Category Archives: Projects & Services

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WiFi update

It may be cold outside, but WiFi upgrade work still continues on buildings across the Ann Arbor campus.  Many of the buildings currently under construction or design play an important role in supporting operations for the U-M campus. Check out our current progress. Recently completed: Arbor Lakes Bldgs. 1, 2, 3, Central Power Plant, Marie Dorothy Hartwig Administrative… Read More »

New social login service supports guest access

A new Identity and Access Management (IAM) service is a gamechanger in helping the Alumni Association fulfill its mission to connect alumni with services that nurture an ongoing relationship with the university. “Using social login allows the Alumni Association to overcome the single biggest barrier for providing alumni access to our online services and alumni benefits,” says Andre… Read More »

CTools project sites reminder

ITS recently completed an initial round of communications to all faculty and staff CTools project site owners. Since communications started last September, site owners have downloaded 650 sites and deleted over 1,400 sites. The target date for transitioning all active project sites from CTools is August 31, 2018; however, individual units may choose an earlier date. All historical… Read More »

Improvements to MCommunity

ITS recently completed critical enhancements to MCommunity, which had been experiencing significant backlogs during peak data periods. Additions, changes, and removals for individuals and groups were taking days to process, which caused provisioning and communication issues for campus. In the fall of 2016, ITS set a priority to improve the reliability and performance of MCommunity as well as… Read More »

ITS offers new cloud vendor choices

For several years, Information and Technology Services (ITS) offered Amazon Web Services (AWS) at U-M as its sole cloud computing IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) offering. That is changing. U-M recently signed enterprise agreements to offer Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). The addition of these industry leading vendors provides a strong foundation of cloud computing solutions, and will enable… Read More »

Collaboration creates new digital signage that engages, informs Michigan Medicine community

As one of the largest health care systems in the world, communication to the more than 26,000 Michigan Medicine employees is not always easy. “As an organization, we are continuously looking for new channels to communicate important news and updates to employees,” said Kathleen McCool, employee communications manager with the Michigan Medicine Department of Communication. “Email is not… Read More »

Yottabyte now HIPAA-compliant

Computing platform Yottabyte Research Cloud (YBRC), offered through Advanced Research Computing – Technology Services (ARC-TS), is now HIPAA-compliant. YBRC and its associated services can accept restricted data, enabling secure data analysis on Windows and Linux virtual desktops as well as secure hosting of databases and data ingestion. The new capability ensures the security of restricted data through the… Read More »

New web hosting platforms to meet campus needs

Information and Technology Services is redesigning and launching new web hosting platforms that are tailored to the unique and varying needs of the U-M community. “The main aspects of the hosting platforms will be reliable and robust cloud-first architecture, scalable and flexible environment, simple provisioning, and security improvements,” says Deborah Gowan, director of ITS application operations. “Individuals can… Read More »

Improving Dearborn IT services end-to-end: Phase I is complete!

By | December 11, 2017

TeamDynamix goes live as the UM-Dearborn IT service management tool on December 13. With this upgrade, campus members will have access to a full use self-service portal, putting ITS and the Service Desk at their fingertips to request services, find answers to questions, or open a ticket to seek assistance.  Visit our Service Desk self-service portal to see… Read More »

Your input needed on long-term plans for cosign

The ITS Identity & Access Management team (IAM) is exploring how the university could begin moving away from use of cosign authentication and toward more modern, flexible, supportable alternatives. Cosign has been the university’s secure single sign-on web authentication system for more than 15 years. Originally designed at U-M, the open source software was once widely used across… Read More »

Final update on Cisco Finesse migration for contact centers

This is a final reminder that one-button login for IP contact centers will be discontinued by ITS on December 22, 2017. The final contact center groups migrated to Cisco Finesse the week of December 6. We are making this change because the vendor is ending support for the one-button feature. For more information about this change, please visit the… Read More »

What do you think about MaizeLink?

ITS is piloting new software for campus called MaizeLink. Powered by OneCampus, the software uses search and filter technology to make it easier to organize preferred web-based campus services in one mobile-friendly location. For the last two years, ITS engaged campus user groups via interviews, surveys, and prototype reviews to search for software to do what this one… Read More »

WiFi update

Wow, have we come a long way! Eighty percent of in-scope buildings are completed. The team has upgraded 156 buildings to date as part of this effort.  Work in academic buildings is mostly complete, and upgrades in the remaining residence halls and administrative buildings are moving quickly. Check out our current progress. Recently completed: Facilities Services Building A.… Read More »

Detroit Center adds streaming & videoconferencing capabilities

The Detroit Center recently added online streaming and videoconferencing capabilities to its facility. Streaming is done through Sony’s Playstation Vue service via MGuest connectivity. Playstation Vue replaces the center’s previous use of DirecTV, which had become problematic during inclement weather. We incorporate streaming with our digital signage boards and conference room computers for broadcasting live events. The center has also… Read More »

Secure testing with Canvas exams

  LSA instructors who assign Canvas in-class exams now have a way to secure the testing environment with the LockDown Browser. Taking a Canvas exam in the LockDown Browser prevents users from copying, pasting, printing, accessing other applications, or visiting other websites during an online exam. Interested in learning more about how to give secure in-class exams in… Read More »

Microsoft Lync to be decommissioned Jan. 29

By | December 5, 2017

Since the university’s adoption of services such as Google’s G Suite and BlueJeans, the user base for Microsoft Lync, an instant messaging and conferencing tool, has been slowly declining. Because of this, the Ross School of Business, which has hosted and maintained the service for use by campus, will retire Microsoft Lync on January 29, 2018. Current users of… Read More »

Change to Microsoft Office 365 authentication

On December 4, Information and Technology Services enabled U-M Weblogin for Office 365, 2017. This change will impact faculty, students, and staff with a Microsoft Office 365 Education Suite account on all U-M campuses. Login information will change from a self-directed password to U-M Weblogin credentials. No other action is required by Office 365 account holders. This change is part of… Read More »