Duo Two-Factor Authentication Live Thursday April 7.

Duo Goes Live Thursday April 7. At 9:30 AM on Thursday, April 7, 2016, OIT will implement two-factor authentication for SMU staff to certain online services, starting with my.SMU. On April 21st, the two-factor authentication requirement will be expanded to all SMU employees. The two-factor authentication utilizes a solution from Duo Security called Duo Mobile.

What is Duo and what does it mean to me?

Duo two-factor authentication (2FA) adds a second layer of security to online services. Verifying your identity using a second factor (like your phone or another mobile device) helps prevent anyone but you from using your SMU account to log in to a protected service, even if they know your password. In other words, Duo provides assurance that only you can access protected information.

Duo and my.SMU

The first system to be protected with Duo two-factor authentication is the Payroll, time reporting, HR & Benefits areas of my.SMU. This will provide protection for your direct deposit accounts, bank routing information, tax statements, and other sensitive employee data. Your access to Web Clock will also be protected.

What do I need to do?

Download the Duo Mobile app from your smartphone’s app store. Duo Mobile works with Apple iOS, Google Android, BlackBerry, Palm, Windows Phone 7, Windows Mobile 8.1 and 10, and J2ME/Symbian.
Don’t have a smartphone, don’t worry. You can also use a landline, tablet, or an SMS.
On your desktop or laptop computer, log in to my.SMU and access secure information, such as your past paychecks or W2.
Follow the on screen DUO enrollment instructions. We suggest having your smartphone available to scan a QR code with the Duo Mobile app.
Add a second device, such as your office phone.

Step by step instructions can be found at blog.smu.edu/itconnect/2016/03/29/duo-two-factor-authentication-2fa-setup/

To find out more about Duo two-factor authentication, including FAQs about Duo and video tutorials, please visit the Duo service page at www.smu.edu/oit/services/duo.

If you have any problems or concerns, please contact
the IT Help Desk at 214-768-HELP (4357).

Technology Upgrade Project

Each year, the University sets aside funding to upgrade classroom technology and designated computers. Historically, these upgrades occur all year long. OIT will introduce a new process this year to target a majority of these upgrades during the summer months.

Although compressing the schedule offers several challenges, it also offers several benefits. By ordering several hundred computers at one time, we are able to secure the hardware at a reduced cost, thus allowing us to upgrade more machines. It also allows us to minimize the impact to faculty during the heavier academic terms. The Client Architecture team, who oversees the installations, will have more time to focus on lab management and software distribution during the academic term with less oversight on upgrades. In addition, older hardware tends to be more problematic. So ensuring that the technology is refreshed regularly decreases the number of hardware related disruptions.

Under the Technology Fund, primary computer and instructional computers are eligible to be replaced after a certain timeframe. In order to receive funding, the computer must be assigned to a faculty or staff member and have a current LANDesk agent installed and functioning. Individuals with eligible machines will receive an email during the second week of April. That email will contain a link to the survey which requests additional information, and allows those individuals to recommend a date for their installation. Once the schedule has been established, they will receive a confirmation email with the date and time of the appointment. The installation itself should take one hour unless there is a very large amount of data to be transferred.

We have made several changes to our install process to expedite the process as much as possible. During the summer months, Premier Logitech will increase their staffing to accommodate the larger workload. Since this will bring a lot of new faces onto campus, each technician will be wearing a Premier Logitech badge to identify themselves. We hope to complete between 800-1200 computer upgrades during the summer months.

Unified Messaging: Your New Voicemail System

In this webinar, learn more about the new voicemail system. Discover all of the new features Microsoft Unified Messaging brings to SMU! View the webinar after the break. Continue reading Unified Messaging: Your New Voicemail System

Elevating Inside.SMU to SharePoint in the Cloud

As part of OIT’s efforts to improve services across campus, Inside.SMU, our internal collaboration platform, will be moved to Microsoft’s SharePoint in the Cloud service.

Sharepoint Online This change allows us to offer the latest version of SharePoint (the underlying software that ran Inside.SMU) to campus. It also provides you with additional features and a more reliable means of file storage and collaboration.

In the coming weeks, departments across campus will receive information on when their department’s data within Inside.SMU will be moved to the cloud. Usually, no action is needed on your part. If action is required, you will be notified by an OIT representative.

lyndaCampus Adoption on Campus Increases

lynda.com When we at OIT introduced lyndaCampus in late 2015, we were excited to begin offering a new way to learn about all kinds of business and creative skills and software. Turns out, you were just as excited!

As of April 1, almost 800 people ranging from students, faculty, and staff have logged into Lynda.com. On top of that, over 15,000 videos have been viewed, totaling around 11,00 hours of online training reviewed since Lynda.com was first offered.

Out of all those hours of viewing, here are the top courses overall that have been viewed in Lynda. Maybe some may be of interest to you the next time you log in.