OIT Technology News: Summer 2016 Edition

OIT is currently testing a new antivirus application called CylancePROTECT. Cylance is a robust and powerful application that blocks virus and malware threats before they take hold. Read about this powerful antivirus tool.

Zoom, a cloud-based video conferencing and web conferencing service, is now available to use on campus. This eLearning tool provides an easy-to-use, high-definition video/audio conferencing service to faculty and students on just about any device.

On the afternoon of May 23, the Help Desk will be relocating from the Hughes-Trigg Student Center back to Fondren Library West. With that move, comes new hours for the summer.

With the recent update to the SMU Mobile App, you might have noticed a new button on your home screen, ID Card Balances. You can now check the balance on your Pony Express, Flex dollars, and all active meal plans with the SMU Mobile App.

This month, OIT upgraded the Appspace (formerly Nexus) software that runs the various digital displays on campus. The vendor has installed our digital signage solution on a more robust server with the latest version of Appspace. The new system will also have a new URL – appspace.smu.edu.

OIT has scheduled additional Canvas training sessions over the summer that cover advanced topics ranging from grade books to modules. A schedule of the upcoming sessions is available.

The Web Team has been working on updating our current install of Sitecore to 8.1. During the testing phase, they found an issue that is a showstopper. The upgrade has been delayed.

The wait is over for both Windows and Mac users for the latest version of Microsoft Office: Office 2016. Along with a new look to better match Windows 10, it also has a few handy new features that Office 2010 and 2011 were lacking.

The upgrade from Inside.SMU to SharePoint online continues. OIT recently transitioned their site to the cloud and site migration will happen at departmental levels this summer.