Information Technology News

UCI Mobile Access Update

  

UCInet Mobile Access

Wireless networking is an exciting new technology, and NACS is helping introduce the campus to its benefits. NACS is conducting a pilot assessment of wireless networking and its effectiveness at the current state of this developing technology. The technology used is based on the 802.11b standard for 11MB wireless ethernet networking.

Four areas are currently covered by the UCI wireless network (called UCI Mobile Access): the UCI Student Center, the Main Library (and Gateway Study Center), Engineering Gateway (NACS public labs, and some third-floor Engineering rooms and labs), and the Graduate School of Management.

In the process, NACS has built a wireless backbone that will be able to support extension of the wireless network beyond the pilot sites. We’ve also gained sufficient experience that we no longer require the services of an outside consultant for radio frequency planning.

Other UC campuses have expressed interest in modeling their own wireless efforts on UCI’s example. The UCI Libraries have created a laptop lending program (laptops with wireless cards) so that students studying the the Main Library or Gateway Study Center can connect to the wireless network. Wireless Day (April 11) at the UCI Computer Store was also enthusiastically attended.

NACS is assessing functionality and popularity in hopes that further wireless sites can be justified. NACS is available for consulting with departments whose need for wireless technology is sufficiently urgent to invest departmental funds in extending the current wireless coverage. NACS is also examining the potential of this technology in nearby residential areas.

We expect that in developing this expertise, we can add value to any campus wireless activity. Since wireless networking is inseparable from certain security and shared-use considerations, we strongly recommend that all wireless activities be coordinated through NACS.

Up to date information on UCI Mobile Access can be found at http://www.nacs.uci.edu/ucinet/mobile. NACS also hosts a wireless discussion Listserv mailing list. Send e-mail to listserv@uci.edu with the message “Subscribe ucinet-wireless Yourfirstname Yourlastname”.

Windows 2000 Training

UCI is one of 50 US colleges and universities who have been awarded a training grant by Microsoft Research and University Relations. This grant will cover a three-course program of focused training in the administration of Windows 2000 in a university environment.

The donated training is targeted to IT professionals working in schools and departments that are in the process of, or very near migrating to Microsoft’s new operating system.

Over spring break, NACS hosted Phase 1 “Planning and Installing Windows 2000 in a University Environment” for 15 System Analysts, Technical Services Managers and NT Support Specialists from a variety of departments and schools, including the College of Medicine, Biological Sciences, the UCI Libraries, The Henry Samueli School of Engineering, Social Ecology, and University Extension.

The second class will focus on integrating Windows 2000 with UCI network services (e.g., DNS) and the final class will focus on Windows 2000 security. These two courses will be conducted during Spring quarter.

New ECE Computing Lab

Recently NACS helped the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) assemble a new computing lab for ECE majors.

The Computer Science and Engineering Instructional Laboratory comprises 32 “SunRay Appliance” Unix workstations and a four-processor server. The lab will also include a station running NACS’s PayPrint service for student printing. The creation of the new lab was driven by record enrollments in ECE and the Henry Samueli School of Engineering. The new facility will serve both as an instructional lab and a drop-in homework lab.

30 of the workstations are Sun Microsystems SunRay 100’s for student use. The other two are SunRay 1’s for use as teaching aids which can be connected to overhead projectors.

The SunRay appliances were selected for the lab because ECE found these systems allowed much lower per-seat administration costs than other options.

ECE and NACS wish to acknowledge a generous contribution from Sun Microsystems, which helped make the new lab possible.