Minutes for Admin Computer Support Meeting - April 28, 2005

Location and Time:

NH3001; 10am

Attendees:

Harry Blizzard (AV), Lynn Snider (Athletics); Donna Schell (Assoc Prov Bus. Opers; Student Services); Linda Howe (CPA); Karen Gallant (CBET); Ildiko Denes and Susan Schifflett (Persons of Disabilities); Judy Richardson and Andrew Ward (DCE); Michele Sguigna (Food Services); Cathy Jardine (Graduate Office); Tammy Marcinko and Jim Howard (HR); Sam Schmidt (IAP); Ian Read (Marketing and Undergrad - Reg Office); Ian Turner and Cathy Cooper (ODAA); Monica Wielonda and Donna McCracken (Plant Ops); Maria LeBlanc (Pres Office); Mike Gaspic (Reg Office); Lauri MacLeod and Randy Dauphin (Retail Services); Brenda Macdonald (Office of Research); Karen Jack (Secretariat); Peter Carette (UW Theatre Centre); Verna Keller (TRACE); Barb Yantha (Staff Association).

IST Attendees:

Tim Farrell (Presenter), Andrea Chappell (Presenter), Sandy Laughlin (Presenter; minutes for Desktop Computer Rollover Project), Paul Snyder (Presenter), Pat Lafranier (Chair), Jason Greatrex, Heather Wey (minutes), Phil Knipe, Peggy Day, Manfred Grisebach, Paul Henderson, Rob Yawney.

Agenda:

Welcome (Pat Lafranier)
GroupInfo (Tim Farrell)
Desktop Computer Rollover Project Update (Andrea Chappell)
Software and Security Update (Sandy Laughlin)
Reducing Spam Through GreyListing (Paul Snyder)
Bits and Bytes of Info (Pat)
Overview of Computing Environment in ODAA
Wrap-up (Pat)
PowerPoint Slide Presentation

Minutes (supplement to the PowerPoint slide presentation link above)

GroupInfo (Slide 3)

Tim connected to the active directory site to show and describe OU's, security groups, group info
Tim asked that when you submit a request to add a new member to security groups, to please be as specific as possible and to include uwuserids (rather than full name) and if more than one user to add should go on separate lines.
Also check to see if anyone should be removed from the group.
Asked for admin people to comment (send email to tim@ist) if the description fields made sense to them or were changes needed.

to access the GroupInfo file, do the following using your !account:

Map the drive (double-click "My Computer" > Tools > Map Network Drive > Folder box: type \\uwfile\depot$\ Check the box for "Reconnect at logon" > Finish.)
In the drive you mapped in step 1, open the folder titled "Academic Support Administrators Area". Then open "groupinfo" folder.
The groupinfo folder contains both a text file and a csv file (Excel) for both reports (bygroup and byuser).
Contact your Client Services liaison person if you require assistance.

Inventory (Slide 3)

Discussed inventory on computers - what group the computer belonged to.
Active directory can be used to compare against their inventory.
Asked what inventory systems were currently being used: excel spreadsheet, databases
New field has been added in dcsinfo "user"
Tim asked that if a computer is no longer in use, has been relocated, or has changed users a "request" should be submitted to update DNS, DHCP, and ADS.
If a machine has more than one user it could be associated with a Role
Please don't put co-op students in the user field unless you want to update every term.

Greylisting (Slide 20)

Q. Does greylisting work with aliases?

A. It may not work right now, however, it will work after May 18th

Q. Is this just email server to email server communication or will the

original sender of the email get a message?

A. Just behind the scenes (server to server).

Bits and Bytes (Slide 21)

Pat will provide the SpamAssassin Configuration form URL to bookmark. SpamAssassin Configuration form is also available via mywaterloo (web Email login) although it takes many clicks.

post-meeting: https://mailservices.uwaterloo.ca/spam/

Bits and Bytes (Slide 22)

Q: Will Power Users be switched to Users via Group Policy or as machines are rolled over?

A: New machines will be set up as Users, re-imaged machines are sometimes set to Users

Any interest in courses for Computer Support Reps? - no response.
Would procedures and instructions via a web page be better? - some positive response.
It's the end of Winter term. Please make sure you submit a request to have accounts deleted for the co-op students who are no longer working in your department.

Minutes by Heather Wey, Sandy Laughlin, and Pat Lafranier.

Last updated by Client Services on May 4, 2005.