ITS ANNOUNCEMENTS

FALL 2023

FACULTY- Need new software for your class?

  1. Check to see if we already have it licensed.
  2. Want to be able run your software locally? ASK YOUR DEPARTMENT first, then reach out to the Help Desk. However, you can always utilize the software you need in the public computer labs or through the VPN.  
  3. Want to know what licensed software is available on campus?
  4. Need to make a software request?

STUDENT PRINTING on CAMPUS

Having trouble printing on campus in the computer labs? Printing from a ITS Lab or Classroom Computer: ITS Lab and Classroom Computers are configured to print directly to the Print@Binghamtonprinting system. If you're still having trouble ask the Help Desk person in the lab,  and/or go here: https://www.binghamton.edu/its/helpdesk/printing.

SPRING 2023


Students can now print from any device to Papercut while working in the public computer labs. How? Find out here.


Planned Network Maintenance Outage: Tuesday February 28th, 2023  
Science 1, Binghamton University main campus
6:00 to 8:00 am

During this planned network maintenance outage, portions of the network in Science 1 will be unavailable for approximately 60 minutes during the maintenance window. 

For questions about the planned outage, please contact Scott Hoeppner at hoeppner@binghamton.edu. If you are experiencing an issue outside of the planned outage time frame, please contact the Help Desk at 607-777-6420.


Changes coming to shared drives in Google Workspace for Education

Beginning January 1, 2023, Google changed their storage model for Google Workspace for Education from unlimited storage to a pooled storage model. Binghamton University now has a storage limit for all Google services based on our current student enrollment.

As part of this new pooled storage model, Google is removing the ability for users to create new Google Shared Drives themselves. Beginning on January 23, 2023, Information Technology Services will create new Google Shared Drives for faculty, staff or students based on requests submitted using the Google Shared Drive request form.

In addition, Google will set a file storage limit of 100 GB per Google Shared Drive on all new and existing Google Shared Drives. If you have a Google Shared Drive with over 100 GB of files, you will not be able to add or update files after the storage limit goes into effect on January 23, 2023. ITS will contact those who have Google Shared Drives that are over this new storage limit so they can take action if they need to keep their Google Shared Drive active.

Any help or questions can be directed to this link: https://www.blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/google-workspace-for-education

Or contact the Help Desk: https://www.binghamton.edu/its/helpdesk/

_______________________________

Be on the lookout for campus student payment request scams. Never click on any links in an email such as this one. What stands out as a scam? Binghamton University will never send out emails with a self service payment portal. 

FALL 2022


Software issue update
Information Technology Services has completed 100% of the repairs that have been reported to them by those who experienced minor issues with their computers due to the incident that occurred Tuesday. ITS continues to reach out to those who have had more significant issues, providing accommodations with loaners or by other means when necessary. Those with significant issues are also being contacted by phone and/or email to set up times to assess their computers and work with the users to determine how to proceed. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the Help Desk.


HELP! I can't find an open computer to work on in the public labs!

In need of a computer? The LabFind app makes it easy to find an available computer at one of the many on campus computer labs dedicated to providing computer and printer access and support.

labfind app

OCTOBER  - CYBERSECURITY MONTH!

Follow us on Twitter/Instagram @BINGHAMTONITS for tech tips, security know-hows and more...

Annual Required Cyber Security Training Available Thursday, October 20, 2022

Starting Thurs., Oct. 20, 2022, Binghamton University will make a yearly, mandatory Cyber Security Awareness training course available to faculty, staff, and students in the KnowBe4 training platform. The course remains available until Weds. Nov. 30, 2022, and the KnowBe4 system will send course enrollment and completion reminder emails from, do-not-reply@training.knowbe4.com.

Cybercriminals use various strategies in their attempts to trick you. You can fight back with this brief, to the point, training which will teach you how to identify these strategies and safely avoid them.

To access the training, log in to your myBinghamton portal at https://my.binghamton.edu and click the "KnowBe4" link on the left side of the page.  

KNOWBE4 TRAINING from the PORTAL on left links

If you have any questions, please contact the Binghamton University ITS Help Desk at 607-777-6420 or, helpdesk@binghamton.edu.


For the last several months ITS has been working with our commercial partners to implement a state-of-the-art redundant and cyber attack resilient data storage infrastructure solution.

This new infrastructure will accomplish a number objectives:

  • It will replace our current, but aged infrastructure
    It will be be housed both in the main campus data center and Johnson City data center
  • When users save, it will simultaneously be written to storage at both data centers, hence providing us data redundancy
  • It will be completely transparent to the end users
  • It has proprietary data protection algorithms which establish locked snapshots which are highly resilient against cyber attacks and ransomware attacks
  • If needed, snapshots can be recovered relatively quickly

We are at the late stages of the implementation. To make the new system live,  ITS needs to shutdown the existing storage infrastructure for two days to fully synchronize the data between the old platform and the new platform.

Based on the academic calendar and with the endorsement of University leadership, we have chosen October 23 and 24 as the most suitable dates. Beginning Sunday, October 23,  ITS will shut down our existing storage to synchronize the data and will plan on bringing the new storage online Monday morning on October 24.

The systems and data that will not be available on October 23 and 24 are:

  • Personal and departmental shared drives - H and S drives both on BU Share and Firestone
  • Research shares

The data and systems are expected to be available early October 24. If you experience any issues after 9 AM on Mon., October 24, please contact the Help Desk at 607-777-6420.


SEPTEMBER

Starting Thursday, September 29, 2022, the University supported VPN Client, Pulse Secure, will be rebranded to the Ivanti Secure Access Client.  As part of the rebranding, the company is retiring PulseSecure.net and the Pulse Secure name. This is the same product and same company, it just has a different look. 

VPN users will not have to do anything at this time, and their current Pulse Secure desktop client will continue to work. The branding change will be seen when one updates to the latest desktop client, after September 29th. Instructions for updating and installing the latest desktop client can be found at https://binghamton.teamdynamix.com/TDClient/45/Portal/KB/ArticleDet?ID=279.

Connecting from off campus - Accessing your network file space using SSL - Install Ivanti Secure Access Client (formerly Pulse Secure) and connect to the VPN

Ivanti Secure Access Client (formerly Pulse Secure VPN client) - Overview

VPN - Install/Upgrade Ivanti Secure Access (Formerly Pulse Secure) and Connect to the VPN

For questions contact the ITS Help Desk.


MAY 2022

Google 2-Step is required as of May 24, 2022.

SPRING 2022

  1. 2FA is required, and Google 2-Step is highly recommended - if you have not, do it now to access all Binghamton systems. GOOGLE 2-STEP • 2-STEP FOR TRAVELERS |  2FA .
  2. ITS would like to welcome new employees coming on board this semester.
  3. Check the SYSTEM STATUS if you seem to be having difficulty with connection or any tech issue regarding public lab or software/systems.
  4. THE BIG FOUR - FOR YOUR TECH SUCCESS. 4 things to do to prep for the semester: 1. GET CONNECTED 2. CHECK YOUR BMAIL & MY.BINGHAMTON REGULARLY 3. CYBERAWARENESS 4. TECH CHECKLIST

ARE YOU TECH READY FOR THE SEMESTER?

Review this ITS BLOG so you do not miss out on anything, and to stay secure/safe this semester!


Fall 2021 and Spring 2022

1. GET WISE TO PHISHING! Stay updated on recent scams.

2. DO your KNOWBE4 CYBER SECURITY TRAINING.

2: BEWARE: There is a resurgence of student employment scams.

GET WISE TO PHISHING IMAGE


SUMMER - FALL 2021

Pulse Secure VPN 2FA will use CAS 2FA beginning Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Information Technology Services will be transitioning the VPN (Pulse Secure) Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) to use the same second factor as CAS (Central Authentication Service) beginning on July 13, 2021.

CAS 2FA will remain unchanged. Those who have set up both 2FA systems will begin using the CAS “BingOTP” 6 digit One-Time-Password for Pulse Secure VPN on July 13. VPN users who have not yet set up 2FA for CAS will need to set it up in order to connect to VPN beginning on July 13. As a reminder, 2FA will be required for access to CAS effective August 1, 2021.

More information:
https://www.binghamton.edu/its/two-fa/index.html

Brightspace banner

Binghamton University is transitioning from myCourses (Blackboard) to a new Learning Management System (LMS), Brightspace by Desire2Learn (D2L).

This decision was made in collaboration with faculty and students over a two-year period. 

Visit the Brightspace announcements page for regular updates and information on how to prepare for your transition to Brightspace and visit the LMS Pilot page for more information on the decision-making process. More information such as training, FAQs, timeline, etc....Your first point of contact for questions and technical support with Brightspace should be Brightspace 24/7 Technical Support

5/19/21

SET UP YOUR 2FA TODAY by AUG 1 to avoid interruptions.

The entire campus should be set up with 2FA NOW, to keep systems running smoothly and for cybersecurity - to keep your personal information safe! If you have not done so by now, it's EASY and ONLY TAKES 5 minutes.

More information can be found here:

2FA for Pulse Secure VPN

2FA for all other services (myCourses, myBinghamton, BU Brain, etc.), utilizing Google Authenticator, Authenticator Browser Extension and Authy.

Questions and Answers About 2FA

Why is 2FA so important? 

5/18/21 - 3 Important Messages to B-AWARE of...

On Tuesday, June 1, 2021, Information Technology Services (ITS) is retiring two of its oldest servers, Bingsuns and BingNFS2, backup by end of May.  

On June 1, 2021, Information Technology Services (ITS) is retiring two of its oldest servers, Bingsuns and BingNFS2.  These servers are used to hold faculty and staff personal web pages ( https://bingweb.binghamton.edu/~username).  It was also used to mount file spaces for students in the Linux based computer lab facilities on campus.  ITS has created new environments to provide these personal web pages and Linux file share services.  The U drive is used for storage requirements and has been in place for two years now.  For the personal web pages, a new server has been set up to provide these services.  In order to migrate web pages, the owner should do the following:

Contact the Helpdesk and helpdesk@binghamton.edu or 607-777-6420 and request that your pages be migrated from Bingsuns to the new personal web page server.  Please open this request by May 27, 2021 in order to give ITS time to plan the migrations.

On May 31, 2021 ITS will no longer allow changes to the files on the old system and begin migrating any pages that were requested to the new system.  Updates to pages will not be available at this time.  ITS estimates that this process will take approximately 2-3 days.  After the migration is complete, ITS will point the bingweb.binghamton.edu/ domain name service entry (DNS) to the new server to allow old links to work.  The old servers will be shut down permanently on June 11, 2021.

If you simply wish to retain an archive copy of your personal web pages, then please be sure to download the information prior to the Bingsuns and BingNFS2 servers being shut down. If you need assistance with downloading the web pages, please contact the ITS Help Desk at helpdesk@binghamton.edu or 607-777-6420.

_____________________________________

Recent research assistant scam to be aware of and avoid:

Please be aware of the following research assistant scam that has been going around. Note: the scammers typically include the names of real Binghamton University professors in this email. These “offers” are NOT legitimately from these professors, and you should ALWAYS check the sender before doing anything. Binghamton University never sends out these types of emails, as all job openings are posted via Handshake. SEE MORE...

Recent employment scam to be aware of and avoid:

Please be aware of the following employment scam that has been going around. DO NOT reply to the email, as they could ask you for your personal information. Please note: the sender’s email address and email subject can change. This is NOT actually from any campus group. SEE MORE...

5/11/2021

Pulse Secure Desktop VPN to be temporarily unavailable due to upgrade on Tues., 5/11. ITS recommends users to update the desktop client on their computer to the latest version.

Between 6 - 7 AM on Tuesday, May 11 the Pulse Secure VPN will be unavailable due to a software upgrade. This upgrade is being performed to maintain a high level of security on the VPN.

It is recommended that you upgrade the Pulse Secure Desktop Client on your computer to the latest version. You can do so by following the instructions via IT Self Service.

Beginning June 1, your Pulse Secure Client will begin prompting you to conduct the upgrade directly if you have not already done so.

If you have any questions please contact the ITS Help Desk at 607-777-6420 or helpdesk@binghamton.edu

5/06/2021

Reminder to do ASAP: Keep operating systems up-to-date to avoid threats: Focusing on Mac and Dell vulnerabilities.

As people have become more reliant on their devices for just about anything and everything, security threats/vulnerabilities have become increasingly prevalent. However, installing regular updates and keeping your device software up-to-date can minimize the risk of these threats.

ITS recommends installing updates on all devices regularly. Outdated operating systems are becoming a target for cyberattacks due to their vulnerabilities. It is important to regularly install software updates, especially while you are working remotely. Every new software update has multiple bug fixes, security updates and patches to improve cybersecurity significantly.

To check for computer updates:

Dell : If you have a Dell PC, you’ll want to review this link to protect yourself against cyberattacks as soon as possible. Dell has been releasing a firmware update driver since 2009 that contains "five high severity flaws," according to security researchers at Sentinel Labs. The issue could affect hundreds of millions of PC, but the PC maker has now addressed the issue with a security patch, according to a Dell security advisory update. 

Windows:  Open Windows Update by clicking the Start button in the lower left corner. In the search box, type Update, and then, in the list of results, click either "Windows Update" or "Check for updates". Install critical Microsoft Windows updates immediately.

Mac: Go to the Apple icon, select System Preferences, then click "Software Update." Install the updates immediately.

It is also important to keep your mobile phones/tablets (IOS / Android devices) up-to-date, as bugs and patches are fixed regularly here – making the devices less vulnerable to attacks. For questions or assistance, please contact the ITS Help Desk at 607-777-420 or HelpDesk@binghamton.edu.

4/22/2021 - SET UP YOUR 2FA TODAY!

The entire campus should be set up with 2FA this SPRING to keep systems running smoothly and for cyber security - to keep your personal information safe! If you have not done so by now, it only takes about 5 minutes. More information can be found here:

2FA for Pulse Secure VPN

2FA for all other services (myCourses, myBinghamton, BU Brain, etc.), utilizing Google Authenticator, Authenticator Browser Extension and Authy.

Questions and Answers About 2FA

Why is 2FA so important? Plus, sign up by 4/20 and WIN a prize!

4/20/2021 - BANNER ISSUES

Banner INB (Internet Native Banner)
BUBrain (Banner SSB)

Date: 2021-04-20 11:35:51 EDT
Update: The Banner student records system including Banner INB and Banner Self-Service through BU Brain are both available. If you continue to see the System Status page instead of the web page for BANPROD or BU Brain, you may need to clear your browser history in order to reach the current web page and not a cached version of the page. Here are instructions for clearing the cache in Chrome: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95589?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en

We recommend selecting the option for "All time" when clearing the cache. You can also test to see if it is a cached version of the page by using an Incognito or Private window to log in. Safari, Firefox, Edge and other browsers have similar instructions for clearing the Cache or History, and also allow private browsing. Please contact the ITS Help Desk with any questions or to report any system problems.

Event Description:
The Banner student records system including Banner INB and Banner Self-Service through BU Brain are currently unavailable. Information Technology Services administrators are working on the problem. Any updates will be posted to the ITS System Status page.

Any updates to the status of Banner will be posted to the ITS System Status page.

4/2021

Please be aware of the following portal blue box link scam that has been going around. If you notice, the sender’s address is nothing like binghamton.edu. DO NOT CLICK on the link or input any personal information. This scam has been reported by faculty and students. For more recent scams to beware of, review the Information Security Phish Tank.

most recent phishing scam

3/2021 - TWO FACTOR AUTHENTICATION

Binghamton University is requiring that accounts use two factors of authentication (2FA) for certain services including myCourses, myBinghamton, BU Brain and others. The entire campus will be required to use 2FA in the near future, so we are asking you to sign up as soon as possible. (Note that this in addition to what you may already have configured for Pulse Secure VPN)

Looking for instructions for how to set up 2FA for Pulse Secure VPN? Click Here. For 2FA instructions regarding all other services (myCourses, myBinghamton, BU Brain, etc.) go here.


SPRING SEMESTER 2021 - TECH HELP?

Are you tech ready for the Spring semester? Need tech help or have tech issues? Check out the Student Tech Checklist and Student Tech FAQs and Easy Answers article.