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New Features in the PolyU Internet Infrastructure Ready for the New Academic Year
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As announced in the May issue of ‘Get Connected’, the PolyU Internet service infrastructure has been upgraded on 29 July to enhance its overall capacity, capability, reliability, availability, scalability and security. We will now introduce some of the new features which have already been implemented. Some other new functionalities are now being tested and will be launched in stages.

Load-balancing Internet Firewall System

There are now two firewall devices in the Internet Firewall System working hand in hand in the load-balancing mode. The availability of the infrastructure is therefore much enhanced as the failure of one of the devices will not result in Internet service outage.

RealVideo / Real Audio / Windows Media / NetMeeting

Video and audio streaming applications such as RealVideo, RealAudio, Windows Media and NetMeeting are now supported in the new infrastructure. Users no longer have to register on the Internet Firewall System before using these applications.

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 firewall.jpg (29246 bytes) Internet Firewall System General Rules

The Internet Firewall System protects the PolyU computer and network resources from being attacked or hacked by external untrusted hosts on the Internet so as to enhance service availability and reliability. A set of general rules are set up in the system to enable you to access a pre-defined set of services and applications, without the need to register in the system individually. The general rules are as below:

Internet Protocol / Services Application Examples Access from the Internet to Campus Network Services Access from Campus Network (including dial-up modem pools) to Internet Network Services
Telnet Telnet NOT ALLOWED (except for registered hosts) ALLOWED
FTP File transfer NOT ALLOWED (except for registered hosts) ALLOWED
POP3 Eudora, Netscape Messenger ALLOWED ALLOWED
SMTP Eudora, Netscape Messenger, Unix e-mail NOT ALLOWED (except for registered hosts) ALLOWED
HTTP Web hosting & Web browsing NOT ALLOWED (except for registered hosts) ALLOWED
(via Web Proxy Servers)
HTTPS Intranet,   e-business applications ALLOWED ALLOWED
Audio streaming Real Audio, Windows Media ALLOWED ALLOWED
Video streaming Real Video, Windows Media ALLOWED ALLOWED
H.323 desktop video conferencing NetMeeting, CUSeeMe ALLOWED ALLOWED
NNTP USENET News (BBS) NOT ALLOWED (except for registered hosts) ALLOWED
DNS Domain Name Service ALLOWED ALLOWED
NTP Network Time Service ALLOWED ALLOWED
SNMP Network management NOT ALLOWED (except for registered hosts) ALLOWED
ICMP Ping NOT ALLOWED (except for registered hosts) ALLOWED but at limited rate

 

What can you do via the campus network…

campusNetwork.GIF (14316 bytes)Based on the said rules, you can perform the following via the campus network (including dial-up modem pools), without registering on the Internet Firewall System:

Wbc05tnr.gif (1045 bytes) Telnet to any host on the campus network and on the Internet

Wbc05tnr.gif (1045 bytes) Transfer files to any host on the campus and the Internet

Wbc05tnr.gif (1045 bytes) Retrieve e-mail messages from POP3 e-mail accounts using POP3 client program or via Web-based interface

Wbc05tnr.gif (1045 bytes) Send e-mail messages using SMTP client program or via Web-based interface

Wbc05tnr.gif (1045 bytes) Browse the World-Wide-Web via the PolyU Web proxy servers

Wbc05tnr.gif (1045 bytes) Access secure Web servers

Wbc05tnr.gif (1045 bytes) Access audio streaming service (Real Audio, Windows Media)

Wbc05tnr.gif (1045 bytes) Access video streaming service (Real Video, Windows Media)

Wbc05tnr.gif (1045 bytes) Perform H.323 desktop video conferencing service (NetMeeting)

Wbc05tnr.gif (1045 bytes) Access the Internet USENET newsgroups

Wbc05tnr.gif (1045 bytes) Perform Internet DNS lookup

Wbc05tnr.gif (1045 bytes) Access Internet Network Time Service

Wbc05tnr.gif (1045 bytes) Perform network management using SNMP

Wbc05tnr.gif (1045 bytes) Traceroute or ping hosts on the Internet (at limited rate)

 

Ispk.gif (7426 bytes)What network services can you access via external ISPs…

You can also access the following PolyU network services via external Internet Service Providers:

Wbp03tlr.gif (1074 bytes) Telnet to registered hosts on the campus network

Wbp03tlr.gif (1074 bytes) Transfer files to registered hosts on the campus network

Wbp03tlr.gif (1074 bytes) Retrieve e-mail messages from POP3 e-mail accounts using POP3 client program or via Web-based interface

Wbp03tlr.gif (1074 bytes) Send e-mail messages to registered hosts using SMTP client program

Wbp03tlr.gif (1074 bytes) Access registered Web servers (including PolyU Website)

Wbp03tlr.gif (1074 bytes) Access secure Web servers

Wbp03tlr.gif (1074 bytes) Access audio streaming service (Real Audio, Windows Media)

Wbp03tlr.gif (1074 bytes) Access video streaming service (Real Video, Windows Media)

Wbp03tlr.gif (1074 bytes) Perform H.323 desktop video conferencing service (NetMeeting)

Wbp03tlr.gif (1074 bytes) USENET News feed to registered hosts

Wbp03tlr.gif (1074 bytes) Perform DNS lookup

Wbp03tlr.gif (1074 bytes) Access Network Time Service

Wbp03tlr.gif (1074 bytes) Perform network management to registered hosts using SNMP

Wbp03tlr.gif (1074 bytes) Traceroute or ping registered hosts

Please contact the ITS HelpDesk at 2766 5900 if you have any enquiries about the new Internet service infrastructure.

More new features are on their way - do read our newsletter regularly to keep yourself up-to-date.

 

 

 

IP Telephony Under Pilot
Data networks provide a fast and low-cost means for various kinds of electronic communications, such as e-mail, ICQ, video conferencing, telephony etc. IP telephony uses the popular Internet Protocol (IP) and the data network to provide telephone services with voice quality and features comparable to that of the traditional switched telephone system.

Also known as voice over IP (VoIP), IP telephony uses the same data network that your PCs are connected to. The combination of voice and data services onto a single network helps to reduce telecommunication cost as well as administrative and support efforts. For new buildings and offices where no telephone lines have been installed, the implementation of IP telephony offers a more cost-effective solution.

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As the quality and cost-effectiveness of using a single network to deliver data and voice continue to improve, some 20 IP phones have been installed in ITS for staff pilot use, to evaluate the benefits and functionalities of IP telephony as well as its suitability for deployment in the University. The small scale testing will also be extended to some other departments shortly.

ip7940_60a.gif (2915 bytes) So next time when you ring up someone in ITS, you may hear a different greeting message from the IP Telephony voice messaging system. Also, don’t be surprised if a colleague returns your call even if you haven’t left a message, as the caller IDs of missed calls will be shown on the IP phones.