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Voice and Data Services

Network Cabling Training

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NACS hosted a half-day of hands-on training on communications cable installation on Thursday, March 31st. The class participants included fifteen UCI staff.

Gary Price, RCDD, of Nelson & Associates provided the Outside Plant electrical protection training. Wayne Brushett of Beach Wire and Cable, Inc., arranged for instructors from Superior Essex Communications LP.

The focus of the class was Outside Plant Copper Splicing and Outside Plant Fiber Optic Cable. Outside Plant cabling is installed in conduits below the ground which connects all of the buildings together and comprises the “backbone” of UCInet, the campus network.

Guest Wireless Registration

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NACS now offers faculty and staff the ability to sponsor temporary wireless guest access. Guest registration is intended for use by faculty and staff who need to temporarily enable wireless UCInet network access for visiting colleagues.

To add temporary guest registrations, visit the current registration page:

http://www.nacs.uci.edu/mobile/registration.html

Click on the “Register to use Mobile Access” link, login with your UCInetID and password, and click the “Add Guest Registrations” link. You may register up to 25 systems. You may then select an expiration date of one day, one week, or four weeks hence.

For more information, please visit the UCInet Mobile Access main Web page at:

http://www.nacs.uci.edu/mobile/

Or, for additional help, please call or email NACS.

Service Request Form Now Online

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NACS’s service request form (SRF) is now available on line. It is intended as a replacement for the current paper-based form. To use the new form, please visit:

http://www.nacs.uci.edu/service-request

Use the form to request new service or modify any of the telecommunication or network services offered by NACS. These services include, but are not limited to, telephone, voice mail, network, cellular service, and 800Mhz radio. You can track the status of a service request at:

http://www.nacs.uci.edu/tools/srf/

For more information on the services offered, please refer to the following:

http://www.nacs.uci.edu/telephone/
http://www.nacs.uci.edu/network/

The online form has several advantages over the paper version. Customers will see that it is easier to complete the online form than to print, fill out, and fax the paper form. NACS can streamline requests that are submitted electronically, and better track fulfillment.

NACS will continue to accept the paper service request form at least through June 30, 2005. Please direct questions or comments to NACS Telecommunications Customer Service at (949) 824-5123, or by email at NACS-TCS@uci.edu.

Blocking Misbehaving Systems Protects UCInet

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NACS is working hard to ensure that a robust and secure UCInet is always available to do the University’s business. To that end, we will occasionally deny access to systems which threaten the safe operation of the network.

Whenever a system connected to the UCInet is discovered attacking other computers, or engaging in other forms of inappropriate behavior (such as the illegal distribution of copyrighted material), NACS may block that system from further network access. Occasionally, NACS may also block systems that have not been patched in a timely manner against particularly nasty viruses.

There are two simple strategies you can follow if you suspect your system has been blocked. You can search the blocked systems list athttp://www.nacs.uci.edu/ucinet/blocked/ (usually, you’ll need to use an unblocked system to do that). Or, you can call NACS at (949) 824-2222. Our helpful consultants will explain why your system was blocked, and what to do to correct the problem. Generally, once you have taken the appropriate steps, the system can be unblocked within a few hours. Please note, however, that unblocking can only be performed during regular business hours except in emergency situations.

NACS is responsible for UCInet, but you are responsible for the proper operation of your own systems. By staying up to date on security patches, and by carefully abiding by the Computer and Network Use Policy at http://www.policies.uci.edu/adm/pols/714-18.html you can preserve your access to the UCInet and help guarantee a secure and reliable service for the entire campus.

Leading-Edge Telecommunications for Calit2

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CalIT2

CalIT2

 

The opening ceremony for the new UCI Calit2 building has taken place, and UCI researchers are starting to make use of the high-end network and telephone infrastructure installed there — the most advanced technology installed on campus.

The Calit2 building is the first building where NACS has installed high-performance category 6 cabling to every communications outlet to support gigabits/second network speeds to the desktop.

NACS installed the highest performance and most robust network equipment of any UCI building to date. Every network connection in the building will support gigabit speeds. This was accomplished by installing Cisco’s flagship Catalyst 6500 chassis-based switches on each floor. Communications between the floor switches and the main building switch, as well as between the building switch and the UCInet backbone are at 10 gigabits/second, unprecedented at UCI.

In addition to the Internet and phone wiring installed in any new building, NACS has also installed a separate, parallel network infrastructure which allows researchers to set up their own special-purpose network connections. And, as the building becomes more fully occupied, NACS will position wireless base stations so that all points in the building have wireless access.

Calit2 also benefits from redundant communications equipment and power supplies, so that the network and telephone can continue in the face of most equipment failures.

NACS installed the first full-production voice over IP (VOIP) telephone system available to UCI researchers. IP phones connect to UCI net rather than directly to the campus Ericsson phone system. This results in some immediate benefits to users as well as opening the door to ongoing software development to create new features.

NACS is confident that all of this leading-edge network and telephone technology in the Calit2 building will meet or exceed the research requirements now and well into the future. Based on experience gained with Calit2, NACS hopes to extend similar advances to other parts of the campus in the future.