News Archive

Iowa State University Information Technology Services (ITS) will save nearly $700,000 in operational costs over the next five years by switching to a new licensing agreement with multinational technology company Cisco Systems. 

The Avian Archives of Iowa Online (avIAn), a web portal with more than 10,000 ornithological records, celebrated its launch this summer following the collaborative efforts of the Iowa State University Library and Information Technology Services (ITS). 

Cyclone fans can look forward to easier entry into Jack Trice Stadium and Hilton Coliseum this fall through the joint efforts of Information Technology Services (ITS), Iowa State University Athletics, and Ticketmaster to upgrade the wireless access points used for event ticket scanning.

Iowa State University Information Technology Services (ITS) has entered the second phase of multifactor authentication (MFA) implementation and will begin enrolling students this fall, with a target of having all students registered by the end of spring semester 2020.

At the end of July, Iowa State University will migrate its existing online learning resources from Lynda.com to LinkedIn Learning, as part of a necessary transition due to the discontinuation of the former tool.   

LinkedIn acquired Lynda.com, an open online course website, in 2015, and will shut it down at the end of 2019. In preparation for the shutdown, LinkedIn is requiring all Lynda.com subscribers, including Iowa State, to move to the website’s replacement and LinkedIn subsidiary, LinkedIn Learning, this summer. 

Information Technology Services (ITS) has begun work to replace aging network switches in nearly 200 buildings across campus, which will bring faster Ethernet connections to users without increasing current costs of internet access.

Rich Tener, an Iowa State University alumnus and long-time IT security practitioner, has been named Information Technology Services’ (ITS) new Director of Information Security. 

In his new role, Tener will be responsible for the leadership and strategic direction of the information security arm of ITS, supporting university operations, identifying vulnerabilities, protecting against hacking and phishing attempts, and finding ways to keep the campus community’s information safe in the digital environment. 

When classes pick up again for the fall 2019 semester, Iowa State University faculty, staff, and students will have access to a new online meeting and video conferencing platform.

Iowa State University’s Computation Advisory Committee (CAC) recently approved a $24,264 funding request to create a physical space on campus where students with disabilities will have access to assistive technology resources.

The project proposal for an assistive technology lab — spearheaded by university Digital Accessibility Coordinator Cyndi Wiley — was outlined during a CAC meeting on March 28, and requested committee financial support to create a location dedicated to accessibility resources, peer mentoring, and community building for Iowa State students with disabilities.

Through a joint effort between the Iowa State University WorkCyte Program and Information Technology Services (ITS), two spaces on campus have been turned into dedicated Workday training rooms for faculty and staff in preparation for the project’s July 1 go-live date. 

After more than a year of planning and implementation, Project Neptune, an ambitious initiative to retire and replace many of Iowa State University’s legacy systems and decommission their servers, has been completed.

Iowa State University’s first public website service will shut down at the end of the year, and with the help of a collaborative effort between Information Technology Services (ITS), the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, will be replaced with a newer, more streamlined web resource.

Insook Wessels, a systems analyst with Information Technology Services (ITS), was honored as one of the recipients of a 2018 Professional and Scientific Team CYtation Award this week for contributions to the development of “OneApp,” a new scholarship portal for Iowa State students.

As part of an effort that will help protect university information and personal data from security breaches, Iowa State University Information Technology Services (ITS) recently completed a campaign to enroll faculty and staff into its new Okta Multifactor Authentication (MFA) protocol.

In order to better protect personal information, Iowa State University account holders are encouraged to move away from sending attachments by email, and instead share files through the university’s preferred platform, CyBox. 

As part of Information Technology Services' (ITS) continued efforts to improve customer service and security, Iowa State University’s Data Center will undergo a network redesign over the next three years. The change will better protect user data and more closely align the Data Center with industry best practices.

The modifications to the existing network will provide a formalized automated process, additional security, and the ability to easily add next generation firewall services.

Iowa State University’s Durham Data Center is expecting to see significant operational savings moving forward, following recent construction of a new modular wall designed to better control airflow within the facility.  

Less than a year after the implementation of identity and access security platform Okta, the Iowa State University community has experienced a nearly 50 percent decrease in the number of staff and student accounts compromised by phishing, following a seven-year high in 2017.  

Formerly known as the Learning Spaces Team, Information Technology Services’ newly renamed Audiovisual Experience Team (AVXT) hopes to connect with Iowa State’s campus through engaging technology experiences in classrooms and beyond.

The decision to rebrand the team was made earlier this year as a way to redefine its mission and provide a fresh start moving forward. A fixture on campus in one form or another since at least 1942, the team has undergone multiple name changes as the needs of campus changed and technology became more advanced.

A new $1.6 million High Performance Computing (HPC) cluster, called NOVA, was celebrated by the Iowa State University community at a dedication ceremony held Nov. 29.

NOVA was installed in the Durham Data Center in October to strengthen and support computing-based research and education on campus. Held in Durham 206, the Nov. 29 ceremony welcomed university researchers and stakeholders to learn more about NOVA, see the new cluster, and hear from university leaders about High Performance Computing at Iowa State.