IET Announcements
Beginning June 21, a new option will be available to individuals who are off campus and attempting to send email via the campus email servers using a third-party ISP connection (e.g., Comcast, Charter). Currently, off-campus emailers are limited to sending mail only to campus email addresses over campus servers. This new option, called authenticated SMTP, allows mail to be sent to any email address. For additional information about this service or to access setup instructions, see security.ucdavis.edu/mail_relay.cfm.
Spam Filtering Upgraded
For more than two years, UC Davis has been scanning all campus email for spam using SpamAssassin. Messages recognized as spam are "tagged," and, for individuals who have signed up for spam filtering, are filtered based on the information in the tag. Depending on which option individuals select when setting up the filter, messages are either deleted or rerouted to a spam folder.
In June and July of this year, the campus plans to enhance the scanning system by implementing the following:
~ Quarantine of High Scoring Messages: SpamAssassin currently tags any message scoring five or higher. With the change, all messages scoring 15 or higher will be placed in a quarantined message folder for 28 days, after which they will be deleted.
~ Real-Time Blocking List: If a system sends more than 20 spam messages AND more than 85% of all messages originating from that system are identified as spam, that system's IP address will be added to the blocking list. The campus email servers will reject all messages from systems on the blocking list.
~ Refined Spam Scoring: A process known as Bayesian filtering will be used to better recognize spam. Similarly, a new bulk mail detection system, Distributed Checksum Clearinghouse, will enhance the scoring system and update it more frequently.
For more information or to sign up for the spam filtering service, visit security.ucdavis.edu/spam.cfm.
PPS Decision Support to Use Kerberos Authentication
Beginning July 1, Kerberos authentication will be used by all employees who access the PPS Web-based reporting system. They, like those accessing PPS DS through MyUCDavis, will certainly celebrate having one less login and password to remember. New employees who wish to access PPS Decision Support will need to complete the application for access.
Dual Projectors Installed in Art History Classrooms
An experiment in advanced digital projection will take place this Fall when art history instructors use new dual projectors to show side-by-side digital images to their students.
IET Classroom Technology Services will be installing dual projectors in Art Building 204 and 217 this summer, and Mediaworks has been preparing instructors for the new system by helping them digitize their slides.
Now, when a professor wants his students to compare two examples of Gothic architecture, for instance, he will be able to project them side-by-side rather than flipping back and forth between the images or simultaneously managing a laptop and a slide projector.
The existing media cabinets in these classrooms will remain in place, so others using the classrooms can still employ the more familiar system.
Firewalls Protect Campus Data
Departments wanting to deploy network firewalls to protect their computers from hackers and other Internet dangers will be happy to learn that a campus contract with Juniper Networks will make Netscreen firewalls available in mid-June for campus unit acquisition. IET will arrange training to assist departments with configuration, and several firewall maintenance options are available; thus, every department should find a reasonab le solution for acquiring and maintaining a Netscreen firewall. Those interested in more information should consult security.ucdavis.edu/firewalls.cfm.