Faculty/Fellows Computer Orientation at DCRI FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Transcription

1 Faculty/Fellows Computer Orientation at DCRI FREUENTLY SKED UESTIONS Denotes a cost that will be charged to your departmental fund code. Why do I have to sign the DCRI Secure System Usage document and what does it mean? The purpose of this document is to inform you of the DCRI-wide policy regarding the proper use and management of all DCRI computing equipment and network resources, including laptops and remote access services. This information supersedes all other DCRI policies and guidelines related to the use of computing equipment and network resources. Some DCRI functional groups have regulatory requirements that further define appropriate use of a workstation. ll DCRI employees should be well informed of additional regulatory requirements unique to the work activities of their functional groups. How do I get help with computer hardware or software problems? Contact the DCRI Computer Help Desk (CHD) at (919) or send an e- mail message to DCRI Computer Help Desk. Can I contact the DCRI Computer Help Desk after hours? DCRI Computer Help Desk (CHD) hours are Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. If you need emergency help outside normal operating hours, leave a message that includes your name, where and how you can be contacted, and a brief description of your problem. The phone system will notify the on-call CHD person that there is a message waiting, and the CHD will return your call. July 2005 IT Training Page 1 of 12

2 What software is available to faculty and fellows at DCRI? The following table lists the software that DCRI has approved for standard use by all DCRI employees. Software Microsoft Windows XP Microsoft Office XP IBM Lotus Notes Netscape Communicator and Microsoft Internet Explorer dobe Reader ET User or EPM Time Card RightFX Intended Use Operating System Word: word processing Excel: spreadsheets PowerPoint: presentations ccess: databases Send and receive when in the office or connected to the DCRI network remotely. Schedule appointments, see when other employees and conference rooms are available, and set up meetings. Browse the Internet and the DCRI Intranet. View PDF files. (Note: The full dobe crobat suite is not on the DCRI standard PC image at this time.) llocate work time to projects and activities. Send faxes from your PC desktop. In addition, some functional groups have standard software that is directly related to their job duties. Software SP Clintrial Site Descriptor Intended Use Track financial information. Collect, manage, and review research data for clinical trials. The most commonly used modules are Clintrial Enter and Clintrial Resolve. Manage documents, demographic data, conversation records, queries and reports, and other information specific to each site participating in a clinical trial. July 2005 IT Training Page 2 of 12

3 How do I request software that is not already on my computer, such as dobe crobat or Reference Manager? On DCRI-owned computers, laptops, and servers, we use only software that has been approved, acquired, and installed by DCRI in compliance with DCRI Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). This ensures that the software: Meets business needs. Is compatible with DCRI's network architecture. Is properly licensed. Can be maintained and supported properly by IT. Complies with federal regulations. To request additional software for your DCRI computer, send an message to DCRI Computer Help Desk (CHD). If your request is for software that is not commonly used at DCRI, please include the following information: The name of the software. The name of the company that makes the software. What you need to accomplish with the software. fter receiving your request, the CHD forwards it to the IT Operations and Project Startup group. This group looks at software already licensed by the DCRI that may do the job for you. Next, if DCRI must purchase new software, IT Operations forwards the request to IT Purchasing. fter receiving the software, IT Operations adds the software to inventory records, distributes any accompanying user documentation to you, and works with the CHD to have the software installed on your computer. The Duke Office of Information Technology (OIT) has a Web site at listing the software for which Duke has a site license. You are encouraged to browse this site; however, please do not purchase or download any software yourself. If you see any software on the OIT site that you would like to install on your computer, contact the CHD and they will arrange the installation for you. July 2005 IT Training Page 3 of 12

4 I am new to DCRI but not to Duke. How will this affect my computer setup at DCRI? ll new DCRI employees are assigned a DCRI computer. What happens with your depends on whether or not you want it transferred to DCRI. You cannot have two separate accounts at Duke and DCRI. If you are working at both Duke and DCRI, and you do not want a DCRI account created for you, you can keep your Duke account. If you decide to keep your Duke account, a DCRI account cannot be created for you. In this case, you can use WebMail to access your at when you are logged into the DCRI network. If you do not want to transfer any of your old , contact the IT group at Duke and ask them to delete your Duke account. When the account at Duke has been deleted, contact the DCRI Computer Help Desk and a new account will be created for you at DCRI. DCRI will not transfer from other departments at Duke. Instead, you will need to get your Duke department s authorization for the IT group at Duke to give you your . They will provide it to you on a CD or some other type of media, and then the DCRI Computer Help Desk can assist you with copying your to your DCRI account. I am having trouble working with SS. How can I get help? ll fellows and faculty are encouraged to keep in touch with Lawrence (Doc) Muhlbaier. Doc is a SS power user who should be consulted with any questions about SS. Doc tests all modules of SS before they are distributed, and in this capacity, he wants to keep up with all users, installations, and instructions. When I take the Statistics classes, I have to install SS and SS E-guide on my computers. How do I do this? DCRI will provide this software to you (currently at no charge). Contact the DCRI Computer Help Desk at (919) or send an message to DCRI Computer Help Desk. They will send an installation package to you via . I would like to use a USB drive on my computer to save files, but how can I access it? The USB drive maps to the E: drive and that drive is already mapped to my home directory. For your USB drive to work on a DCRI computer, you will have to change it to another drive letter. You will only have to do this once and there is a utility that will do it for you. Contact the DCRI Computer Help Desk at (919) or send an message to DCRI Computer Help Desk for assistance. I have a PD. How do I get it to synch with Lotus Notes? Contact the DCRI Computer Help Desk at (919) or send an message to DCRI Computer Help Desk. They will help you with your Blackberry, Pocket PC, or Palm Powered handheld device. July 2005 IT Training Page 4 of 12

5 How do I access my and DCRI files from home? You can access your and DCRI files from the idcri Web site at s long as you have an Internet connection, you can use idcri from any computer. With idcri, you can access the DCRI standard suite of software and your network drives. The following are some of the applications that are available on idcri: ET Electronic Timesheet (ET User or Time Tracking) IBM Lotus Notes Microsoft Internet Explorer Netscape Navigator Microsoft Word Microsoft Excel Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft ccess (versions 95, 97, and 2002) WinZip X-Win32 Other job-specific applications may be available depending on your job at the DCRI. You will see only the applications that you have access to use. For more information about using idcri, click the idcri uick Reference Card link at the bottom of the idcri Login page. What should I do if I have problems accessing idcri? Contact the DCRI Computer Help Desk at (919) or send an message to DCRI Computer Help Desk. Before calling the CHD, be sure that you have a working Internet connection and that you are using the correct Internet address: I have heard the terms Citrix and VPN used when referring to remote access at the DCRI. What is the difference between idcri, Citrix, and VPN? idcri, our term for remote access to the DCRI network, is made up of three components: Citrix, DCRI WebMail, and VPN (Virtual Private Network). The Citrix software allows you to run applications on the DCRI network over a secure connection. DCRI WebMail provides you with secure access to your and electronic calendar. The Cisco Systems VPN software allows applications on your remote computer to access data on the DCRI network; however, this type of connection is not as secure as Citrix. Citrix and WebMail address most remote access needs. VPN is available as an alternative only in special circumstances, as determined by the DCRI Computer Help Desk. See the next question for more information. July 2005 IT Training Page 5 of 12

6 Why is it better to use Citrix than VPN? There is a significant security risk associated with the use of VPN (e.g., computer viruses). Whenever possible, use Citrix to access DCRI network resources because it provides a more secure environment. lso, applications on the Citrix server run closer to your data on the DCRI network and therefore, will usually give you better performance. I have never used idcri before. Does anything need to be installed on my computer before I can use it? Every time you log into idcri, it will check your computer and automatically attempt to make any updates that are necessary. If you have security settings on your Web browser that prevent automatic downloads, you may need to install Citrix manually. Once you log in to idcri, there is a Citrix Client icon on the pplications page that you can use to manually install the program. If you need assistance with the installation, contact the DCRI Computer Help Desk at (919) or send an message to DCRI Computer Help Desk. I am having trouble opening applications in idcri. Either it does not let me open more than one application at a time or when I try to open an application, it just displays a gray box. What should I do? This may happen if you did not restart your Internet browser after Citrix was installed on your computer. To fix the problem, log out of idcri, close and reopen your browser, and log back in to idcri. When I go to the idcri Web site, the page will not load and I get a popup message saying that the page needs 128-bit encryption to be viewed. What should I do? This will happen if you are using an older Web browser. (For example, older browsers are usually found on computers that are using Windows 98.) To use idcri, you need to upgrade your Web browser to Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or later, or Netscape 7.0 or later. lternatively, Mozilla Firefox is a browser that is compatible with Windows 98 and will display the idcri Web page correctly. You can download the Firefox browser at no charge from I set up my printer to work through idcri, but each time I log into idcri, I have to set up my printer again. How can I get idcri to remember my printer settings? Since many remote users of idcri are traveling, it is not expected that you will always be using the same printer. For this reason, the printer set up for each session is not maintained. You will have to set up your printer each time that you use idcri. July 2005 IT Training Page 6 of 12

7 Sometimes I lose the connection to my printer from one application to another. How can I get my printer to stay connected in idcri? pplications on idcri are stored on several different servers. If you open applications on different servers, you may have to set up your printer to work on each server. lso, keep in mind that idcri is a shared environment. This means that if one person is having a printing problem, it may affect others. If you lose your printer connection, you may have to set it up again. Is there any software on idcri that will allow me to send/receive faxes? DCRI s standard PC-based faxing tool, RightFX, is no longer on idcri because the version of RightFX currently in use at DCRI no longer works with the new idcri. Instead of upgrading our current faxing tool across DCRI, the IT group is working on implementing a new, Internet-based faxing solution that will be easier to access and offer more functionality. The DCRI Fax Reporter (for confirming the status of mass faxes sent via RightFX) has been updated to work with the new idcri and is now available on the idcri Desktop. One of the programs I frequently use is not available on the Citrix Desktop. Can I request that it be installed? Send an message to DCRI Computer Help Desk with your installation request. If possible, IT will add the software to idcri. The IT group is always open to requests, but due to technical or licensing problems, cannot always fulfill them. s an alternative, you can request that the program you want be installed on your DCRI-issued laptop instead. Contact the DCRI Computer Help Desk at (919) or send an message to DCRI Computer Help Desk. I have software installed on my laptop that is not available on the Citrix Desktop. How can I access my files and folders on the DCRI network? You can copy files to your remote computer from the idcri Web site. Open Windows Explorer and locate the drive labeled C$ on Client (V:). This drive represents the C: drive on your remote computer. fter you copy files from your DCRI network drive, paste them to this drive and they will be added to the C: drive on your remote computer. Once the files have been copied, you can open them with the software installed on your remote computer. July 2005 IT Training Page 7 of 12

8 I accidentally accepted the default idcri security settings and now idcri will not allow access to my computer. How do I change the security settings? While you are logged into idcri and you have at least one application open, you will see an icon with a red dot in your system tray (by the clock in the lower right-hand corner of your screen). 1. Right-click this icon (the Program Neighborhood Connection Center icon) and select Open Connection Center. The Program Neighborhood Connection Center window opens. 2. Click the File Security button. The Client File Security window opens. 3. Under What access should be allowed?, select Full ccess. 4. Under Do you want to be asked again?, select lways ask me. 5. Click OK. How do I get VPN and how do I learn how to use it? If Citrix and WebMail do not meet your remote access needs, contact the DCRI Computer Help Desk (CHD) at (919) or send an message to DCRI Computer Help Desk. If they determine that you need VPN, they will arrange to have a support representative install the software on your DCRIissued laptop and show you how to use it. July 2005 IT Training Page 8 of 12

9 Does VPN automatically time out after I close my Internet browser? No. lthough your VPN connection automatically times out after 30 minutes of inactivity, please remember to manually close your VPN connection so that it is immediately available for another user. To close the VPN connection, right-click on the VPN icon in your system tray and select Disconnect. My Citrix or VPN connection seems to get disconnected frequently. Is there anything I can do to prevent this? Both Citrix and VPN use encryption technologies to protect data as it flows across the open Internet. By design, encrypted connections will need to be reconnected if even a brief loss of network connectivity occurs. Most of these losses of connectivity are innocuous; however, the same loss occurs when a hacker attempts to intercept this communication, known as session hijacking. Citrix and VPN prevent hijacking from occurring by dropping the connection altogether and requiring re-authentication. Most of these issues occur due to network "blips" on your home or remote network. If you are seeing frequent disconnections, please reboot your computer, your local cable/dsl firewall, and your cable/dsl modem. In some cases, it may be necessary to contact your ISP (Internet Service Provider) and request modem replacement. Wireless connections are especially vulnerable to getting disconnected. If you are using idcri via a wireless connection, find a place to work that provides the strongest signal strength. lternatively, you can use the Disconnect button on the idcri Desktop to disconnect from idcri and work offline, and then use the Reconnect button to easily reconnect to idcri when you need to access the DCRI network again. How do I access Lotus Notes remotely? idcri offers two ways to access your and electronic calendar: DCRI WebMail (accessed by clicking the Lotus Notes WebMail/Calendar link on the idcri Login page at Note: You can also access WebMail at but idcri is your one-stop shop for remote access so it is a good idea to get in the habit of using it. Lotus Notes (accessed by clicking the Lotus Notes icon on the Citrix Desktop after you have logged into Citrix from the idcri Login page). If you do not need to access files on the DCRI computer network and all you need to do is look at your or electronic calendar, use DCRI WebMail. You can access WebMail from any computer connected to the Internet. Just remember that DCRI WebMail does not offer the full package of features that Lotus Notes does. For more information on WebMail, see the Lotus Notes WebMail uick Reference Card on the IT Training Web site. (Click on the Resources button on the DCRI Intranet home page, and then click on the IT Training Classes link.) Note: When you are using a DCRI-issued laptop that has Lotus Notes installed, you can send and receive with nothing more than an Internet connection. However, if you are sending an and you need to attach a file stored in a folder on the DCRI network, you should log on to idcri and open Lotus Notes. July 2005 IT Training Page 9 of 12

10 I accessed Lotus Notes through idcri and it began to run through the First Time Setup Wizard. What should I do? This may happen the first time that you use Lotus Notes through idcri. However, the setup will run only one time; after that, Lotus Notes will open directly to your Welcome page. Instructions are provided in IT Training s Lotus Notes First Time Setup document on the IT Training Web site. (Click on the Resources button on the DCRI home page, and then click on the IT Training Classes link.) If you need further assistance, contact the DCRI Computer Help Desk at (919) or send an message to DCRI Computer Help Desk. Will idcri work if I have Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional or Microsoft Windows Me (Millennium Edition)? idcri works with both of these operating systems. Can I use my pple Macintosh computer to access idcri? Yes. Both WebMail and Citrix should work with a Macintosh computer. However, DCRI does not have a large Macintosh user base and therefore cannot guarantee that the DCRI Computer Help Desk or Desktop Support will be able to solve every problem associated with a Macintosh. DCRI IT will provide a best effort attempt to solve any support issues. Can I use Citrix to access Clintrial or Site Descriptor? ccess to Clintrial and Site Descriptor is restricted. If your duties at DCRI require you to have remote access to either of these applications, your supervisor will need to submit an access request to the DCRI Computer Help Desk. When I am using idcri, how do I get to my network drives and open my files? You can use the Windows Explorer icon on the idcri Desktop to browse your network drives, but to avoid problems, it is better to open your files with the application in which they were created, i.e., open the application first and then use the application to open your files. When I am using Citrix on my remote computer, can I map any network drive that I have permission to use? No. You can only access those drives already mapped to the idcri Desktop. July 2005 IT Training Page 10 of 12

11 When I am using Citrix on my remote computer, can I access the C: drive on my computer at work? No. In fact, it is a good idea to get into the habit of saving files to network drives instead of your C: drive. This will enable you to access your files remotely and allow those files to be backed up nightly. Regular backups will ensure that you do not lose any data if something happens to the hard drive on your work computer. When I am logged into Citrix on my remote computer and I save a document to the E: drive, is the document saved to the E: drive on my remote computer (my CD drive) or the E: drive on the DCRI network (my home directory)? If you save a document to the E: drive using Citrix, the document is saved to the E: drive on the DCRI computer network (your home directory). What is an ISP? Internet Service Provider. ISPs are telecommunications companies that provide subscribers with access to the Internet. DCRI does not require or recommend a specific ISP for your home computer, but we do provide a licensed copy of T&T Worldnet Service on all DCRI-issued laptops. In order to access the Internet, you will also need an Internet browser. gain, DCRI does not require or recommend a specific browser for your home computer, but we do provide licensed copies of Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator on all DCRI-issued laptops. What should I do if I have problems connecting to the Internet? Contact a customer service representative at your ISP. The DCRI Computer Help Desk does not provide support for ISP connectivity problems. However, if you are using T&T Worldnet Service on a DCRI-issued laptop and you are having trouble connecting to the Internet, you can contact the DCRI Computer Help Desk at (919) How do I access the Internet from my laptop while traveling? DCRI provides a licensed copy of T&T Worldnet Service on all DCRI-issued laptops to be used as the ISP while traveling within the United States or in other countries. If your DCRI-issued laptop does not have T&T Worldnet Service installed, contact the DCRI Computer Help Desk at (919) or send an message to DCRI Computer Help Desk. In order to connect to the Internet using T&T Worldnet Service, you will need a telephone cord and access to a telephone line. Many hotels and airports have modem access points available to travelers for a small fee. Will DCRI install T&T Worldnet Service on my personal laptop? No. DCRI provides a licensed copy of T&T Worldnet Service for DCRI-issued July 2005 IT Training Page 11 of 12

12 laptops only. If you want to access the Internet from your personal laptop, you will need to sign up with your own ISP. Do I have to be connected to a wire, such as a telephone cord, in order to access the Internet? No, you can access the Internet with a wireless connection. This type of access is similar to using your phone line with a modem, but with a cell-phone connection instead. DCRI recommends Verizon Wireless for this service. lso, most laptops now have wireless network connectivity which can be used at Wi-Fi hotspots usually found in hotels, airports, and coffee shops. This is different from Verizon Wireless. If you need assistance configuring your DCRIissued laptop to work at a Wi-Fi hotspot, contact the DCRI Computer Help Desk at (919) or send an message to DCRI Computer Help Desk. How do I get Verizon Wireless service for my DCRI-issued laptop? s with any other IT product or service, contact the DCRI Computer Help Desk at (919) or send an message to DCRI Computer Help Desk. What is Wi-Fi? The Wi-Fi lliance is a global, non-profit industry association of more than 200 member companies devoted to promoting the growth of wireless Local rea Networks (WLNs). For more information, go to Does DCRI offer a hands-on course on how to use laptops? Not currently. However, this is on IT Training s project list for future implementation. If you need assistance with a specific problem, please contact the DCRI Computer Help Desk at (919) or send an message to DCRI Computer Help Desk. If you would like to offer suggestions for course content, please send an message to IT Training. July 2005 IT Training Page 12 of 12