Main story: "Netware? Beware!".
Second story: "Web cache-'n'-carry shuts up shop".
Item: "Basement jacks for self-service musicians...".
Item: "No-strings-attached networking".
Feature: "ISS-Windows98 relationship: the 5-year ditch?".
Contact information: "Contacting Information Systems Services"

Angers, M

Information Systems Services, University of Southampton

Lang, MD

Phethean, SJ

Webber, R

English

Southampton (e-Prints Soton)

ISS currently maintains two major‘Directory Services’ which are at theheart of many services for ISS, such asaccess to ISS ‘public’ workstation areas,some School LAN (local area network)systems, Samba filestore access, VPN(virtual private networking) access, stu-dent access to the Banner system,Exchange mailboxes, and others. Novell NDS and Microsoft AD The two systems ISS has used to providedirectory service are Novell’s NetWareoperating system (NDS), and the recent-ly established complementary servicebased on Microsoft’s Active Directory. Itis the Microsoft service which supportsaccess to most of the key facilities men-tioned above. Making the move ISS needs to concentrate its resources inproviding, maintaining and enhancingonly one directory service in the future.It has been decided that ISS will sched-ule a phased withdrawal of Novell’sNDS service and will actively promoteand resource facilities supported byActive Directory and Windows2000/2003 as the replacement serveroperating system.ISS will be providing some advice.Although no dates have yet been agreedfor a final withdrawal of NetWare-basedservices, it is important that School serv-ices linked to ISS’s NetWare services areupgraded as soon as possible. Users ofISS-supported LANs will be contactedso that the implications can be discussed. Stuart PhetheanDirectories and Border SecurityNetware? Beware!ISS is moving from Novell’s Netware to Microsoft’s Active DirectoryMoving to a cacheless economy by proxyAfter consultation, ISS has decided towithdraw the proxy cache service.  Thisservice provided caching for frequentlyrequested Web pages, the theory beingthat pages could be loaded quickly tousers' computers, while also saving onprecious network capacity.In the last few years, dynamically gener-ated Web content has increased dramati-cally, making the cache system lesseffective.  At the same time, our networkcapacity to the Internet has increasedten-fold and we are no longer charged apremium for traffic with the USA. Thedecision has therefore been taken towithdraw this costly service.Most users already bypass the cache, butsome may see screen messages in thenext few weeks requesting reconfigura-tion of their Web browsers. Instructionsare available at the address below.Richard WebberResearch Serviceswww.iss.soton.ac.uk/info/cache/Dynamic Internet developments have prompted changes...The newsletter of University of Southampton Information Systems Services 26 January 2004www.iss.soton.ac.uk/publications/Communiqué is published by ISS for staff and students at the University of Southampton.  Editor: Max Lang, email M.D.Lang@soton.ac.ukNo-strings-attachednetworkingIn case you’re worried that ourwireless access plans seem tobe up in the air, we’re aimingfor service soon.Wireless access will be addedto existing self-service Ethernetareas, allowing convenient useat desks with seats. Access willalso be available in some foy-ers and lecture theatres.www.iss.soton.ac.uk/wireless/Further informationYou can subscribe to a dedicatedmailing list by sending an email to iss-dsmigrate-request@lists.soton.ac.ukwith the word ‘subscribe’ in themessage body. The list will cover allaspects of the service changes.www.iss.soton.ac.uk/dabs/Basement jacks formusicians...Denizens of the subterraneanregions (near the music prac-tice rooms) of building 2 onHighfield Campus can nowenjoy access to the University’sdata network from new self-service Ethernet points in thesouth end basement foyer.Many points have also been fit-ted at readers’ desks in HartleyLibrary levels 1 and 3.www.iss.soton.ac.uk/infra/datanet/self-service/Support for Windows98 on School or Service intranets maintained by ISS ends after this academic yearContact by telephone, fax or email—the ServiceLineTelephone/fax calling from telephone faxmost internal phones 25656 25657General Hospital 73-25656 73-25657Royal South Hants 7173-25656 7173-25657New College 77-25656 77-25657halls of residence 78-25656 78-25657outside the University 023 8059 5656 023 8059 5657Email serviceline@soton.ac.ukContact in personHighfield Murray Building (B58) ISS HelpDesk Monday to Friday, 9.30am until 4.30pm (on demand in summer vac)Winchester Campus ISS HelpDesk Monday to Friday, 2pm until 4.30pm (closed in summer vac)SOC IT Group HelpDesk (tel. 023 8059 6197) Monday to Friday, 9.30am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-5pm (4.30pm Friday)Why is ISS withdrawing Windows98 support?Microsoft has already dropped support for Windows98 andWindows98SE (no-charge support and extended hot-fix sup-port ended on 30 June 2003, and paid support at $35 an inci-dent ends on 16 January 2004).As many customers still use Windows98, ISS will continueto support Windows98 machines for this academic year. Wecannot continue supporting Windows98 after this period.What about Microsoft’s support?This may mean that if there is a problem that ISS cannotresolve, we are unable to obtain help from Microsoft. Thismay result in a system or application needing to be upgradedfor the problem to be resolved. If security holes are discov-ered in Windows98, then Microsoft will not issue any hotfixes. If this results in a system breaching the University/ISSregulations, it may need to be disconnected from theUniversity data network.What about security patches for viruses?Sophos anti-virus is still supplying updates for Windows98as it still does for Windows 3.11. As for security vulnerabili-ties, Windows98 does not suffer from security holes asrecently seen with Windows2000/XP in the form of virusessuch as the Nachi virus, due to a different architecture. Thisdoes not mean that a problem will not be found in the future,in which case the last part of the previous section applies.Is there any change to my ISS contract?No. Operating system upgrades are apart of the agreement(and, in this case, encouraged by us).What about my equipment and software?When a system moves over to WindowsXP, theSchool/Service will need to ensure that their equipment/soft-ware is WindowsXP-compatible. If not, it is up to theSchool/Service to pay for an upgrade to a compatible system.Will my PCs be able to run WindowsXP?The ISS recommended spec for WindowsXP is a Pentium III450MHz with 256MB (this is the minimum—but the mini-mal system will not cope with much more than the Officeproducts!).If a system falls below this specification, then we recom-mend that the system is decommissioned as it is no longersuitable for office use.If you need to discuss any points further, please contact me.Mark AngersDesktop Computing Serviceswww.iss.soton.ac.uk/development/dcs/ISS-Windows98 relationship: the 5-year ditch?Contacting Information Systems ServicesInformation Systems Services’ Web site is at www.iss.soton.ac.ukMicrosoft Windows98 supportDetails are on the Microsoft support site athttp://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?id=fh;en-gb;lifeprodwMicrosoft states: "Extended hotfix support ends 30 June2003. After 16 January 2004, this product will be obso-lete and assisted support will no longer be available fromMicrosoft. Online self-help support will continue to beavailable until at least 30 June 2006."ServiceLine opening hoursMonday to Friday8.30am until 5pmexcept for University closures suchas bank holidays, Christmas, andEaster.Messages can be left on voicemailoutside these times.

Communique, 26 January 2004

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