As an annual exercise to collect users' feedback, a survey on the effectiveness of IT services was conducted among all staff and students in end 2011. Here are some of the major findings and observations of the survey:

Our thanks to all colleagues and students who had responded to the survey!

The survey results as well as the comments and suggestions received are valuable input from users on your needs and expectations, and would be taken into account in our planning and implementation of the University's IT facilities and services.

Action NOW or You CAN’T RESET YOUR NETPASSWORD!!

With the launch of the PUsecure Identity Portal (IdPortal) in November 2011, the mechanism for resetting the NetPassword (in case you have forgotten it) has changed. 

You need to provide the answers (responses) to a set of challenge questions during the NetPassword resetting process. In this connection, you MUST setup your Password Challenge Response NOW via the new PUsecure Identity Portal (IdPortal).

Most users, however, have not yet set up their Password Challenge Response. ACTION NOW or you can’t reset the NetPassword yourself directly online in case you have forgotten it. You will, instead, have to visit our Help Centre in person to do so.  

Just follow the simple steps below to set up your Password Challenge Response quick and easy:

	Login to the IdPortal (https://idportal.polyu.edu.hk) with your NetID & NetPassword.
	The system will prompt you to enter the answers (responses) to a set of challenge questions.
	Enter your answers (responses) and then click the ‘Submit’ button.

idPortal: The New Interface Layout

IdPortal (https://idportal.polyu.edu.hk) is the gateway to manage your NetID and user management requests. To provide a better user experience, we have revamped the interface layout which will soon be launched in February 2012.

Here’s the first glimpse of our new look:

The DOs and DON'Ts

It is crucial to employ good security practices on systems used for research or projects. While these devices are highly powerful tools for processing research information, if they are deployed insecurely they can provide a loophole for malicious attackers through which the PolyU campus network can be compromised.

Sincere thanks for your support!

Since November 2011, a 3-month free trial programme for the PolyU Private Cloud Service has been launched for departments to try out our server hosting service.

Very positive response has been received and many departments have joined the free trial programme. These departments are now using the latest operating systems in the virtual machines with the computing resources closely managed and monitored by ITS.

With the wider deployment of the Private Cloud Service, we are gradually running out of capacity and the current resources level is just sufficient to accept a few more applications from departments.

To support the growing demand, a new batch of blade servers is being acquired and these new resources are expected to be in place around the end of March 2012.

In the meantime, we welcome any new applications from departments but they will only be served by our best effort. Any pending requests, if cannot be fulfilled immediately, will be taken care of shortly after the procurement of the new resources. 

For enquiries or discussion regarding the PolyU Private Cloud Service and the support you need, feel free to contact Mr Raymond Tam of ITS (E-mail: 'itraymon', Ext. 5921). Our colleagues may also visit your department for interactive discussion.

The various system development / enhancement projects for the 334 implementation have been progressing well and are on schedule. The Student Record System redevelopment is reaching the critical release stages and the massive data migration exercise will be undertaken during February with another milestone release occurring in March. The Student Account System has been redeveloped in concert with the Student Record System. The Student Account System is now at user acceptance stage and system migration will be carried out from mid February to mid March. The redeveloped Student Account System will run on the new Administrative Computing Infrastructure (ACI) which is designed to cater for the future growth of student needs as a result of the new 334 academic structure.

Due to the de-support of R11 of Oracle Financials, the system will be upgraded to R12 from 2-8 February 2012. The Oracle Financials R12 uses the latest Oracle database and application software and will run under the new ACI to cater for the business growth in the coming 3 years.

The Entry Scholarship module of the Scholarship & Financial Assistance System (SFAS) has already been launched to cope with the full launch of the Admission Administration System and also the re-developed Student Account System. System development of all other major functions of SFAS is near completion and will be launched in early March.

For all systems of SAO and RO, system modification to accommodate the revised data structures of the re-developed Student Administration System is in progress. The modified systems will be launched on 8 March 2012 to align with the implementation of the new Student Administration System.

Most systems of SAO, CPCE, RO, etc. have been migrated to the new ACI for daily production run by all users (staff and students) and have been running smoothly. The remaining systems will be migrated by end February 2012.

Since 2001, ITS has centrally coordinated a site licensing arrangement, viz the Adobe Open Options Contractual Licensing Programme (CLP) with Adobe. Through the programme, departments can enjoy educational discount on a list of commonly used Adobe software licences. They can also join the maintenance programme which will entitle them to the latest release and upgrades of the software within the programme period.

The University is in the process of finalizing the renewal arrangements for the next 2-year period. Same as in the previous programme, the new CLP will continue to offer the concurrent licence option in addition to the stand-alone licences. Departments can also keep their Adobe licences up-to-date during the programme period by acquiring the maintenance option under CLP.

The University is in the process of establishing its Information Security Management Framework and consultation will be carried out in February 2012. The details of the consultation will be announced shortly and a Theme Page will soon be launched for you to provide your feedback and to keep abreast of the latest development on the University Information Security Management Framework Establishment.

Please have a first glimpse of the theme page providing an introduction on the why and how to establishing the IS Framework.

Training Workshops

You may view the full list of workshops offered in February and make online enrolment via the Staff IT Training Workshop Enrolment System. You will be notified instantly of the enrolment results.

Online Courses

Please click here for the detailed description of each course. To enrol, please complete and return the web-based proforma reply and you will be informed of the enrolment results in early February via e-mail.

Enquiries: 4566