March 5, 2008
Bradford
Our Bradford Campus Manager server is having a few issues. We are currently having to register users manually, and CM is currently unable to switch the vlans. This means that students are getting stuck in what ever status they were in prior to the problem the Bradford server is currently having. Calls, and messages have been placed, and we are waiting on a resolution.
Posted by rushingj at 9:48 AM
February 13, 2007
The Bradford Project
Western Oregon University implemented the Bradford networking solution fall of 06. Bradford consist of two servers working together to enforce networking policies. Currently Bradford is managing the network down in the residence halls as well as the campus wireless network. Bradford keeps our network safer by requiring anti-virus on all networked computers, and by helping eliminate rouge computers that are attacked to the network that we do not want to have access.
What does Bradford do for us?
Bradford automates the registration process. Users can simply plug their computers into the network, open a web browser and are given set by step instructions on registering their computer. Bradford is currently looking at 2 things on the users computer, Anti-virus and operating system updates. We require computer to have anti-virus with up to date definitions installed. We also require computers to have the latest operating system updates like Service Pack 2 (SP2) from Microsoft, and OS X 10.4.0 from Apple. We currently allow many anti-viruses to qualify on the network, with Sophos being the preferred AV solution. Sophos is provided by the school, and can be updated even if the computer has been placed in quarantine. Quarantine in Bradford acts as a separate network on campus giving no internet access. Users are given a web page that tells them why they were placed in quarantine and link to solution for them to get out of quarantine without the need for assistance, with some exceptions. Users are also placed in quarantine for network policy violations and for viral problems.
How does Bradford Work?
Bradford works by placing new computers in a registration network on campus where they can open a web page and follow the instruction to register their computer. During Registration you are asked to download a file and run it. On Windows XP this file will install and stay present at all times in your system try so it can talk to the server, where as on an Apple or Linux system it is a run once application. The client will check your computer for all networking policies WOU enforces like updates and anti-virus applications. If you pass you are placed into the main campus network. You will have access to all the campus resources. If you fail the check then you will be placed in the quarantine network where web pages will set you through what is wrong with your computer and help you fix it. Once you fix the problem there is a button on each page for you to rescan your computer. This will ask the Client to rescan your computer to see if you pass all the checks, if you still fail it will update the list of reason why you did not pass so you can address those issues.
Posted by rushingj at 10:44 AM
January 23, 2007
Wireless moved to Bradford
Wireless has been migrated off of Reefedge and is now using Bradford as our connection manager. Students, Faculty, and staff wireless are now all on Bradford, through out the campus. Wireless now requires users to sign up for it in their account settings and then register the computer using Bradfors web based interface. This process can be done by the user themselves.
Posted by rushingj at 11:41 AM
January 9, 2007
New switches
New switches were installed over winter break into all the student rooms that were running off hubs. This was a great benefit in many ways. We can not manage all the rooms the same way through Bradford, and the students are going from 10Mb connections to 100Mb connections. The new switches have 4 ports for computers, not including the uplink port and one port for their room phone.
Posted by rushingj at 11:38 AM
December 5, 2006
keeping your computer up-to-date
Each week I get a few calls, usually on Tuesday when our server that manages residential internet connections checks users for updated antivirus definitions. If students have old definitions they are put in a quarantine area until there definitions are updated. Here is the catch; once they are quarantined they no longer have internet access to update their antivirus. So what are students to do?
First you should set up a schedule update them, like Monday at 5pm, while you’re at dinner, or whenever you like. Make sure your computer is running and check the setting for you anti-virus. There may be a section to set up an automatic update. Otherwise start the update manually. Make sure this is done each week, preferably on Monday, since the server checks on Tuesday; you know you will be as up-to-date as you can be.
And if you are already quarantined you can bring your computer to the Landers Computer Lab and update your definitions. Or you can download the virus definition from a friends computer and then install them on your computer using a USB flash drive or burn it to CD and us it.
Posted by rushingj at 2:19 PM
October 16, 2006
Tuesday AV check
Bradford scans all clients to see if they have updated their Anti-Virus every Tuesday. This tends to place a lot of users in Quarantine because they have not updated their Anti-virus programs and Bradford required recent definitions to be installed. It only gives you a few days leeway before you are placed in quarantine. If students keep their AV updated they are not placed into the quarantine area. Students are redirected to the Sophos page on wouupdater and are given the option of installing Sophos or updating Norton AV dats. Once they have their AV product updated they can click the rescan button at the bottom of the web page and Bradford will rescan them and they should be placed on the proper vlan with internet.
Posted by rushingj at 5:51 PM