Student Computing Issues Committee's recommendations to DCSMT

June 4, 1999

1. Residence Hall Network Recommendations

• UNT provides only Internet (IP) access in the residence halls for Fall 1999. To meet the current timeline for connectivity in the residence halls for Fall 1999, UNT should only consider high-speed Internet connections for the short term. Future services should be added when other technologies can be examined in depth.
• UNT provides an opportunity for a NIC Fair. UNT provides a method where by vendor(s) can set-up temporary facilities at residence halls during the move-in period and offer NICs and possibly other services to residents. Some possible services include NIC sales and installation and whole system sales.
• Residence halls provide technical support. The residence halls will handle connectivity support within the current support structure of the residence halls. This includes port management, connections and facilitating a user-based support group. The Computing Center Helpdesk would route the appropriate trouble tickets to the residence hall support groups.
• Current policies are applicable to residence hall connectivity. Network use is covered under computer use policies. The Student Code of Conduct is applicable in many circumstances as well.
• Authenticated network use is preferred. Some methods include DHCP, Firewall, or out-of-band authentication.
• Residence hall computing environment should be managed to minimize impact on production UNT resources. The residence hall network should not impact mission critical computing resources of UNT networks. Limiting Internet bandwidth during UNT business hours and creating user groups are options.
• Residence halls create a user agreement to alert users to key issues associated with residence hall network connections. Some key issues include support, appropriate use, connectivity, security and discipline. The user agreement is also key in collecting node information such as machine, OS and NIC types.

1. Students in the Tree Recommendations

• CWN demonstrates the implementation and management of SIT accounts. For example, implementations of profiles, drive mappings, and workstation objects.
• Account distribution handled on-line via secure website.
• No central support for network storage. Centralized storage is costly and requires quota management, backup and creates one point of failure for SIT accounts.
• SIT accounts programmatically allow for mapping to storage space in distributed areas. SIT account login scripts should allow for mapping to individual network storage in distributed areas that offered such service.
• SIT does not imply global access to specialized software. Specialized software or resources may only be available in a particular lab.
• No e-mail associated with the SIT account. Students should be encouraged to use the student e-mail service associated with their Internet Services Account.
• Passwords can be reset at Checkin stations in General Access Labs. Each lab should offer a mechanism for resetting passwords on-demand.
• SIT accounts are used for NDS authentication. Local machine installations remain the same with no attempt to make all software available in all labs.
• Station accounts should be eliminated in all General Access Labs. Students should activate their SIT accounts and be required to use them when in a lab.

1. General Access Lab Menu Recommendations

• GALMAC and DCSMT determine what is "General Access Software". GALMAC and DCSMT establish and periodically review the software titles to be included on the General Access Software menu.
• Top-level menu on each platform includes "General Access Software" item. The first level of the menuing system available for each platform should include the General Access Software menu.
• Contents of General Access Software menu limited to agreed titles. This helps to maintain a common menu across all labs.
• Any other software titles must be arranged in a unit menu item. Each computing area may have a customized menu item to include additional software titles.
• General Access Software installed with same options in every lab. To provide additional commonality in the labs, each General Access Software title should be installed with the same options in each lab.
• One access method per platform to General Access Software to limit confusion. To reduce confusion and provide additional commonality in the labs, there should not be other methods, such as shortcuts on the desktop, to access General Access Software.
• General Access Software and additional software lists are updated regularly on the appropriate web sites. To provide customers easier access to software availability, each area should keep its software list up to date and available on a web site. GALMAC is responsible for maintaining the General Access Software list on its web site.