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Connectivity

Filesender – a secure service for sharing large files

Tuesday, February 5th, 2019

SANReN has implemented the latest version of Filesender, a web-based application that allows authenticated users to securely and easily send web-based large files to other users.

Below are the guidelines for accessing the service and what values it adds to your day to day operations.

What problem does the service solve?

You need to send a file larger than a couple of megabytes to someone and the e-mail comes back: “attachment too big” or “mailbox too full”, that’s where FileSender comes in handy.

How do I use the service?

Upon logging in, you are presented with a user-friendly interface. You can set the file to be available for download for a certain period so that it automatically gets removed when the file reaches its expiry date. You have an option to drag and drop your file when uploading it to the application. You also have an option to get a link to the file after uploading it or send it to a recipient as an e-mail.

The service is integrated with the South African Identity Federation (https://safire.ac.za/), which provides a pool of institutions you can authenticate from to use the service. If your institution is not registered on SAFIRE as yet, you can log in with a social media account if you are from an eligible institution.

Where do I access the service?

You can access the service on https://filesender.sanren.ac.za

Drop us an e-mail on sysadmin@sanren.ac.za for any queries regarding the service.

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Access to SUNLearn and other systems

Monday, December 3rd, 2018

Over the past weekend a number of system failures were experienced. IT staff were called out and attended to the problems from Saturday. The most serious problems included:

• No access to SUNLearn (due to authentication system problems), resolved
• No access to exam venue lookup application on my.sun.ac.za, resolved
• Sun-e-HR authentication problems, resolved

The authentication system errors also had an impact on other systems on Saturday morning. These errors primarily affected access from outside the University campus.

The SUNLearn access problem was a serious concern for students preparing for exams, and was only solved by Sunday afternoon. Although now resolved, a temporary workaround for the exam venue issue was implemented: a list of exam venues was attached to a notification on SUNLearn.

IT apologises for the inconvenience caused by the system failures. For any inquiries please contact the IT Service Desk at 021 808 4367 or log a request on the ICT Partner Portal.

Tags: sunlearn
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Stricter rules for VPN

Thursday, June 21st, 2018

Many of our staff and students use FortiClient to obtain VPN access to the Stellenbosch University network when they are not on campus. To maintain a safe and secure network, we have to put measures in place for our services to minimise the potential exposure to the University from damages which may result from unauthorised use of university resources. This is particularly important when it comes to access via VPN to our network.

From 6 August 2018 new VPN users have to register for VPN usage. If you have used VPN (FortiClient) since 1 January 2018, you are considered a registered user by default and don’t have to reapply for access. However, if you are a new VPN user, please follow the process described below.

If you need VPN access to the SU network via FortiClient, the following simple process is applicable:

The head of your department needs to send an email to help@sun.ac.za motivating why you require VPN access for work purposes.
You will receive an email confirming your registration with instructions on how to install the FortiClient needed for VPN usage.

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a way of connecting your off-site computer directly to the University network and allows you to access internal resources such as other computers, network storage, websites, journals using the applications already installed on your off-site computer. VPN provides an encrypted connection which helps to ensure that sensitive data is safely transmitted and prevents unauthorized people from eavesdropping on the traffic, allowing the user to conduct work remotely.

A secure VPN connection to the SU network with FortiClient is not necessary for standard, web-based services. These include email, library resources, SUNLearn or the SUN-e-HR website. All of these services are already accessible via the internet without a VPN connection.

More information on the use of VPN and FortiClient at SU is also available on our service catalogue.

Tags: forticlient, remote access, vpn
Posted in Connectivity, Security | Comments Off on Stricter rules for VPN

Pensioners: Reactivation of electronic services

Tuesday, February 27th, 2018

All persons using the SU network have to reactivate for network usage (e-mail, internet, etc.) on an annual basis. Pensioners still using SU resources also have to complete this process to ensure they still have e-mail access.

Over the past few weeks users received an e-mail notice from helpinfo@sun.ac.za indicating that their username will expire. Generally three warnings are sent before the deadline on 1 April. Since some pensioners pay for access themselves and not a departmental cost centre, the payment method differs. Pensioners can pay for the reactivation of electronic access using one of the following methods:

EFT
Payment of R345-00 via EFT. To do the EFT payment, Stellenbosch University must be added as a beneficiary on your online banking profile.
For SU banking details, please contact us.

Cashiers at Admin
Cashiers at Admin A on Stellenbosch campus or cashiers on Tygerberg campus.
Pensioners make a payment of R345-00 at the cashier with receipt type 1107 (network registration)
SU number will also be required.

If you have any questions, please contact the IT Service Desk at 021 808 4367 or help@sun.ac.za.

Tags: pensioners, reactivation
Posted in Connectivity, E-mail | Comments Off on Pensioners: Reactivation of electronic services

OneDrive for Business: Anonymous file sharing

Monday, January 22nd, 2018

Information Technology recently assessed our OneDrive for Business platform to ensure that no security risks exist for our users and network. During this assessment we identified a number of users who are currently using the anonymous sharing function (“Anyone with the link can view and edit”) on OneDrive.

With anonymous file sharing there is no control or record of who has access to the shared files. Anybody who has the link can access and/or edit the files. This poses a security risk for the University and our users. For this reason we are compelled to switch off anonymous usage.

From Thursday, 1 February 2018 you will no longer be able to share files anonymously on OneDrive. Sharing will still be possible with internal and external users, but at a higher security level.

Guides on best practices for sharing files on OneDrive is available www.sun.ac.za/itselfhelp under the Office365 section or directly on this page. If you are have any enquiries, please contact the IT Service Desk by emailing help@sun.ac.za or calling our Service Desk at 808 4367.

Tags: Onedrive
Posted in Connectivity, General, Internet, Security | Comments Off on OneDrive for Business: Anonymous file sharing

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