IBM mainframe phasing
to administrative use only
K-State's IBM mainframe is being phased to administrative-use-only by July 2004.
For more than 35 years, K-State has been using a computing platform
based on the IBM System/360. The various models have changed considerably
in size, from dinosaur proportions to the current 10-square-foot model.
New models have been consistently code-compatible with the original model.
The direction of computing has changed at K-State as it has on
many campuses. E-mail and academic computing were moved from the
IBM platform to Unix-based systems in 1996. The Student Information
System, which had been in production for 20 years, and financial systems
are being redesigned to run on a Unix server as part of the LASER project.
Full implemention of the new administrative systems are still several
years out. The current IBM platform must continue to support the
campus community as it grows to record numbers. To make this possible,
only essential administrative systems will be allowed to use the IBM
platform after July 1, 2004.
If assistance is needed in migrating VM/CMS or MVS files and programs to other platforms,
contact the K-State IT Help Desk, 313 Hale Library, (785) 532-7722,
helpdesk@ksu.edu.
—J. Alloway, Computing and Network Services
Virus statistics show Sobig.F expired Sept. 11
Since July 2001, K-State's central e-mail system has been blocking many e-mails that contain viruses.
For the Sobig.F virus alone that hit K-State Aug. 20,
rejected e-mails totaled 3,548,741. A spotcheck shows:
Date Sobig.F blocked e-mails
Aug. 20 148,597
Aug. 21 292,553
Aug. 27 159,456
Sept. 3 167,275
Sept. 10 91,663
Sept. 11 1,115
Sept. 15 152
Sept. 22 22
Sept. 28 0
This clearly shows the worm code expired itself Sept. 11.
It's safe to say Sobig.F is no longer a threat, but we can't relax.
Realistically, another descendent of Sobig may emerge to wreak havoc on
the Internet in the future.
—H. Townsend, Computing and Network Services
Online health and safety training
planned for faculty and staff
Campus Environmental Health and Safety, in conjunction with K-State
administration, developed a new plan for safety at K-State. One part of the
plan is to make training available to all K-Staters asynchronously and
online. This will be accomplished in two ways.
1. Radiation safety training is already available in the university computing labs.
(See lab locations.)
2. On Oct. 6, every faculty
and staff member at K-State will be enrolled in a "Safety 101" course through K-State Online.
The first modules will include office ergonomics, general
ergonomics, hazardous waste training, general waste awareness, laboratory
safety, hazard communication, safe lifting, and hazard communication for custodians.
This medium will allow the department to monitor the number of individuals who have reviewed
the safety materials. The goals of providing these materials online are to reach a broader
audience, improve safety practices, and comply with state and federal regulations.
Responsibility for environmental health and safety compliance is in the
hands of every college and department on campus. For more information about
the training, contact Lisa Linck, occupational safety manager, 532-5856,
lisa@ksu.edu.
—S. Galitzer, Environmental Health and Safety Training
List members get easier way
to manage subscriptions
K-State's LISTSERV software on the central computer systems
was upgraded to version 1.8e in August. The updated Web
interface at listserv.ksu.edu/web has
a Subscriber's Corner that lets K-Staters more easily manage their list
subscriptions:
- See a subset or all lists to which they're subscribed
- Configure the list options displayed on the screen
- Change their list options for one or many lists
- Sign off of any lists
- Find other lists at K-State
- Get to the list archives
- Change the colors of the screen interface
Questions about subscriptions and using mailing lists can be
sent to helpdesk@ksu.edu.
—J. Morrill, Computing and Network Services
K-State Online by the numbers
K-State Online has been experiencing an unprecedented level of use in
2003. Some interesting numbers include:
- K-State Online had over 71 million hits Jan. 1-Sept. 15,
compared to 66 million for all of 2002.
- About 1,135 instructors and 29,000 students have used K-State
Online in the last 18 months.
- There are 1,072 courses with a fall 2003 reference number using
K-State Online this semester, and 88 percent of those are on-campus courses.
- Instructors have created 4,380 assignments in K-State Online
for the fall 2003 semester, resulting in 166,865 student grades in the
K-State Online Gradebooks. Almost 75 percent of all
K-State students have a grade in a K-State Online course.
—S. Finkeldei, Division of Continuing Education
Dell offers additional computer rebates
for K-Staters
Dell is offering additional computer rebates through Oct. 17 to K-State faculty, staff, and students, including
a $100 rebate coupon on selected computers and up to 8 percent off a computer purchase.
These are in addition to any specials posted
on the Dell website. To get to the Dell webpage with all the promotions, go to the K-State Student Union's
Computer Store webpage
and click on the "Dell" educational prices link (at the bottom of the center column).
—C. Loehr, K-State Student Union Computer Store
Introductory sessions on Mac OS X
The K-State Student Union Computer Store is presenting an introduction to Mac OS X. Everyone is invited. Two
identical sessions are scheduled:
- 4-6 p.m. Oct. 7, Union Flint Hills Room
- 7-9 p.m. Oct. 7, Union Flint Hills Room
The presenter is Steve Larson, an Apple systems
engineer. Refreshments will be served 6-7 p.m.
These sessions are for beginners, but even long-time Mac users will get something out of these sessions.
—C. Loehr, K-State Student Union Computer Store
LASER project update
The LASER Project continues to progress after teams for both Oracle Student
Solution (OSS) and Oracle Financials were granted extensions for this early
phase of the project life cycle known as Conference Room Pilot (CRP)1. The
extension will allow the Financials team to meet with other universities
that are also working on implementation to exchange ideas and information. The
OSS team will be perfecting their test scripts and furthering their
knowledge of the system's functionality.
During CRP1, the project team focuses on business objectives and related
requirements to define the project work plan. This is also the time for
analyzing operations and determining a fit between organizational
requirements and standard application functionality.
Visit the LASER website at
laser.k-state.edu
for more information about the LASER project.
—A. Cabrera, Information Technology Assistance Center
| Websites worth watching |
Landon Lectures at K-State
In case you missed the recent Landon Lecture (by Paul Harvey) or the rooms were overcrowded, you can
review the lecture via the website at
www.dce.ksu.edu/landon
The day of the lecture, you can hear the audio portion in real time.
At a later date, a video version of the lecture is made available.
Send site suggestions to TellTuesday@ksu.edu.
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