcu.edu/training/it/ or click on a link listed below:

June 6, 2006 Lotus Notes Basics
July 10, 2006 Lotus Notes Basics
August 7, 2006 Lotus Notes Basics

Posted by at 8:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The VCU Video Server is experiencing an outage at this time. The server was brought down as part of the power system upgrade at the VCU Computer Center (VCUCC) this past weekend. While most servers came back online Sunday morning the VCU Video Server has experienced problems with a disk array system that is critical to the operation of the server. The VCUCC staff is working to resolve the problem and hopes to have the system available sometime Wednesday, May 24. Please check back here for updates concerning the VCU Video Server or call the Technology Services Help Desk at 828-2227 if you need further assistance.

Posted by at 4:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

All critical systems, including the web server, myVCU portal, e-mail, and Blackboard are back up. All systems should be up by noon, Sunday, May 21st. If you are unable to access systems after 12:00p.m. Sunday, please contact the Technology Services Help Desk at 804-828-2227.

Posted by at 5:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On Saturday evening, May 20, Technology Services will turn off all computers, servers and other equipment in the VCU Computer Center to allow for electrical equipment installations. The sequencing and staging to shut down systems and hardware is time consuming and complex. Although critical systems and infrastructure will be the last elements off, we will need to begin the shutdown process on Blackboard at 9pm, e-mail at 10:15pm and the VCU web server at 11pm.
After the electrical work is completed, in the early morning hours, infrastructure and systems will be brought back up in the reverse order in which they were shut down. We expect all critical systems, including the web server, myVCU portal, e-mail, and Blackboard to be back up by 6:00am Sunday, and all systems up by noon. If you are unable to access systems after 12:00pm Sunday, please contact the Technology Services Help Desk at 804-828-2227.

Posted by at 9:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There are several training options available to faculty, staff and students this summer. You may schedule a special training session; check out an instructional CD from VCU Libraries Media Reserves; or access KnowledgeNet, VCU’s technology on-line tutorial system.

Departments may schedule a special training session for a minimum of five people. To schedule a training session, contact Lucy Halunko at 828-7713 or lhalunko@vcu.edu. Instructional CDs are available for a three day checkout through VCU Libraries Media and Reserves Services located on the 3rd floor of Cabell Library. The instructional CDs are housed under Course Reserves , the course title listed as Technology Services – Technology Self-paced Tutorials. Twenty titles are available for checkout with topics on Photoshop, Digital Cameras, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Dreamweaver, Flash, Adobe Premiere, HTML/XML, Linux, PC Security and PC Troubleshooting http://www.library.vcu.edu/reserves/ . KnowlegeNet, an on-line technology tutorial system, is available 24/7 to all faculty, staff and students with easy access through My VCU Portal. Login to My VCU Portal and Turn Off your Pop Up Blocker to access over 200 instructional tutorials.

Technology Service will offer hands-on workshop this fall. A postcard listing topics will be mailed out later this summer. Training in the use of Blackboard and other instructional strategies is offered by the Center for Teaching Excellence. Check the VCU Training web site for the latest course offerings, http://www.pupinfo.vcu.edu/training/it/

Posted by at 10:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On Saturday, May 20th at 11:30pm Technology Services will turn off all computers, servers, and other equipment in the VCU Computer Center (VCUCC) so that electricians can install two additional power panels. Critical VCU systems are expected to remain available until at least 11pm on Saturday. Once the electricians are done we will turn everything back on, starting with the critical systems, which should all be back on by Sunday at 6am; other systems will be up by noon.

As this process will be done overnight the affect to you should be minimal. You will not lose any data, but your e-mail, Blackboard and web sites won't work during the shutdown. There is nothing you need to do unless you're running automatic scans or calculations, in which case you'll need to arrange for the timing on those to change.

If you have any questions please contact the Technology Services Help Desk at 828-2227.

Posted by at 3:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)