January 7th, 2013

Today's topics:

Open Session for Red Rover, bring your lab laptop 1PM, Jan 14th, 2013 in Wilson Commons

There will be an Open Session for Red Rover use at CLASSE, bring your lab issued laptop and follow along using Red Rover with our presentation. The Computer Group will have representatives to assist you if you have problems on your own Laptop.

Conferencing and Screensharing at CLASSE

With EVO no longer available and the need for videoconferencing and screensharing growing at CLASSE, there are two options the Computer Group recommends, for two different purposes.

Screen Sharing (Join.me)

We mentioned this 2 years ago, but feel it's worth another mention. If you're working on something on one Windows or Mac computer and want input on how to do something, or want to present how to do something (like Inventor, or Labview etc) with another lab member - or if you need to provide a screen shot to another collaborator off campus, you may want to look at the website: https://join.me/ - just click on "Basic" and the orange arrow in the middle of the screen, and you will be given a simple app to share your screen and a link to provide to the viewer(s) with chat capability. Note, this is just screen sharing.

Video Conferencing (Webex)

Cornell provides Webex for all Cornell Staff. You go to https://cornell.webex.com and log in with your NetID credentials. You can then set up a conference. This is a close replacement for EVO. By default you have to schedule meetings, but you can set up an ad hoc meeting template through the website. Cornell provides documentation here: http://www.it.cornell.edu/services/webconferencing/about.cfm which will point you towards Webex user guides if you have questions.

Note, Webex includes 3 audio options:

1. ) Bring your own Audio. This is also suitable if you do not desire audio conferencing. It is selected as "Other Teleconference Service". You can provide the call in number and instructions, or really any instructions.
2. ) VOIP only. This uses the Internet and a headset on your device to send audio to the conference. It may be a good choice if users prefer to do the entire conference from their computers.
3. ) Webex Audio. This provides a call in number and optional international call in numbers for the audio conference via a traditional telephone or cell phone.

You should use Webex if you need video conferencing from your desk, mobile device (including iOS and audio on Android), or conference room.

Linux Updates

SL6.3

All LEPP SL6 systems are being upgraded from SL6.2 to SL6.3. This is a minor bugfix release, and the upgrade should be transparent for most users. For the SL6.3 release notes and additional information on this upgrade, please see http://www.scientificlinux.org/distributions/6x/63/ .

/nfs/linux/opt

The linux software distribution file system, /nfs/linux/opt or /nfs/opt from a linux system, has been moved into the CLASSE Infrastructure cluster. This was necessary to expand the file system and allow space for new software installations. You can use df /nfs/linux/opt to see if your system is using the new file system served from lnxopt, or the old file system from lnx102. If you find your system is still accessing /nfs/opt from the old server (lnx102), please reboot your system or submit a ServiceRequest. For example, some users of the ifort compiler have had troubles because they were using a cached version of the old address. They may want to reboot.

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General network and server maintenance will occur every Tuesday from 12:00 noon to 2:00 PM. The CLASSE-IT group will always announce any expected disruptions in our NewsLetter and via CLASSE-IT-NEWS-L, but with the size and complexity of our network there is always the potential for something to go wrong. We will do our best to contain all network maintenance and planned outages to Tuesdays from 12:00 noon to 2:00 PM.

Unless other arrangements have been made, CLASSE-managed Windows systems may be updated and rebooted on Tuesday morning at 2:00 AM, so please avoid critical or lengthy operations at that time. For more details, please see SystemExpectations.

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Questions or problems? Submit a service request.

Other resources:

• CLASSE-IT Home Page
• Previous newsletters

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