ID Computer & Wireless Woes

STAFF ID MACHINE

We are having some issues with our designated staff photo ID machine. It appears that the image/profile has become corrupted. The consequence is that previous system settings have been lost and cannot be reconfigured to our original specifications. Computer Services did inspect the machine and managed to restore our POISE connections, but little else. They will continue to explore the issue.

Here is what you CAN do:

• issue staff ID cards
• view student information in POISE
• shut down and log out via Ctrl+Alt+Delete

Here is what you CANNOT do:

• issue student ID cards (of any sort - standard and intern)
• shut down and log out via START menu
• retain changes to settings that you made

Start-up Issues:

• warning about corrupt profile
• camera tries to reinstall itself (not required)
• unnecessary icons on desktop (cluttered)
• clutter in PhotoID Production module - all windows (including card previews) are open

While at the station, I was sifting through the drawers and discovered a bundle of "Dec 2007" stickers. We are getting some students in for the Fall Semester and they can be issued these stickers now.

WIRELESS NETWORK

The entire wireless network is down across campus. The cause is still being determined. This is not uncommon considering the campus wide power outage over the previous weekend, and the unexpected power outage that we faced from last night's storm. Computer Services continues to investigate, but no time has been given for completion.

Goodbye LibraryBurner Folder

For the last 3 years-or-so the LibraryBurner folder that sits on the desktop of the Vera Bracken Library's patron computers will soon become defunct. There are two principle reasons for this: (a) the Phoenix server that it sits on is dying and a replacement is not expected in the immediate future, and (b) students will have personal storage space on the network that can be accessed via personal computer logins - this negates the need for the temporary storage that LibraryBurner offers.

With personal logins, the need for the generic logins that are currently being used by students and community members is also at an end. This means that the logins that are currently used (i.e., dropin_XX, libinet_XX, and reference_XX) will be gone. Library management is coordinating with Computer Services to determine how community patrons will be served under the new scheme.

Other network storage folders that are used by staff will be unaffected. So the Relais application that is housed on a network folder will be untouched. The latter is the biggest relief for myself - I was not looking forward to having to reinstall Relais and I am sure the ILL staff was not keen on retesting the configuration.