November, 2006

Click here to see an Adobe Acrobat PDF version of this newsletter, suitable for printing.
 

Google Maps improves imagery for Town of Oneonta

Google is continuously improving its collection of aerial imagery as part of its Google Maps site (http://maps.google.com), and it recently upgraded the photos of the Town of Oneonta.  The images have much-improved resolution:

This quality is not available state-wide yet, so if you go looking outside Oneonta or most urbanized areas you will still be disappointed, but it is only a matter of time before such detail is provided.

Google Maps also provides excellent surface maps as well as a search feature that allows you to put in addresses to search, to view nearby businesses and other features, and to get driving directions.

An image of the block bounded by Ford, Center, Elm and Spruce Streets in Oneonta.

Son of Weather Cam

When Science 1 was closed for rehabilitation, we had to take down the camera that provided an exterior view of the sky and landscape for the Meteorology Department. 

A brand-new camera has been installed on the roof of Milne Library and can be accessed at http://weathercam.oneonta.edu. 

In the next month or so we will be adding a server to provide better access to the video feed and other products like time-lapse movies and archived images.

Phone Tips

While you are playing a message from Voicemail, you can hit 9 at any time to instantly call back the number that left the message - a real timesaver!

Speaking of messages, you can leave a message to the future - one that won't actually land in the recipient's voicemail until a date and time you specify:

When logged in to Meridian Mail, press 75 to compose a message.
Enter the number you want the message delivered to followed by ##.
Press 5 to start recording and press # to end recording.
Press 706 – enter the delivery month, date and time (the time must be in 24 hour format - so 2:30 PM would be entered as 1430), each followed by a #.
Press 79 to save the message.

Password Security

All of us have a number of computer and online passwords that we use daily at work and at home. They give us access to all kinds of things from full-text newspaper articles, Instant Messaging and e-mail to Banner and our personal bank accounts.  At SUNY Oneonta, we have a single password that allows access to a number of services we need regularly.  Your Oneonta domain password is used for computer registrations, computer log in, e-mail, web site management, Blackboard – just to name a few.  This makes life far more convenient for you and allows us to more efficiently provide services to you. 

It also makes that password a very valuable commodity!

Have you shared your Oneonta domain password with anyone?

Your supervisor?
A colleague?
A student?
Your son/daughter/spouse/sibling/parent/friend?

If you have, you have put yourself and the College at risk for a security breach.  You must always keep your password confidential.  Even if you contact the Information Technology Helpdesk, do not volunteer you password.  The students at the Helpdesk are instructed not to ask for your password.  If you have shared your password with anyone – even someone you trust or work with – change it immediately!  It's not that you shouldn't trust your close colleagues... but consider it from their point of view; if there was a security breach involving your account for whatever reason, would you want to put them in the position of having been the cause of it?

Take a look at the College's I.T. Security Program at http://www.oneonta.edu/technology/security/ITSP.asp#section9, and scroll down to the section on "User Password Management" for more information.

Call the Information Technology Helpdesk at x4567 if you need assistance changing your password or if your office shares resources with one person’s password.  We can help you set up an alternative collaborative environment.
  

Computer Services/Operations Report Distribution Procedures

The Computer Services/Operations Department makes every effort to maintain the integrity and security of SUNY Oneonta’s data.  An aspect of that charge has been identified as an area in need of improvement.  Current procedures regarding the distribution of printed materials (i.e. reports, labels, etc.) have often left these materials in a less-than-secure area of our department during normal business hours. In our continuing effort to maintain data security, the department has developed new procedures for the dissemination of printed materials.

Pick up of printed materials in the Computer Center

Departments expecting to be able to come to the Computer Center to retrieve their materials may continue to do so. The shelving unit, however, once located inside the Computer Center door will be re-located. Effective December 4th, 2006 the shelving unit will be located within the printer room in the Computer Center. This new location will provide added security to the materials as only selected employees have the appropriate card-access to gain entry to that room.

Operations personnel will be available in the Computer Center between the hours of 7:30 AM and 5:00 PM to assist departments in the retrieval of their printed material. The following schedule outlines Operations personnel availability on normal business days:

This schedule may be adjusted at times due to planned and unplanned time off.

Notification of printed materials in the Computer Center

There are several departments that receive printed materials on a daily basis; there are other departments that receive printed materials only when they request them; there are also departments who may on any given day receive printed materials from an overnight process. The first group knows that they will have output each day; presumably, the second group has been in contact with their programming liaison and expects output for that day; the third group, however, may or may not expect output on any given day. It is for this group that the following procedural change is being instituted.

When printed materials are not picked up in the Computer Center by noon of any given day, Operations personnel will assume that the department is not aware that the material has been printed. In such a situation, Operations personnel will contact that department via phone to notify them that output is waiting in the Computer Center.

Please contact Karl Lehenbauer (ext. 2355) with questions about these new procedures.
  

If you have a question for Computer and Telecommunication Services about:

Computer Problems or Related Issues - Call the Information Technology Help Desk at 436-4567

Telephone Service or Problems - Call the Office of Telecommunications at 436-2577

Directory Assistance - call 436-3500