A guide to - IT Services - University of Oxford

A guide to central IT services
at Oxford University
Oxford University Computing Services (OUCS) provides the primary computing
infrastructure for the University. Services and facilities include the network
backbone and its external connections, central servers for email, web, network
news, and backup as well as security and anti-virus support. We also provide
services such as IT courses, and advice on general computing problems from our
Help Centre. These and other services are outlined in this booklet and full details
of each are available from our web site at: http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk
Just Arrived?
If you are just starting out at Oxford and need advice
regarding OUCS or department and college IT, then
go to http://welcometoit.ox.ac.uk, where you will find
general information on getting started, security, email and
connecting your computer to the University backbone
network. Please note that OUCS controls the main
University network but colleges and departments have
responsibility for their own networks.
Need Quick Answers?
Our web site is our principal method of providing University members with quick
and effective answers to frequently asked questions such as connecting to the
network or setting up email. If you need to talk to someone, your local college or
departmental IT staff should initially be consulted. Further advice can be obtained
from our Help Centre which is open from 08:30 – 20:30 hours Monday to Friday,
except public holidays.
Who Can Use OUCS?
All current members of the University – staff, registered postgraduate and
undergraduate students, college staff, departmental staff (paid directly by the
department or on an outside grant), academic visitors, as well as retired staff on a
pension paid by the University – can use our services.
We use the University card to determine a person’s entitlement to services. If you
do not have a University card you cannot register for services or use our facilities.
If you are unsure of your status, or wish to check your entitlement to services,
please refer to: http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/registration/entitlements/ or contact the
Help Centre.
Oxford University Computing Services tel: 01865 (2)73200
IT Services
13 Banbury Road fax: 01865 (2)73275
Oxford email: help@oucs.ox.ac.uk
OX2 6NN
web: http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk

Where Are We?
OUCS is located at 7 – 19 Banbury Road.
The main entrance is at number 13 which
gives access to all facilities including the
Help Centre, the shop and our training
suite. Ramped access to the building is at
9 Banbury Road. No parking is available
at OUCS, but there is pay and display onstreet
parking on St. Giles or Keble Road.
Oxford University
Computing Services
Regulations Relating to the Use of IT
Facilities.
All users of University computing facilities
are obliged to follow strict rules of usage.
Please see http://www.ox.ac.uk/it/rules/ for
full details.
Network Etiquette
We are all familiar with letters and telephones and their conventions of use.
However, email and newsgroups are still relatively new forms of communication
and consequently many people are unaware of appropriate conventions to use.
We have developed a set of guidelines to help users communicate effectively
via email, newsgroups etc. These guidelines detail acceptable behaviour for
users on the University network. The guidelines apply equally to the use of email,
newsgroups and any other electronic communications medium. Our ‘netiquette’
guidelines are available at: http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/email/netiquette/
Use of the University Card
Your University card is used to identify you, determine your status and affiliation
and hence your entitlement to our services. If you telephone, email or visit OUCS,
you will be asked for your barcode number, so please have your card available.
Your University card can be used to gain access to the OUCS building, book on
courses, make use of the Help Centre, printing services, purchase software or
other items in the Computing Services Shop, and so on. It can also be used to
register for other OUCS services.
If you have just received your card, or it has recently been changed, please allow
a day or two for us to receive the details. Our service relies on central University
records, so you will be refused access if your card has been cancelled.
A guide to

Usernames and Passwords
Each person using a computer system is issued with a username (sometimes
referred to as a login name or userid) and a password. If you are using a variety
of computers (e.g. in your department and college) you could have several
usernames and passwords.
Your password(s) must always be kept secret (the University’s Regulations Relating
to the Use of Information Technology require this) and it should be different for
each computer system for which you have an account. Passwords which are
easily guessed are not acceptable (e.g. dictionary words). Your password must
contain numbers or other characters in addition to letters. For further information
on usernames and passwords including how to change a password please see:
http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/registration/passwords/
Help Centre
Our Help Centre provides a single point
of contact for a wide variety of services
including:
• IT advice and help
• User registration and accounts, password
problems, etc.
• Computing facilities including software
and hardware for disabled users
• IT learning resources
• Scanners, laser printing, photocopying, etc.
The centre is located on the ground floor of the OUCS building at 13 Banbury
Road. All members of the University holding a valid University card can use the
service. It is open Monday to Friday 08:30 – 20:30 hours (except bank holidays),
and can be contacted in the following ways:
• Visit the centre – please bring your University card with you for access to
our services
• Email: help@oucs.ox.ac.uk – please include as much detail as possible e.g.
your University card barcode number, details of computer system, error
messages etc.
• Telephone: 01865 (2)73200 – please have your University card available
• Help information is also available on the web at: http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/help/
IT Services

Facilities for Disabled People
We aim to make our services as accessible as possible and will make reasonable
adjustments where needed. We have a wide variety of equipment and software
available for use in the Help Centre and lecture suite. Detailed descriptions can be
found on our web site: http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/enable/
The Computing Services Shop, lecture rooms, Help Centre, printing and email
access are located on the ground floor of the OUCS building at 13 Banbury Road.
Ramped access to the building is available via the entrance at 9 Banbury Road.
Accessible toilet facilities are available on the ground floor.
Although parking is not generally available at OUCS, parking arrangements can
be made for disabled people. Arrangements need to be made in advance by
contacting enable@oucs.ox.ac.uk or by telephoning 01865 (2)73206.
Herald Email Service
The Herald email service provides electronic mail storage facilities to all current
staff, students and official visitors of the University of Oxford. It can be accessed
by using an email client or via the web email interface called Webmail (https://
webmail.ox.ac.uk/). All new University members are automatically registered for
this service and their account details are sent to their college or department. Note
that email accounts are only created following the issue of a University card.
Existing card holders, without a Herald email account, should contact the Help
Centre if an account is required.
Once you have an email account you must change your password using the
Webauth interface (https://webauth.ox.ac.uk/password/). Your email account
must be activated before you can start receiving and reading email. Instructions
for activating your account will be included in the letter sent to your college or
department.
Further information about the email service and a guide to Webmail is available at:
http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/email/webmail/
The GNU/Linux Service
We provide a general-purpose cluster of computers running Debian GNU/Linux.
The service is available to any University member who has a Herald account, and
is accessed using Herald username and password via secure login to linux.ox.ac.
uk. A wide range of software is provided, but does not include any commercial
programs. There is no mail delivery to the system, but mail clients like pine and
mutt can be used to access Herald. Personal web file store can be accessed. Full
details of the service are at: http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/services/linux/
A guide to

Personal Web Space
OUCS provides registered Herald users with 15Mb of web space with their email
accounts. Basic information on this facility is at:
http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/web/intro/
Users wishing to publish personal web pages must first activate their web file store
through the Webmail interface (https://webmail.ox.ac.uk/). Web space activation is
found under ‘Options’ and then ‘Web Pages’. All personal web pages for Herald
users have URLs in the form of: http://users.ox.ac.uk/~username
Learning Technologies Group
The Learning Technologies Group (LTG) offers advice and support related to the
use of computers and information technology in traditional teaching, learning and
research in all disciplines. The LTG currently comprises three major sections:
• IT Learning Programme
• Academic Computing Development Team
• Learning Technologies Service
The LTG also runs the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) ‘WebLearn’ for
presenting learning material to students in a simple, coherent manner. It can be
accessed at: http://www.weblearn.ox.ac.uk/. To find out more about LTG please
visit: http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ltg/
IT Learning Programme
An extensive series of IT courses is
available to all University members holding
valid University cards. Courses take place
in state-of-the-art lecture rooms and range
in length from one-hour introductions and
half-day single sessions to six-session
modules. Topics cover many aspects of
applied computing such as:
• Foundation Courses – covering the basic knowledge required for many other
courses including use of Windows, the Web and word processing and
spreadsheet packages.
• Computer operating systems – Windows, Apple Mac, Unix and GNU/Linux
• Networks and Internet – email, web publishing and strategies for on-line
research
• Computer applications – word processing, graphics, databases and
spreadsheets
• Computer programming – C, Java, Perl and PHP
• Subject-specific courses – tailored to the needs of particular faculties
IT Services

All our courses are under continual review and development. As new courses
become available, they will be advertised on the web. Full details of the courses,
with dates and descriptions, and how to book can be found at:
http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/courses/
Courses are also run for IT support staff – details
of these can be found at:
http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/its3/
Our lecture rooms are also available for hire
– details can be found at:
http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/learning/rooms/
ECDL – European Computing Driving Licence
The European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) establishes standards for
everyone who uses a computer in either a professional or personal capacity. It is a
qualification that verifies a person’s competence, declares their computer skills and
makes them readily mobile within business and across the European Union.
ECDL
ECDL is aimed at ordinary computer users rather than just technical
computer people. It is relevant and appealing to many groups of
people around the University. For further information and details of
the ECDL syllabus please see: http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ecdl/
ECDL Advanced is also available in individual modules for word processing,
spreadsheets, databases and presentations. Email ECDL@oucs.ox.ac.uk for
further details.
Research Technologies Service
The Research Technologies Service (RTS) provides a centre of expertise for
the development, implementation and support of leading open technologies
within virtual research environments across all disciplines. Through a number of
national and international initiatives the RTS seeks to serve the research aims of
the University; to help facilitate interdisciplinary and collaborative research; and
to provide support, where possible, to both groups and individuals. Projects and
services relate to the following themes:
• e-Research and grid computing
• Access management, portals and information environments
• Text encoding, processing and analysis
• Open standards and Open Source software
• Electronic publishing
• Resource discovery, metadata and data curation
A full list of RTS activities may be found at: http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/rts/
A guide to

Data Archiving and Backup on the Hierarchical File Store
The Hierarchical File Service (HFS) offers archive and backup data protection
services to members of the University (excluding undergraduates). The services
available are:
• Archive Service – Long-term archive for digital assets, including research project
data
• Desktop Backup Service – For personal PCs and workstations
• Departmental and College Backup Service – For Unix, Linux, Windows and
NetWare Servers
For details of each service and how to register for them please visit:
http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/hfs/
Remote Access Services
If you need access to local information, specialist or restricted information such
as OxLIP datasets, OXAM papers, department or college intranet pages you will
need to use remote access services. There are two services available depending
on your needs:
• The OUCS dial-up service – accessed via a standard telephone connection.
• Virtual Private Network (VPN) service – allows external users to access network
facilities that are usually restricted to on-campus users. This is used in conjunction
with your own Internet service provider.
Self registration for an OUCS Remote Access Account is required to use these
services. You need to visit the OUCS registration pages (https://register.oucs.
ox.ac.uk/login), while you are on the University network as access to these pages
is restricted to local connections (ox.ac.uk) only. VPN software can be bought from
the Computing Services Shop or if you are connected to the local network it can
be downloaded.
For details of how to set up and use the OUCS dial-up service please see:
http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/network/dialup/
For details of the VPN setup and use please see:
http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/network/vpn/
IT Services

Personal Computer Maintenance Service
The Personal Computer Maintenance Service insures common items of computing
equipment against failure. It is available for equipment owned by the University and
for privately owned equipment of University members (both staff and students)for a
small fee. The service covers PCs and Apple computers (both desktop and laptop),
most printers and a number of other items of peripheral equipment such as tape
drives, modems, CD-writers and scanners. A full description of the service and a
more comprehensive list of the equipment types covered can be found at: http://
www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/maintenance/service/sld/
Computing Services Shop
The Computing Services Shop provides a counter service for the sale and
distribution of computer hardware, software, consumables and stationery. The
shop is open to all University members, however sales of some software titles are
restricted to staff only – a valid University card is required. The shop is located just
inside the main entrance to OUCS at 13 Banbury Road. It is open from 9:00 –16:45
hours Monday to Friday, except Thursday when the shop opens at 9:30. The shop
is not open at weekends or bank holidays. An up-to-date price list can be obtained
from the shop or viewed on the web at: http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/shop/
Purchases on behalf of University departments or colleges require an OUCS
Software Card and an official order. Further information can be seen at:
http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/sls/software-card.xml
Site Licences
OUCS has negotiated many site licence and bulk purchase agreements in order to
offer a variety of software to University members at advantageous prices.
Please note that each agreement is subject to different terms and conditions and
not all products are available for use on personal/home machines. Some of the
software products that are available for use by any member of the University at no
charge for the licence (a small media charge applies) are: SPSS and SAS statistical
software, Sophos anti-virus software, MapInfo mapping/GIS software and Maple
and MathType mathematical software. For further information about site licences
and terms for using the software please see: http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/sls/
Edited by Ian Senior Designed by John Howard Printed by Tony Hunter
Oxford University Computing Services tel: 01865 (2)73200
13 Banbury Road
A guide
fax: 01865 (2)73275
to
Oxford email: help@oucs.ox.ac.uk
OX2 6NN
web: http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk