Connectivity « Informasietegnologie

Connectivity

US network picks up speedUS-netwerk tel spoed op

Friday, January 25th, 2013

Just like Lance Armstrong over the past few years, the university network also became faster over the past few months. Luckily we don’t have any dubious activities to declare.

Last year the decision was made to start upgrading the network of all academic buildings, as well as student residences. The project entails the upgrade of fibre connections to the central IT core.

Until recently a large part of buildings on campus were still equipped with outdated cabling which caused network connections to be slow and unresponsive. The existing network was also not geared for the growing capacity and needs of it’s users.

Therefore it was decided to standardise all buildings as soon as possible and upgrade from 1Gbit per second to 10Gbit per second bandwidth. This project forms part of the greater aim to ensure the SU network will have the ability to supply adequate bandwidth to meet growing academic demands. After the upgrade, the university will be ready for future applications and services which will potentially require higher bandwidths for optimal functioning.

Thirteen academic buildings and seven student residences have been upgraded to higher speeds. The remaining buildings and residences will be upgraded over the next few months. Upgrades will, as far as possible, be done over lunch times or after hours and departments will be notified beforehand if down times will occur.

Dis nie net Lance Armstrong wat vinniger geword oor die afgelope paar jaar nie. Die US-netwerk het ook die afgelope paar maande begin spoed optel. Gelukkig het ons nie twyfelagtige aktiwiteite om te verklaar nie.

Sedert verlede jaar is daar beplan om alle akademiese geboue en koshuise se veselkoppelinge na die IT “core”, waar alles bymekaar kom, op te gradeer. Die grootste gedeelte van geboue op kampus was tot onlangs nog bekabel met verouderde bekabeling. As gevolg hiervan was netwerkverbindings soms stadig en kon nie die groeiende kapasiteit en behoeftes van gebruikers hanteer nie.

Daar is gevolglik besluit om so spoedig moontlik alle geboue te standardiseer en op te gradeer vanaf 1Gbit per sekonde na 10Gbit per sekonde bandwydte. Hierdie projek vorm deel uit van die groter plan om die US-netwerk van voldoende bandwydte te voorsien sodat die groeiende akademiese behoeftes vervul kan word. Na die opgradering sal die universiteit gereed wees vir die applikasies en dienste van die toekoms wat potensieël hoë bandwydte benodig om optimaal te funksioneer.

Dertien akademiese geboue en sewe koshuise is reeds opgegradeer na die nuwe spoed bekabeling. Die res van die geboue en koshuise op kampus word oor die volgende paar maande aangepak. Opgraderings word so ver moontlik oor middagetes of na-ure geimplementeer en departemente sal vroegtydig in kennis gestel word indien enige aftyd mag voorkom.

Posted in Connectivity, General | 1 Comment »

How do South Africans use their smart phones?Waarvoor gebruik Suid-Afrikaners hulle selfone?

Friday, November 23rd, 2012

Ever wondered what other South Africans use their smart phones for? Well, designers Grant Barnard and Elizabeth Joss came up with a nifty infographics that will break it down for you.

According to the infographic cellphones are the most popular telecommunications device in South Africa and interestingly enough, also the device most used by South Africans to access the internet.

SOURCE: www.techtalkafrica.com

Het jy al ooit gewonder waarvoor ander Suid-Afrikaners hulle slimfone gebruik? Wel, ontwerpers Grant Barnard en Elizabeth Ross het die feite omskep in `n eenvoudige visuele opsomming.

Volgens statistieke, is slimfone die populêrste telekommunikasie-toestel in Suid-Afrika en ook die toestel wat die meeste deur Suid-Afrikaners gebruik word om toegang tot die internet te kry.

SOURCE: www.techtalkafrica.com

Posted in Connectivity, Internet | Comments Off on How do South Africans use their smart phones?Waarvoor gebruik Suid-Afrikaners hulle selfone?

Virtual classrooms become reality at Worcester campusVirtuele klaskamers word `n werklikheid by Worcester-kampus

Friday, November 9th, 2012

Although use of visualised desktops has been in use at the Main Campus CUAs for several years, with considerable success, smaller campuses like Tygerberg and the Business School, have been unable to adopt the technology because of the prohibitive costs of the infrastructure that is required in the background. (network and storage) However in 2012 a new company, Pivot3 entered the market with a decidedly innovative solution to provide VDI for smaller enterprises.

But what is VDI or Virtual Desktop Integration?

Wikipedia describes VDI as the storing of a “virtualized” desktop on a remote central server, so that when users work from their local machine, all of the programs, applications, processes, and data used are kept on the server and run centrally.”

VDI allows users to run an operating system and execute applications from a smartphone or “thin client” where the processing power and capacity is delivered by the server and not the user’s own computer. The most obvious benefit is that there is no longer any need for huge, power-hungry and expensive workstations or personal computers.

Secondly, the “desktops” are managed centrally and thus can be updated and patched without the need for technicians to go from computer to computer, updating and managing patches, repairing broken operating systems.

With the completion of Stellenbosch University’s Worcester Campus – the hub of the Ukwanda Rural Clinical School, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences identified VDI as a solution to deliver “virtual classrooms” and desktops to the students and personnel based at Worcester Campus. Although the Worcester Campus can permanently accommodate 50 students, there are large numbers of “visiting” students that are hosted at the Worcester Campus. Meeting the needs and requirement of this “passing traffic” on this small campus (with a single personnel member to run the ICT infrastructure) was an enormous challenge.

Fortunately, the FMHS was introduced to the Pivot3 VDI appliance solution – a blend of highly-tweaked Dell servers and VMWare’s VMView virtualization software – being introduced at a fraction of the cost of the equivalent VDI solution running at the Stellenbosch University Main Campus – SAN/Citrix/XenDesktop.

The FMHS recognised the potential and cost-effectiveness of Pivot3’s VDI appliance solution, and purchased the first unit on the continent to be used in an academic environment.

The immediate benefit of Pivot3-VDI is that custom and standardised desktops can be delivered to students and personnel on the Worcester Campus, on demand and literally in seconds, without the need for extensive IT personnel to personally set up and configure individual computers. Old computers, laptops, tablets, Android cellphones can all receive and operate the same desktop and software.

However Pivot3 did not anticipate another possible use of their product – as a delivery mechanism for secure electronic exams! Stellenbosch University makes considerable use of e-assessment and LMS systems like WebCT/Blackboard and Moodle, but accommodating large numbers of students at the same time to write these online exams is a challenge. With a product like Pivot3, the FMHS will be able to allow students to use their own devices (BYOD) to write electronic exams, by delivering preconfigured and secure desktops on demand for the exams increasing the capacity of the FMHS for electronic exams.

Worcester Campus and FMHS is currently engaged in extensive trials of its new VDI solution, and by the middle of 2013 will have a fully deployed VDI solution for desktops and electronic exams to approximately 100 students and personnel.

ARTICLE BY DAVID WILES

Die gebruik van virtuele gebruikerskoppelvlakke word al vir `n geruime tyd met groot sukses op die hoofkampusse gebruik. Weens die hoë kostes verbonde aan die infrastruktuur kon kleiner kampusse soos Tygerberg en Belville Park nie gebruik maak van hierdie tegnologie nie.

Lees die volledige artikel in Engels hier.

Posted in Connectivity, General, Internet | Comments Off on Virtual classrooms become reality at Worcester campusVirtuele klaskamers word `n werklikheid by Worcester-kampus

HUAWEI consulted about network instabilityHUAWEI se hulp ingeroep vir netwerkonstabiliteit

Thursday, November 1st, 2012

Since this weekend, access to the residential segment on the SU network has been extremely unstable.

IT’s network engineers have been working since Monday on finding a solution to the problem. HUAWEI and First Tech have also been consulted to assist with the trouble shooting process.

We are well aware of the inconvenience caused by this network instability, especially at such a critical time of year.

Be assured that we are doing everything within our power to resolve the situation as soon as possible.

Daar word sedert die afgelope naweek ernstige probleme met die netwerktoegang op die koshuissegment van die US-netwerk ondervind.

IT se netwerkingenieurs werk sedert Maandag onverspoosd aan `n oplossing vir die probleem. HUAWEI en First Tech is sedertdien ook betrek om die proses te probeer bespoedig.

Ons is deeglik bewus van die ongerief wat die huidige netwerk-onstabiliteit veroorsaak, veral gedurende hierdie kritieke tyd van die jaar.

Wees asseblief verseker dat ons alles binne ons vermoë doen om die situasie so gou as moontlik op te los.

Posted in Connectivity, General | Comments Off on HUAWEI consulted about network instabilityHUAWEI se hulp ingeroep vir netwerkonstabiliteit

Lost your cell phone?Selfoon voete gekry?

Friday, October 26th, 2012

You know that sinking feeling when you realise you’re lost your wallet/phone/keys? Well, we can help you with the lost phone …

If your cell phone has been stolen, there are ways to prevent whoever has your phone from accessing your data and personal information. Some applications can even track the location of your phone.

Which method you use, depends on the phone you use.

1. BlackBerry

BlackBerry Protect is a free application able to assist you with locating your BlackBerry and to ensure that your data is safe.

If you lose your BlackBerry, you can log on to the BlackBerry Protect website and lock your device to make sure the person who has it, can’t use it. If you’re pretty sure you won’t be seeing your phone again, you can remove your data and SD card via the website.

If you are registered on Blackberry’s Enterprise Server, the device can also be wiped on the server side.

If you merely lost your phone, there’s also the option to lock your phone and display a message on the screen for whoever finds your phone. By means of GPS, it’s possible to establish your phone’s location and find it again. Or, if you suspect the device is within hearing distance, just adjust the volume to it’s loudest setting and you’ll be able to find your phone,

Apart from these functions, you can also backup your contacts, calender and bookmarks wirelessly. This can be done automatically and as frequently as you prefer (daily, weekly or monthly)

If you’ve replaced your old BlackBerry with a new one, you also can get your backed up settings, contacts and calender items back with BlackBerry Protect.

2. iPhone

Apple users can user Find My iPhone via the iCloud-fasiliteit.

Sign on at iCloud.com or use the Find My iPhone app on a different phone to locate your phone on a map, display a message on the screen, lock the phone and display a message or wipe your data.

With iOS 6, iCloud also provides a Lost Mode, which makes it even easier to lock your phone with a four digit password and send a message to the phone with a contact number. If the phone is in Lost mode, it will continuously keep track of where the phone was and you’ll be given a report when you sign on to p iCloud.com or on the Find My iPhone app.

3. Android

If Google Sync is configured on your phone or the Google Apps Device Policy application on your Android, your data and personal information can be wiped from another device. Use this function when you phone has been stolen or lost. Just keep in mind the remote wipe function will remove ALL device based data – e-mail, calendars and contacts and reset your phone to it’s initial default factory settings. It will not, however, remove data stored on the SD card.Jy ken daardie nare gevoel as jy besef jy het jou sleutels/ beursie of selfoon verloor? Wel, ons kan raadgee vir die verlore selfoon …

As jou selfoon gesteel is, is daar maniere om te keer dat wie ookal sy hande op jou selfoon gekry het, nie ook jou data en persoonlike inligting te siene kry nie. Sommige toepassings kan selfs die ligging van jou foon bepaal.

Watter metode jy kan gebruik hang af van watter foon jy het.

1. BlackBerry

BlackBerry Protect is `n gratis toepassing wat jou kan help om jou verlore BlackBerry op te spoor en ook om die inligting daarop veilig te hou.

As jy jou BlackBerry verloor het, kan jy bloot aanteken op die BlackBerry Protect webwerf en jou toestel sluit sodat die persoon wat dit het, dit nie kan gebruik nie. As jy vermoed jy gaan dit nie gou weer sien nie en jy nie wil hê engiemand moet jou persoonlike inligting in die hande kry nie, verwyder net eenvoudig via die webwerf jou inligting en ook jou mikroSD-kaart. As jy geregistreer is as `n gebruiker op Blackberry se Enterprise Server, kan die toestel ook via die bediener skoongevee word.

As jy bloot jou selfoon in die diep donkertes van jou handsak verloor het, is daar die opsie om dit te sluit en `n boodskap op die tuisskerm te laat verskyn vir die persoon wat dit kry. Deur middel van GPS is dit dan moontlik om die ligging op `n kaart te kry en dit weer te kry. Of, as jy vermoed jou selfoon is binne hoorafstand, stel die volume op sy hardste en jy behoort gou die verlore foon te kan naspeur.

Buiten hiervoor kan die diens ook jou kontakte, kalender en boekmerke wireless rugsteun. Laasgenoemde word outomaties gedoen en so gereeld soos jy verkies (daagliks, maandeliks of weekliks).

Indien jy `n nuwe BlackBerry gekoop het, kan jy met BlackBerry Protect jou toestel gerugsteunde verstellings, kontakte en kalenderitems weer terugkry.

2. iPhone

Apple-gebruikers kan gebruikmaak van Find My iPhone via die iCloud-fasiliteit.

Teken in by iCloud.com of gebruik die Find My iPhone toepassing op `n ander toestel om jou foon op `n kaart op te spoor, `n boodskap op sy skerm te vertoon, die toestel slegs toeganklik te maak dmv ‘n wagwoord, of om jou data te uit te vee.

Met iOS 6, bied iCloud ook Lost Mode, wat dit nog makliker maak om jou foon op te spoor. Lost Mode sluit dadelik jou foon met `n viersyfer wagwoord en stuur `n boodskap na die foon met `n kontaknommer.

As die foon in Lost Mode is, hou dit ook deurentyd rekord van waar dit was en gee dit aan jou `n verslag wanneer jy aanteken op iCloud.com of op die Find My iPhone toepassing.

3. Android

Indien Google Sync gekonfigureer is op jou foon of die Google Apps Device Policy toepassing op jou Android, kan jy ook jou data vanaf `n ander toestel afvee. Gebruik hierdie funksie as jou foon gesteel of verlore is om die data op die toestel af te vee en te herstel na sy oorspronklike formaat.

Onthou net, as jy die remote wipe-funksie gebruik, word alle toestel-gebaseerde data heeltemal afgevee – e-pos, kalender en kontakte. Dit kan egter nie die data wat op die SD-kaart is verwyder nie.

(SOURCES: www.techradar.com;

Posted in Connectivity, General, Security | Comments Off on Lost your cell phone?Selfoon voete gekry?

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