->Email Server Maintenance Continues Thursday

The updates today didn’t go as smoothly as planned.  While the mail server portion went well, the spam filter server failed.  I am in the process of building a new spam filter server and on Thursday morning, the Lightspeed Systems engineer will help complete the build.  Until then, there additional spam will make its way to your email.  Also, there will be a few interruptions to email tomorrow (Thursday morning) while the process is completed.  Thank you for your patience. 

->Email Server Maintenance

This afternoon beginning at 1:30, the email server/spam filter needs some final installation and configuration tweaks to complete our summer upgrade of the email system.  There could be occasional disruptions of email while this process completes.  (You do not need to close Outlook but you may find it less frustrating if you do.) 

ActiveSync Issue Solved...

I cannot express how frustrating it has been for users who are unable to connect their mobile device using ActiveSync.  The good news is the problem is solved simple.  The bad news is the fix is not really that simple.

To understand the solution, you need to understand the problem.  Microsoft in their infinite wisdom decided to require a special permission setting buried deep in a user's accounts security setting for ActiveSync to work.  It was a problem initially discovered when installing our new Exchange mail server.  To enabled ActiveSync for everyone, I  ran a utility to enabled that option on every staff account.  That seemed to work as several users got their mobile device working including me.

So when other users could not connect, I did some troubleshooting and I know the settings worked.  What I discovered when digging deep into an Apple iOS device, the old SSL certificate was there but the new SSL certificate was not.  That let me to believe that the old SSL was cached and would not be replaced by the current SSL certificate.  I looked everywhere for answers and even contacted Apple support.  Nobody was of help.

So today I had an iPad which we did a complete reset and still nothing.  I even checked and only the new certificate was in place.  Well, my idea that the certificate was the root cause was not the answer.

So I fell back on the idea of the permission not being set on this users account.  Sure enough it was not set.  While I could see it might have gotten missed, it didn't make sense that dozens and dozens of users were missed.  But sure enough, everyone I check didn't have that permission.  More checking showed that even a couple of known users who were working didn't have that permission set either.  This included me.

So some more digging and good use of Google allowed me to find the answer.  Microsoft believes that setting is a security risk for anyone with elevated privileges beyond the common lowly user.  Microsoft believes this so much so that they have an automated routine which runs quietly in the background removing the permission.  It runs once per hour.  So all of the permissions I set were gone.

Oh boy...

The work around is to enable the permission and have the user immediately set up their mobile device.  The good news is once it is working, removing the permission doesn't seem to matter.  So if you want your mobile device to work, bring it in when you come pick up your PC this week.  Early adopters can call me at extension 1040.  Just be ready to configure your device.

Seems crazy but just one of those whack things Microsoft has done.  We will work through it with a little patience.

Jim, Network Services Manager

Ready to Pickup Your New PC?

Your new Tablet PC or Notebook (depending what you requested) is ready to be picked up! As you know we were striving to distribute these much sooner but unfortunately, due to delays in deliveries of the new units we were not able to do so. However, they are now being prepared and will be available for pick on the schedule below.

You may come in to pick up your new PC at the Northwestern Educational Service Center (ESC) on Wednesday thru Friday, (July 27, 28 & 29) during the following times:

9:00 am - 9:30 am - New Tech Overview

9:30 am - 11:30 am - Pickup

1:00 pm - 4:00 pm - Pickup

At the time you pickup you new PC, if you have not done so already, please return your old PC (including power cords, docking stations etc.). If you have saved any files locally on your school PC you will need to remove these before you turn it in. In addition, you will want to save your Favorites as well. You can retrieve these and import into your new PC very easily.

You will not be receiving a new PC carrying bag with your new PC. You can use the one you currently have. If you are not using the school issued bag, please return it when you return your other equipment.

If you are not able to come in on any of the dates and times above, please call Scott Simmons at 765-457-8101 x1111 to make arrangements to come in and pick up your new PC.

Thanks!

Wireless Update

Much of the wireless network has been configured and is working. The second floor of the high school is the largest unfinished area. The contractor is needing to complete the wiring for the new access points for us to finish. NES also has some dead areas relating to unfinished construction.

Users will need to connect their laptop a physical network cable once and reboot to get an updated wireless policy so they can connect wirelessly. (Anything issued to users after this week will not need to do this.)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Network Update

The network is up and functional after downtime from Friday afternoon thru Monday evening.  Wireless remains down as that installation is ongoing and configuring begins later today.

Thank you for your patience.

Mobile Email Settings

Email on your mobile phone, iPod/iPad or tablet device is working after the recent upgrade.  Here are the instructions for Apple iOS devices.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2238713/exchange.pdf

While there are no specific guides for other phone operating systems, the same settings apply.  You just need to find the corresponding field to input the data. 

Please note the step about certificate error is not exactly correct.  These are old instructions and only that has changed.  Please accept any certificate error you receive and also don't be concerned if you do not receive any certificate error.  It depends on the device.

Suggestion: you might want to completely delete your old settings (account) and create a new one. 

Network Outage Reminder

A reminder than beginning today, removal of the existing wireless Cisco network will begin.   Anything wireless will be unable to connect and function through the middle of next week across the entire district.  (Also, original Cisco 7920 telephones with a monochrome display purchased in 2006 will not work with the new wireless network.  You can turn them off and return them along with the charging cradle to Aaron Spence.) 

Also, late Friday afternoon, the entire network on the main campus will be shut down for an upgrade through the weekend and into the first couple of days of next week.  Howard will also be offline over the weekend and into the first few days of next week.  During this time, there will be no computer access to home directories, network printing, or the Internet.  Also down will be the desktop telephones.  (The ESC will have phones and can transfer calls to users voice mail.) 

The ESC will also see a brief disruption on Monday or Tuesday.  (I will try to do this as late as possible on Monday afternoon.)

Please note we do not have an exact time line on when services will be restored. Technology Services is coordinating this uplift with two groups of engineers from Cisco and Meru and will try to return services to normal as quickly as possible.  Thank you for your patience.   

Email Update

Email sync with devices is still not working but you can check email via Outlook Web Access.  (The new 2010 version is a major improvement over the old version.  It also should work in Firefox, Chrome, or Safari according to Microsoft.)  You can find it here:

https://mail.nwsc.k12.in.us/owa

(Update your bookmarks.  The old link will never work again.) 

EMAIL ACCESS OFFLINE

The email accounts are transitioning to a new server this weekend.  During the transition period, email access on mobile clients and via the web is unavailable.  We hope to complete the process on Monday.  Thank you and enjoy a mail free weekend. 

Service Outage Reminder

A reminder that we will being a server upgrade and consolidation project this morning.  An outside engineer will be here to guide and assist with this project.  There will be service outages of home directories (H: Drive), Email, and VersaTrans.  There could be other outages as the week progresses.  As we go through the process, I will try to include updates daily or as often as warranted. 

7/4-7/8 Upcoming Downtime & Other Updates

The week of July 4th will see several disruptions of services.  Services include email, home directories, about anything...  Tuesday (7/5) and Wednesday (7/6) look to be the bigger of the days from perspective.  There will be an engineer here on site doing work including some evening work.

There will also be a bit of downtime over the holiday weekend in preparation for next week. 

Also, we are beginning to hand some of the new wireless access points.  They are new locations and not active.  Current plans are to remove the old Cisco wireless access points beginning July 13th.

There will be no wireless service in the district from July 13th through July 20th or potentially July 22nd.  Anything wireless including wireless Cisco phones will not work. 

[Updated] Tuesday 6/29: Mail Server Downtime

The job has been completed and service has been restored. 

A short outage from a couple of hours will begin at 3 PM today.

July 4th Week - Downtime

The week of July 4th will be the week when core virtualization project is completed.  There can and will be some downtime across the week.  No specifics on what and when but as always, I will try to keep disruptions to a minimum but they will be unavoidable. 


Have installed the controllers for the new Meru wireless network.  These are heavy beasts.  That new wireless installation is probably three to four weeks out. 

Accelerated Reader/Star Reader

Accelerated Reader and Star Reader has been taken offline.  I am currently working with the implementation specialist at Renaissance Learning to set up and configure the new online version of Enterprise.  (All local data has been backed up for them to import into the new system.)

http://www.renlearn.com/arquizzing

Odds & Ends

The summer crew has been moving out old computers and installing the classroom amplification systems in classrooms.  They are making great progress.

We also have received some of the new HP desktop computers for labs.

Not as glamorous but the new HP server to manage the HVAC system throughout the district has been installed and awaiting some configuration specifics from the vendor installing the HVAC controls. (It is the 4 drive HP in the middle.)

Also finalizing the plan for the server virtualization project.  There will be about 1/3 the amount of servers in place once this project is done.  New memory and Ethernet cards will be added to three existing servers in the bottom photo.
The the virtualization fun begins.  :)

Great News For AR Users...

Accelerated Reader had released an iPod or iPad version of their product.  This will integrate nicely with our upgrade to the online enterprise version.

http://www.renlearn.com/arquizzing/ 

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/accelerated-reader/id440734561

Early Adopter Laptops Are Ready

The laptops or tablets are ready for users who are early adopters and will help train other staff.  They receive them tomorrow.  

Welcome!

It's June 1 and Technology Services has been spending months preparing for a very busy summer.

Please feel free to subscribe by email to updates.  (The link is on the right.)  You might want to use your home email account if you don't check school email very often.  Also, I suggest you check the blog before you venture into school to work in your classroom or office.  There could be some downtime/service interruptions  as we complete our project. 

Here is the top of the new teacher tablet computers.  All new tablets and laptops will be laser engraved with the district's logo.