News, Events & Media

Technology Changes

October 13, 2011

Apurva Mehta

** Please bookmark this page and review periodically to stay abreast of changes **

The list below describes the upcoming technology changes that will enhance various aspects of university life - from teaching and learning, infrastructure enhancements to campus wide application development and support.

Recently Completed

 

Project Briefings [PowerPoint Presentation]

Learning Management System - Selection of a new system

We are not going live with Blackboard Learn 9.1 until Fall 2012. Except for a small number of faculty taking part in pre-pilots, anyone who wants to use Blackboard Learn 9.1 should choose one of the following semesters to begin teaching in the system:

It is important however that you build in 3-4 months of lead time prior to teaching your first courses, for both training and ensuring the integrity of your course content after it is migrated.

More detailed information about our timeline, including a link to a recording of our preview session on Blackboard Learn 9.1 features can be found on our project site at http://bb91.wikispaces.umb.edu.

Our next live preview session (note: this is preview is not training) will be held after the start of the Spring 2012 semester. Faculty training opportunities for Blackboard Learn 9.1 will begin in late Spring 2012, and we will keep you informed as soon as workshops are scheduled.

--Mark Lewis on behalf of the Bb Learn 9.1 Migration Workgroup

Last Updated: December 8, 2011

Technology Classroom Upgrade

TEC 1 and TEC 2 AV Installations

1.    W-3-125 – Standard TEC 1 AV Installation - Completed
2.    W-4-122 – Standard TEC 1  AV Installation - Completed
3.    M-3-204C -  Modified TEC 2 AV Installation - Estimated completion March 4, 2011

A new TEC Classroom on the second floor of the Wheatley Building, W-2-107, we will be installing the AV Equipment in this room in late September or early October, making it a modified TEC 2 Classroom.

A light switch in the front of W-2-200 will allow the faculty member teaching in the room to turn off the front row of lights that are over the projection screen.  This will improve the viewing experience for the students by allowing the lights over them to remain on for note taking, etc... while darkening the area around the projection screen.

TEC 3 AV Installations for Seminar/Classrooms

All of these rooms will have a 55” LCD monitor installed on the wall with a wall mounted Off/On switch and a VGA and ethernet cable for laptop display

1.    M-1-415 - Completed
2.    M-1-421 - Completed
3.    M-2-415 - Completed
4.    M-2-420 - Completed
5.    M-2-421 - Completed
6.    M-3-415 - Completed
7.    W-1-040 - Completed
8.    W-4-138 - Completed
9.    W-4-141 - Completed
10.  W-5-041- Completed

Last Updated: September 7th, 2011

Camtasia Upgrade

Camtasia Relay Server has been upgraded to v.4.0s effective 1/19/2012 in tech classrooms, labs.  This upgrade features webcam integration and global captioning.

In order to upgrade client version 3.1 to Camtasia Relay version 4.0 on personal computers, it is necessary to remove version 3.1 and download  version 4.0 from camtasia.umb.edu , then install the UMass Boston server offline. 

Web Rearchitecture / Redesign Project

The campus web project was implemented for the September 2011 semester.  It was immediately followed by a 90 day Post Launch Stabilization.  As of January 1, 2012 Post Launch Stabilization ended and IT Web Services has returned to normal work order processing.

Digital Measures / Activity Insight

Phase I has been completed and the Annual Faculty Reports for 2011 were completed successfully for all Faculty.  Additional capabilities and attributes will followduring Phase II, slated for implementation prior to the next Annual Faculty Reporting cycle in 2012, expanding the system's use and sophistication.

For more information go to http://www.umb.edu/it/getting_services/web_services

Last updated: February 16, 2012

25 Dell Optiplex 990 Minitower computers with 22-inch widescreen displays and 4 Apple iMac with 27-Inch display were purchased for the Graduate Research Center to replace computers out of warranty, for use during the Spring 2012 Semester. In addition to the GRC equipment upgrade. 13 Dell Latitude E5520 Laptops were purchased to extend the use of the mobile classroom availability on campus. For more information please contact Kim Miller @ 7-5214 or email: kim.miller@umb.edu

From Friday, March 9th at 1pm, until Monday, March 19 at 7:30am, the blue and white labs located on the third floor of the library will not be available for use as the furniture is being replaced which requires the computers be disconnected. All other labs located on the upper level will be available as needed.

Last Updated: January 26, 2012

Support for VHS Format to End - Digitization of VHS Tapes

Please be aware that over the next several months, the VHS tape format will be discontinued on campus.  In order to continue to integrate this information into your curriculum, IT recommends that you duplicate your VHS tapes to the DVD format so you will not experience technical difficulties in the classroom.

If you do not have duplication resources, the DLVP Department on campus will duplicate, package and label your tapes to the DVD format for a cost of $10.00 each. To obtain this service, please contact John Jessoe at 7-5981 or john.jessoe@umb.edu

If your material is copyrighted, you must obtain written or electronic permission from the copyright holders before any commercial VHS tape can be duplicated to the DVD format.

Last Updated: February 3, 2011

Persystent- Disaster Recovery Service

Has your computer ever been infected with a virus and it has taken hours or even days to fix? Has your computer ever crashed and was no longer bootable, as a result, you lost days / weeks of time?

IT is glad to announce the launch of a new enterprise-scale disaster recovery services to the UMass Boston faculty / staff community. The system is called Persystent Suite (http://www.persystent.com ).

If you are interested in having Persystent installed on your computer, please contact one of the following desktop staff as soon as possible as we have limited licenses.

Raymond Tse at 7-5238 or email at Raymond.Tse@umb.edu
Quan Nguyen at 7-5263 or email to Quan.Nguyen@umb.edu
Hung Nguyen at 7-5268 or email to Hung.Nguyen@umb.edu

Currently, the Persystent server only works on Microsoft personal computers, but not Macintosh computers.

As of today, we have installed Persystent agent on over 200 university-owned computers.  Specfically, we have successfully installed Persystent on computers in CPCS mini lab (labs for general student usage) and McNair laptop loaners (laptops loaned to a student for an extended period of time (~ a year)).

Last Updated: October 13, 2011

Digital Measures - Activity Insight

The system replaces the original homegrown Faculty Annual Report system AFRWeb with a procured vendor solution.  It provides a centralized, web based vehicle for Faculty to enter their yearly academic accomplishments and work to provide required annual reporting for each Academic year.  Additional refinements, expansion, and capabilities are to be implemented to this baseline implementation during Phase II in 2012.

Last Updated: February 16, 2012

Enterprise Architecture

Since September 2010, ITSD has worked with Vantage Technology Consulting Group to develop a plan for an enterprise IT infrastructure to replace the current infrastructure that will be removed as part of the implementation of the campus Master Plan.  In May 2011, after many months of research and meetings with stakeholders and service providers, Vantage presented its Phase 1 Report of Options for various elements of the IT infrastructure, including data center, telephone system, networks, data management, security, research computing and physical infrastructure.  The executive summary of this report is available.

Last Updated: May 16, 2011

Mathematica - Site License for Faculty/Students/Staff

Mathematica is a software package which is ideal for communicating scientific ideas, whether this is visualization of a concept in an intro-level course, or creating a simulation of a new idea related to research. Mathematica is used in virtually all of the world's top research universities and liberal arts colleges, and is commonly used in the following types of departments --- Mathematical Sciences, Physical Sciences, Business and Finance, Life Sciences, Engineering, Computer Science - for more information please visit: http://www.umb.edu/it/getting_started/students/#mathematica

Last Updated: October 13, 2011

 

Recently Completed

Network Upgrade

On January 19, 2011 during our regularly scheduled maintenance (10:00PM-2:00AM) we will be replacing our core network equipment in order to add capacity to our network backbone. During this time, network services such as email, Internet and datacenter server connectivity will be unavailable. Please plan accordingly. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Last Updated: January 22nd, 2011

Computer Lab - Research

The lab formerly known as the Green lab has been converted into a research lab owned and operated by faculty. The new name of the lab is Decision Making Research Lab. The lab will no longer be available for classroom scheduling. For more information please contact Michael Carr @ 7-6950 or via email michael.carr@umb.edu

Last Updated: April 12, 2011

Blog Service - Upgrade

We have recently upgraded the software running the UMass Boston Blog Network, available at http://blogs.umb.edu. Some of the new features you will see include 25 new themes to design your blog with, new drag and drop widgets, improved admin icons and improved widget interface. Your blogs should appear the same as before but feel free to redesign your blog by selecting a new theme and widgets. A quick start guide is posted on the home page and you’ll find more info in the FAQ section.

The UMass Boston Blog network is now in production, utilizing WordPress version 2.8

Last Updated: April 12, 2011.

Student, Faculty, Staff Account Password Management - MyPassword

In January 2011 ITSD will roll-out a new and secure tool for Student, Faculty and Staff password management.  The tool is a commercial product called MyPassword that integrates with our local account directory services in order to provide a secure means for changing and resetting network passwords (Email, Blackboard, wireless, etc.) Please stay tuned as more information will be shared over the coming weeks.

On 1/20/2011 the MyPassword application went into production and on May 1st students, faculty & staff began using the system. Information about the new tool can be found at:
https://spmt.umb.edu/
 

Last Updated: May 16th, 2011

Upgrade to Digital Signage

All of the CRT Digital Signage monitors have been upgraded with energy efficient LCD Flat Panels.  The new monitors are larger than the old ones, which will improve signage visibility and allow us to add weather information, etc...

Last Updated September 7th, 2011

Web Rearchitecture / Redesign Project

The new campus website was implemented at the start of the September 2011 semester.  Once implemented it was placed into Post Launch Stabilization period for the remainder of 2011.  That period ended on January 1, 2012 and Web Services has returned to normal work order processing.  For more information, go to www.umb.edu/it/getting services.web_servic

Last Updated February 16, 2012

Acalog Online Course Catalog

This project is sponsored by the Registrars Office and will allow a fully functional online academic course catalog for all campus course offerings as well as archived catalogs, with ability to tailor a catalog to the specific needs of the user.  The catalog will be available on the web site once the project is implemented.

Last Updated February 16, 2012 

iWay Middleware

The iWay product will initially be implement to tie together two campus based applications, allowing bi-directional data flow between disparate Service Desk and Facilities systems.  Future efforts and usability to be investigated as needed. 

Xythos Upgrade

The Xythos system is utilized across campus as a file sharing, storage, and document management and collaboration tool.  This upgrade will bring the campus to the latest version of the tool, invoking new and additional capabilities, attributes, and user   presentation.

Last Updated February 16, 2012

  • Fall 2012
  • Spring 2013
  • Summer 2013
  • Fall 2013

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