IT@
Information Technology Guide for Students
Help when you need I T
The Technology Support Center provides a variety of services like GT Account management, wireless configuration, virus & spyware removal, OIT software distribution, how-to clinics, and more! The highly-trained, courteous staff at the TSC are available for phone, email, and walk-in support Monday–Friday, 8am–6pm. For a complete list of support available & links to other resources or to request help online, please visit the TSC website.
call (404) 894–7173 stop by Library, Ground Floor West email
[email protected] visit http://helpdesk.oit.gatech.edu
Living on Campus?
ResNet works exclusively with campus residents, providing most of the same technology services as the TSC plus additional support for residential phone lines, cable TV, network configuration for gaming consoles, and support for virtually any technology on request. For assistance, call, email, submit a request online, or stop by the ResNet office Monday–Thursday, 9am–8pm, Friday 9am–5pm.
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call (404) 894–0044 stop by Commander Commons email
[email protected] visit http://resnet.gatech.edu
How to use this guide Welcome to Georgia Tech! This guide will explain and provide you with assistance getting started with technology associated with Georgia Tech. In addition to this guide - phone, email, and walk-in support is available from the Technology Support Center and ResNet. The Technology Support Center is located on the ground floor of the Georgia Tech Library and provides walk-in, phone, and email support regarding many matters related to technology, including account management, wireless configuration, as well as helping you protect your laptop against spyware and viruses. ResNet provides assistance with on-campus housing, including cable TV, wired & wireless networking, and phone. -- Campus cable boasts over 100 channels, spanning a wide variety of programming. A substantial number of channels are in various languages, and several local channels come in high definition. -- Residential networking is consists of gigabit connections wired directly into rooms, and there is exceptional wireless coverage in buildings and proximal outdoor spaces all over campus. -- Gamers can find a home on our network for their PS3, Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wiis. -- Residential landline telephone service allows free local calling and features like Caller ID, Call Waiting, 3-Way Calling, and more. ResNet offers residents assistance for their Windows, Linux, and Mac machines, including walk-in support for operating system diagnostics & troubleshooting and malware/virus removal. Additional support for any kind of technology product is available by calling the ResNet office, submitting a help request on the ResNet website, or at housing residences upon request. We wish you good luck as you begin your journey at Georgia Tech, and remember that help is available when you need IT!
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Getting Started
GT Account
My GaTech
Georgia Tech offers a number of tools and services for Institute students, faculty, and staff. To identify yourself to the campus network and enable access to these resources, you have been assigned a GT Account.
The My GaTech system is the official campus email and calendar service operated by the Office of Information Technology. It is a highly flexible, Web 2.0 application package powered by the Yahoo! Zimbra software.
Your default email address is your
[email protected], but you can create your own custom email alias after activating your account and logging into PASSPORT at http://passport.gatech.edu
You can access My GaTech via the webclient (http://my.gatech.edu), Apple Mail & iCal, and Outlook 2003 & 2007 from your computer and mobile devices.
PASSPORT is the user gateway for all GT Account self‑service functions, including most account and password related issues.
To use the My GaTech service, you must have an active GT Account. New students, visit PASSPORT and follow the link at the bottom of the page to activate your account.
Some campus services may require your gtID#. You can find your number under the barcode on the front of your BuzzCard. More than just a photo ID, you can use your BuzzCard for admission to campus events, purchases, meal plans & more.
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T-Square
LAWN (Wireless)
T-Square is a collaboration and learning environment management system based on the Sakai Project platform, a free and open source software development.
The Georgia Tech LAWN (Local Area Walkup & Wireless Network) is designed for mobile users of Georgia Tech with a valid GT Account. LAWN works with most modern laptops, PDAs, smart phones, and other devices which support WiFi (802.11a/b/g/n).
Many instructors use T-Square as an online collaboration tool to post announcements, class materials, blogs, wiki portals, podcasts, and other class related resources. T-Square may also be used as a student project space, capable of assigning sharing permissions or serving as a public site. Check out the T-Square site at https://t-square.gatech.edu/portal
BuzzPort is a campus portal designed to help students interact more effectively with Georgia Tech services. The portal integrates and organizes online communications and resources that can be used in everyday tasks. You can customize BuzzPort through features like news coverage, reminders, chat rooms, and study groups. http://buzzport.gatech.edu
There are a variety of ways to authenticate to LAWN, and they are available in detail on the web at http://www.lawn.gatech.edu The preferred method to connect to LAWN is to select the GTwpa wireless network, enter your GT account username & password, accept the gtwpa.lawn.gatech.edu certificate, and (if necessary) select “PEAP” for the EAP type and designate “MS-CHAPv2” as the authentication method. Nearly every building on all three Georgia Tech campuses has wireless coverage, including all classrooms and most labs and common spaces. More configuration assistance and a detailed coverage map are available online or by visiting the Technology Support Center on the ground floor of the Library. 4
Computer Labs and Clusters The Office of Information Technology supports computer clusters in the Student Center and the Library Commons. These spaces are designed for individual and group productivity and include hardware and software specific to the academic learning environment. For more information on OIT labs, visit http://www.oit.gatech.edu/service/computer-labs/computer-clusters
Library Commons The Commons at the Georgia Tech Library represents the services that every Georgia Tech student needs to be successful during his or her academic career. The Library and the Office of Information Technology (OIT) have partnered with other Georgia Tech departments to provide comprehensive support, cutting-edge technology, and facilitating environments to help students do their best work. The Commons includes: -- West Commons (LWC) -- Multimedia Studio -- Presentation Rehearsal Studio -- East Commons (LEC) -- 2West -- Technology Support Center For more information on the Commons, including computer availability, software, and upcoming events, visit http://librarycommons.gatech.edu
Library West Commons (LWC) The LWC Productivity Computer Cluster is equipped with a wide variety of productivity software such as MATLAB, Microsoft Office, and AutoCAD. There are also several flat-bed scanners along the back row of the cluster.
Multimedia Studio The Multimedia Studio is equipped with high-performance Mac Pro workstations with a wide variety of multimedia applications including much of the Adobe Creative Suite, iMovie, Final Cut Pro and Maya 3D. The space also includes DV/DVD decks, slide and large platform scanners, and knowledgeable staff who can help answer some of your questions related to multimodal projects. 5
East Commons (LEC) The LEC was designed for group collaboration and has forty workstations distributed throughout three zones: four visitor computers, six walk-up computers, and thirty computers at collaborative stations. Anyone can use the visitor computers in Zone 5, but all other computers in the LEC require an active GT account to log on.
Rehearsal Studio/Multipurpose Room The presentation rehearsal studio and multipurpose room are ideal spaces on campus to practice and put the finishing touches on classroom presentations. The technology in the spaces are identical to technology available in Tech classrooms. These spaces were built as a result of student and faculty feedback about the critical need for presentation rehearsal space on campus. Two hour reservations are available any hours that the Library and/or Technology Support Center is open. The studio is located on 1West adjacent to the Library West Commons, and the Multipurpose Room is located on the ground floor of the Library inside the Technology Support Center. To make a reservation, visit the website at http://librarycommons.gatech.edu/resource_center/conference.php
Library 2West The second floor of the Library West Commons was recently renovated to provide additional group collaboration/study areas including moveable furniture, whiteboards, walk-up computers, individual study areas, and hardware and software enhancing the group collaboration process.
VLab The VLAB (Virtual Lab), funded by the technology fee, is a project whose primary purpose is to enable remote access to software normally only available on campus computer labs. Depending on your class enrollment, you may be eligible for access to virtual computing offered by VLab. Additional information is available at http://www.matrix.gatech.edu
Departmental Computer Labs/Clusters Additional computer labs and clusters are available across campus and are traditionally maintained by the respective schools and colleges. Talk to your program director/advisor for additional information about computer accessibility within departments, as well as any additional software requirements as part of your major.
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Pharos Printing Locations
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Departmental Printing Labs and Clusters OIT-Supported Printing Labs and Clusters
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Printing@OIT Printers and Options Much of the printing on campus is managed by the Office of Information Technology via Pharos stations shown on the previous map. Printing options in most locations include a variation of Black, Color, & Staple (black printer that can staple and hole-punch jobs). Every printer has Letter (8½x11”) and Tabloid-sized (11x17”) paper, and all can print duplex (double-sided.) Library Commons prints default to duplex, but this can be changed in the print dialog. Weekly Allocation Students receive an allocation of $2.20 each week for printing in the Library Commons and Student Center computer clusters. The allocation resets every Friday at 12:01am, and any remaining balance does not rollover from one week to the next. Prints are 4¢ per page for the Black and Staple printers, 20¢ per page for the Color printer. If you exhaust your allowance, prints are deducted from your BuzzCard funds. If you need to put more money on your BuzzCard, you can make cash deposits at kiosks in the LEC (by the elevators) & Student Center (by the Box Office) or with a credit card on the BuzzCard website. Releasing Jobs After sending the job, users must release the print. Release Stations are located beside the printers, and they will require you to login with your GT Account and swipe your BuzzCard. Pending jobs, the total charge each print, and the amount of unused print allowance and available funds on your BuzzCard will populate on the screen, and you will have the option of deleting or releasing the prints. Mobile Printing Students may send print jobs from their own computers by downloading and installing the OIT mobile print packages available at http://software.oit.gatech.edu. Keep in mind that you must be on the campus network (via a wired connection or on LAWN) in order to send a mobile print. With the exception of Central, mobile jobs must be released like other prints. 9
Central Printing Central-PS is a print service that does not deduct from your weekly allowance, and is ideal for larger print jobs that do not exceed a 500 page limit, like class notes and journal articles. Before you printing to CentralPS, you should keep in mind -- You must have printed in the Library or Student Center to be added to the database of authenticated users for Central-PS. -- Copyright infringement is strictly prohibited. Failure to adhere to Institute policy will initiate infringement processing. -- Anticipate a 2½ hour turnaround. Jobs sent after 3:00pm should not be expected until the next delivery time.There are no deliveries on Saturday and Sunday. -- You do not need to release Central prints. You can pick up your Central prints in the metal bins next to the Resource Center on the ground floor of the Library. Delivery Times M 8:00am, 9:00am, 12:30pm, 4:30pm T–F 9:00am,12:30pm, 4:30pm After three days, unclaimed prints will be recycled.
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Student Computer Ownership Recommended Hardware Form factor: Laptop Processor: Intl Core 2 Duo 2.0 GHz or better or equivalent Memory: 2GB or more, for Mac: 3GB or higher HD capacity: 120GB+ Ext HD size: 120GB+ Video Mem: 128+ MB Networking: 802.11a/g/n wireless netwok card and wired Ethernet port Accessories: DVD writer, USB Flash drive, Ethernet cable, laptop lock Learn more about Georgia Tech Student Computer Ownership at http://sco.gatech.edu
Free & Discounted Software The Office of Information Technology has made agreements with various software distributors in order to supply the campus with their software needs. To download available software, including mobile print packages and antivirus software, and for links to other sources for free and discounted software,visit the online distribution page at http://software.oit.gatech.edu.
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SecuritY
prevention is the cure.
Antivirus and Spyware Removal All machines on the Georgia Tech network should have an anti-virus package installed. Georgia Tech has a site-license for McAfee VirusScan. This software can be installed on all Institute-owned machines, as well as machines owned by current students and employees. Copyright and Illegal Downloads Georgia Tech takes copyright infringements very seriously. Any user that violates copyright laws is also in violation of Georgia Tech policy, as documented in the Georgia Tech Computer and Network Usage & Security Policy (CNUSP): Copyrighted or Trademarked works including but not limited to computer programs, movies, television programs, music, photographs, and published material (e.g. books, journals) must not be copied, distributed, or shared with out prior permission from the copyright or trademark holders. More information on copyright and Fair Use may be found at: http://www.library.gatech.edu/services/reserves/copyright.php
Infringement Processing 1st Offense Students receive an email with the details of the copyright infringement complaint. They will have 24 hours to take a copyright tutorial/quiz (the student MUST have a perfect score to complete the test). After 24 hours, the student’s network access will be blocked until they have successfully completed the test. Once the tutorial/test has been completed, network access will be restored. 2nd Offense Students receive an email with the details of the copyright infringement complaint. Network access is immediately blocked, and the student is given a phone number to call to set up an appointment with Office of Student Integrity (OSI). The network block remains in place until after the meeting with OSI. 3rd Offense Students receive an email with the details of the copyright infringement complaint. Network access is immediately blocked, and the student is given a phone number to call to set up an appointment with Office of Student Integrity. The network block remains in place until OSI removes the block.
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Top 10 Security tips Due to the continued attacks on the Georgia Tech infrastructure as well as the importance of securing the “end points” that access the Georgia Tech network, OIT has provided the following tips to help keep your computer and the GT infrastructure secure. 1. Install anti-virus & anti-spyware applications on your computer. Free copies can be downloaded from www.software.oit.gatech.edu. 2. Back up your computer regularly and keep software applications, operating systems, and security patches current. Windows: http://www.update. microsoft.com Apple: http://www.apple.com/support/security. 3. Create strong passwords and do not share them with anyone for any reason. A strong password has at least eight characters, uses a combination of numbers, upper and lowercase letters, and uses at least one special character (such as !@#$%^&*). 4. Log off, lock your screen, or use a password-activated screensavers when stepping away from your computer. 5. Limit the amount of personally identifiable information such as social security number, income tax records, credit card numbers, and banking information you store on your computer. If your computer is lost or stolen this can be valuable information. 6. Limit the amount of personal information you post when using social networking technologies such as Facebook and Twitter. 7. Unattended laptops are an easy target for theft. Consider purchasing a theft protection service such as LoJack that can assist with tracking, locating and recovering a stolen laptop or desktop computer. 8. Register your laptop with the GT Police Department by completing the form located at http://police.gatech.edu/registration.htm. This assists GTPD with returning your computer if found. If your computer is lost or stolen, immediately contact the GT Police Department at (404) 894-2500 to obtain a police report. 9. Configure your computer’s built-in firewall and disable services such as file sharing when not in use. 10. It is against Institute policy to use your computer to illegally download, upload, install, copy, store, or redistribute copyrighted material such as music, movies, software applications, and television shows. Take a moment to read the Georgia Tech Computer & Network Usage and Security Policy.