IT Services
A Department of Learner Support Services
Earlier than anticipated, we have been able to re-open room 01.53 in the J. B. Priestley Library for teaching and PC use.
Please note however that building work is still ongoing on the floor above and this room may still be subject to some noise transference from that area.
Customer Services would like to thank students and staff for their patience.
Added - 31 March 2011.
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Works have begun in the Atrium area on level 0 (ground floor) in order to welcome the Health Studies Library collection this summer. Works will be completed for 14th April well in advance of exams and in time for a period of quiet exam preparation. Site preparation and the installation of structural steel work to the Atrium floor will take place and will inevitably mean that the area and Atrium levels 1 and 2 will be subject to noise. The contractors will work with the Estates and LSS Teams to ensure minimum impact upon study and working environments. We apologise for any inconvenience that you may experience and we thank all our students who have studied on in this area throughout the noise. Your patience is much appreciated.
Until the floor work on level 0 is complete the PC cluster room, 01.53 will remain closed until further notice. Once the steel work is complete on the Atrium floor this room will re-open during the day for study purposes, but not for teaching. The offices and study spaces on level 0 can still be accessed via the doors to the right of the library lift. The doors next to the staff toilets on level 0 are now closed off until 14th April as this area forms part of the contractor's site.
Students can still access the study tables outside the Staff Room, the wifi tables and PCs beside the entrance door and are encouraged to use alternative PC clusters and study spaces within the Library and Student Central (where a Sun Ray cluster on level 0 is open until midnight along with a range of group and individual study spaces).
If you have questions regarding the project please contact Priscilla Preston, LSS Head of Customer Services (tel. 3366, p.preston@bradford.ac.uk) or Grace Hudson, Head of Library Services (tel. 3402, g.l.hudson@bradford.ac.uk).
A huge thank you again! We hope you will like and enjoy using the new spaces.
Added - 28 March 2011.
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The J B Priestley Library will be closed on Saturday 19 March due to the campus-wide electrical shutdown and will re-open at 09:00 on Sunday 20th March.
The shutdown is required as part of the final commissioning work of the Combined Heat and Power Unit, an innovative project which will allow us to save money and reduce our impact on the environment by generating our own heat and electricity on campus.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Added - 15 March 2011.
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As part of the J. B. Priestley Library redevelopment project this PC cluster room 01.53 will be closed from Friday 18 March until further notice.
During this time we will undertake essential safety works and enhancement of the space to offer a more inclusive offer within the building, which will include the School of Health Library resources as of July 2011.
Please use alternative computers in the Library, Student Central Sunray Cluster, Richmond and Chesham buildings. Details of availability can be found:
Apologies for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience.
Added - 15 March 2011.
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IT Services are currently working with Novell to resolve some problems with the G and H drives. As part of the troubleshooting process, IT Services need to re-start the G and H drive server this evening (10th March 2011) at 18:00. Please save your work in advance of 18:00 this evening.
Once the server is back up, the Novell client software on your PC will re-connect you to your G and H drive. If this does not happen, please restart your PC.
IT Services apologise for any disruption caused by this essential work.
Added - 9 March 2011.
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There are currently emails circulating claiming to be from 'Webmaster Helpdesk Support' about reaching the limit of your email quota, and from the 'Office of Information Technology' about migrating Bradford email accounts to upgraded central email services and asking you to confirm your username, password and department.
These are malicious spam emails intended to steal your username and password. Please delete them without responding.
The University would never ask you for these details via email.
Added - 3 February 2011.
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In preparing the J. B. Priestley Library for forthcoming works to house the School of Health Library as of July 2011, we require to undertake further building tests. Structural engineers will carry out some concrete testing to the floor between level 0 and level 01 on Sunday 6th February between the hours of 08:00 and 16:00. During this time:
The works that we are undertaking are part of a longer term development plan for the J. B. Priestley Library in order to enhance your student and staff experience and we do thank you for your patience. Any queries regarding the project or forthcoming works can be directed to:
Added - 2 February 2011.
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If you need to work over the Christmas period, please note that room F42 (Sun Ray cluster) in the Richmond Building is open 24 hours a day throughout the year.
Added - 21 December 2010.
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If you receive an email with the subject 'DHL Package Delivery Notification', do not open the attached zip file. This email is a hoax and the attached file contains a virus.
Added - 30 November 2010.
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Two LSS teams were successful in the recent Green Impact awards managed by Ecoversity. Counselling achieved a Bronze award, and IT Services a Silver - only just losing out to Marketing who managed the top Gold award.
Added - 25 October 2010.
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IT Services have again won two special awards. One was for Innovation which relates to a range of energy saving initiatives introduced by the Infrastructure Team including the purchase of energy compliant equipment, improvements to student printing, and a continuing reduction in the number of computer servers to run systems using new virtualisation technologies. The other was the Best Energy Saving Idea which was awarded for the introduction of the Pharos 'pull printing' solution.
Added - 25 October 2010.
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Venue: Ashfield Car Park
Date: Wed 13th October
Time: 10am - 5pm
Drop by the HP truck to experience the latest products and computing technology from HP. Make the most of the special deals, win prizes and get your hands on loads of great giveaways. The truck will be packed full of interactive gadgets covering everything you may need for student life: mobility, music, study and entertainment.
So come on down and say hello!
Added - 11 October 2010.
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We are aware of a new set of fake email messages regarding quota problems being sent to University of Bradford staff and students. They claim to come from the Helpdesk and ask you to confirm your username and password details. PLEASE DO NOT respond.
These emails are sent by spammers who will steal your account. Responding to such emails can have a significant impact on the IT services within the University. IT Services will never ask for your username or password over email.
Added - 13 September 2010.
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As a result of essential electrical maintenance works being carried out by colleagues in Estates and Facilities, the voicemail service will be unavailable between 08:00 and 13:00 on Saturday 4th September. In addition, the ICT Servicedesk contact centre application (Solidus e-care) will also be unavailable during this period, and callers will not have the option to be forwarded to our out of hours service provider (Northumbria University), or leave us a voicemail during this time.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Added - 01 September 2010.
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As a result of recent problems with the new voicemail service (intermittent loss of message waiting indicator), the system will undergo a further software upgrade on the evening of Thursday, 12 August. The system will be taken down at 17:00 and should be back in service no later than 21:00 on the same evening.
With apologies for any inconvenience caused.
Added - 06 August 2010.
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Many email accounts within the University regularly receive emails, from people posing as system administrators, asking for usernames and passwords. Responding to these can have a significant impact on the IT services within the University. IT Services will never ask for your username or password over email.
If you have responded to one of these messages in error, please change your password as soon as possible. If you give your username and password out via email, it is often then used by unscrupulous individuals who will send spam email from the University servers via your account. As a result many of the internet service providers and online email services such as Hotmail and Yahoo will black list the University's servers, preventing any further email from the University getting to any of their users.
If you would like advice concerning IT related security issues, please contact the Customer Services Team on 01274 233343 or email lsshelp@bradford.ac.uk.
"Dear Webmail User; This mail is to inform all our {brad.ac.uk} webmail users that we will be upgrading our site to help block spam. We are also having congestion due to the anonymous registration of accounts so we are shutting down some accounts and your account is among those to be deleted. We are sending you this email to verify and let us know if you still want to use this account. Due to the congestion in mail server, Webmail would be shutting down all unused Accounts. To confirm your active account, you are require to send us your E-mail account details listed below, these information would be needed to verify your account and to avoid being closed; E-mail: Waiting to receive the details of your two emails Warning!!! Account owner that refuse to send this information after one weeks of receiving this warning will lose his/her brad.ac.uk account permanently. brad.ac.uk Webmail Team." |
Added - 1 July 2010.
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Microsoft are running a promotion which allows University students and staff to buy Microsoft Office Professional Academic 2010 at a heavily discounted price!
Simply visit Microsoft Office Professional Academic 2010, confirm that you are a member of the University using your University email address, and follow the instructions.
The package includes the 2010 versions of:
Visit Microsoft Office Professional Academic 2010 for full details and other student deals from Microsoft!
Added - 16 June 2010.
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Once again members of the University are receiving emails asking for confirmation of email usernames and passwords.
Please DO NOT respond to such emails, or click on any links contained in them - simply delete the emails. They do not originate from the University.
Added - 15 June 2010.
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There will be some disruption to Library and IT services on Thursday 10th June. Between 15:00-18:00 IT systems will remain at risk. Library services affected between these hours are BRADfinder, Bradford Scholars and Virtual Scholars. All other library services will operate as normal until 17:00.
The J B Priestley Library will close early at 17:00 on this day to allow essential electrical works to be done as part of the J. B. Priestley Library refurbishment project. Normal Library services will resume on Friday 11th June when the building reopens at 08:45am and IT services will resume by 11am.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused during these improvement works.
Added - 8 June 2010.
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Once again members of the University are receiving bogus emails claiming to be from the 'Helpdesk Security Department', asking you to upgrade your security protection when accessing your Webmail account online.
Please DO NOT respond to such emails, or click on any links contained in them - simply delete the emails. They are not from the University.
Added - 24 May 2010.
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It has become increasingly apparent over the last four weeks (as a result of switchboard forwarding calls to members of staff across the University) that a large number of users have still not set up a mailbox on the new voicemail system which went live on Friday 16th April (there were a number of entries in Staff Briefing in the lead up to the cutover date).
Please note: callers will not be able to leave you voicemail until you have gone through this process.
Please carry out the following:
The voicemail system will prompt you and take you through the setup process for creation of a new security code, name, and 'no answer' greetings.
Members of staff who use the voicemail forwarding function to a Secretary, or other colleague, should contact ICT Servicedesk, who will set this up for you. Likewise, if you have queries or encounter difficulties with any of the above, please contact us.
Added - 11 May 2010.
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Please note that there will be reduced capacity temporarily in computer room C0.02 in Chesham Building from 1st June 2010. This is to allow access to facilitate a water cooler installation for the comfort of users.
Added - 11 May 2010.
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Once again we are receiving phishing emails, some of them requesting that you 'click to validate' your account details etc. These emails do not originate from the University. Simply delete such emails.
Added - 30 March 2010.
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We are moving to a new and upgraded voicemail / unified messaging service, and are now in the first week of a five week long period of parallel running of both old and new systems. Although a voicemail box for every existing user has been created on the new system, your security code, saved messages and greetings (name, busy, no answer) will be lost as part of the upgrade process.
You will need to re-create / re-record these on the new service before 5pm on Wednesday 14th April. The old service will be switched off at approximately 5pm on Thursday 15th April.
Please dial in to the new service on temporary extension x6969 and then enter the security code 000000. The voicemail system will prompt you and take you through the setup process for creation of security code, name, and no answer greetings. Members of staff who use the voicemail forwarding function to a secretary or other colleague, should contact ICT Servicedesk, who will set this up for you. From Friday 16th April, the new service will use the standard voicemail extension number x6666 and the old system will no longer be accessible.
After a period of live testing, further information will be provided via Staff Briefing on new unified messaging functionality (including voicemail to email and voicemail to SMS).
If you have any queries or encounter difficulties with any of the above, please contact ICT Servicedesk.
Added - 12 March 2010.
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Essential maintenance works to the University telephone system, originally timetabled for Saturday 9th January, but postponed due to adverse weather conditions, has now been rescheduled for Saturday 6th February. The telephone system will be unavailable for a number of hours on Saturday 6th February 2010. Works will commence at 8.30 a.m. and should be completed by 2.30pm; no incoming or outgoing calls will be possible during this time and the voicemail service will also be unavailable. Security Services will be provided with corporate mobiles for emergency use during this period – the mobile numbers are as follows:
As part of these maintenance works, all telephony data will be backed up (and “frozen”) on Thursday morning 28th January 2010. Please note, only imperative moves, changes and additions to the telephone system will take place between Thursday 28th January and Saturday 6th February. The backup data will be reloaded on Saturday 6th February and any moves, changes and additions that have gone ahead during that time will be re-input.
If you believe your School / Department will require new extensions, moves or changes during this period, please contact ictservicedesk@bradford.ac.uk immediately (x3333).
With regard to voicemail, there is a slight risk that any saved messages may be lost during this maintenance process, and as a precaution we advise all voicemail users to make a written note of any important messages, before leaving the office on Friday 5th February.
With apologies in advance for any inconvenience caused.
Added - 28 January 2010.
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If you're struggling to find a PC to use on campus, check the plasma screens in the J. B. Priestley Library. These give real-time information about how many free PCs there are in each of the LSS-provided cluster rooms.
Or, if you have an internet-enabled phone, you can get the same information from www.braduni.mobi.
We've now also included the new cluster room F42 (Richmond Building) on these pages.
Added - 3 December 2009.
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Once again we are receiving phishing emails. These emails pretend to be from the University - the following is an example:
"Dear Webmail User; This mail is to inform all our {brad.ac.uk} webmail users that we will be upgrading our site to help block spam. We are also having congestion due to the anonymous registration of accounts so we are shutting down some accounts and your account is among those to be deleted. We are sending you this email to verify and let us know if you still want to use this account. Due to the congestion in mail server, Webmail would be shutting down all unused Accounts. To confirm your active account, you are require to send us your E-mail account details listed below, these information would be needed to verify your account and to avoid being closed; E-mail: Waiting to receive the details of your two emails Warning!!! Account owner that refuse to send this information after one weeks of receiving this warning will lose his/her brad.ac.uk account permanently. brad.ac.uk Webmail Team." |
These emails do not originate from the University (we would never ask you to confirm your password; this is personal to you and must never be given to anyone else). Simply delete such emails.
Added - 21 October 2009.
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Please be aware that land line telephony in Phoenix South West Building will be out of service from 5pm, Friday 16 October to 8am, Monday 19 October 2009.
This is due to the Phoenix North East refurbishment works which means it is necessary to reroute the existing voice multicore cable serving Phoenix South West Building.
Apologies for the short notice of these works.
Added - 16 October 2009.
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Microsoft are once again running a promotion which allows University students and staff to buy Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007 at a heavily discounted price!
To get this, go to www.theultimatesteal.co.uk, confirm that you are a student using your university email address, and follow the instructions.
Microsoft Office
Ultimate 2007
includes the 2007
versions of:
Visit www.theultimatesteal.co.uk for more details!
This offer ends 15 June 2010.
Buy Office 2007 between 5 March and 30 September 2010 and get a bonus Office 2010 upgrade when it is released later this year!
Visit www.theultimatesteal.co.uk for full details!
Added - 18 September 2009.
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Webmail has changed! It is no longer red! There are some other changes too.
A new user guide is available. A guide is also available for setting up out-of-office replies.
If you would like to sit back and see the new features demonstrated there are a number of demonstrations next week:
No need to book - just turn up!
Added - 18 September 2009.
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We are aware of a new set of fake messages being sent to Bradford staff and students. They claim to come from helpdesk regarding quota problems asking you to reply with your username and password details. PLEASE DO NOT respond. These emails are sent by spammers who will steal your account.
Added - 18 September 2009.
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Visit room F42 in the Richmond building - it's on F floor at the far end of the gallery area overlooking the Atrium. This is a really nice space which you can use any time it's not booked for teaching. The PC clusters on J and L floors in Richmond, and on C floor in Chesham, have also had a facelift over the summer. And there are new chairs in the Library PC rooms.
Added - 16 September 2009.
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We have reduced the cost of black and white printing.
The Central Colour Printer offers:
Added - 16 September 2009.
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This Summer the period begins from 16:00 on Friday 17 July through Monday 27 July 07:00 - the affected working week is therefore July 20 through July 24 inclusive. Please see details of the services affected.
An external research agency conducted an online survey on behalf of IT Services in May 2009. This is the first time we have conducted a survey of this kind with a representative sample of students. We used the same questionnaire as the University of Sheffield so the results include how Bradford and Sheffield students have responded. Our aim is to better understand attitudes towards the services we provide.
Once again hoax email messages are being sent - this time advising that your email quota has been exceeded and asking you to confirm your email details.
Please do not respond in any way to these messages. They will simply confirm valid email addresses which will attract even more hoax messages and that you are susceptible to them! We will never ask you for any details about your IT account or passwords .
In April 2009 IT Services launched a new out-of-hours support service. This is an innovative shared service with fifteen other UK Universities and is hosted by Northumbria University. The service will operate every night, 5.30pm to 7.30am and at weekends from 5.30pm on Friday until 07.30am on the following Monday.
All staff and student callers to our ICT Servicedesk number, 01274 233333 (3333 on campus), will be given the option to have their call transferred to the out-of-hours support staff at Northumbria University; even if your query/problem cannot be resolved there and then, it will be logged and sent to us in a daily report we will receive at 7.30am every morning. Alternatively, you can still follow current procedure and leave us a voicemail to be acted upon when ICT Servicedesk next opens. In addition, email messages to ictservicedesk@bradford.ac.uk will also be acknowledged and jobs logged for resolution next working day.
We trust this will be viewed as a welcome addition to our support services and encourage all students and staff to try the Northumbria University option, as and when they have an out-of-hours requirement.
Please see the updated Facilities Management Service Level Definition (SLD) for IT Services.
Roger M Goodair,
Telecoms and ICT
Support Manager.
We have been informed by our antivirus software supplier, McAfee, that version 8.0 of VirusScan Enterprise stopped downloading updates as of February 2009.
All computers on campus should be using version 8.5i or higher of VirusScan Enterprise, which does not suffer from this issue, however we are aware that a number of staff and students will have installed version 8.0 on their home computers.
Any student or member of staff who has installed University-provided antivirus software on a home computer is advised to download and install version 8.7i of VirusScan Enterprise. Please follow the instructions available.
Several students have had their laptops stolen recently when they have left them unattended for a short time. PLEASE don't leave your laptop, even to go to the toilet or to look for book, unless there is somebody you know you can trust to look after it.
If you receive an email which asks you to provide or confirm your email account details, please DO NOT respond.
These emails are not genuine - they should simply be deleted.
Never give out your username and password, even if the email requesting them looks like it originates from the University.
IT Services have launched a new Service Status Web page.
Keep up to date with IT services such as Blackboard, email, Meeting Maker etc. by using this page to:
The page also offers subscription to an RSS feed for each service, so you can have updates delivered to you via your feed aggregator or email if you choose.
There is a link to Service Status under the Quick Links section on the Internal home page, and the current statuses of services are also embedded into the IT Services home page.
We hope you find this useful!
All services are running as normal, unless stated here.
| Room | Number of Free PCs |
|---|---|
| J.B.Priestley 01.41 | 10 |
| J.B.Priestley 01.16 | 18 |
| J.B.Priestley 01.53 | 71 |
| J.B.Priestley 01.44 | 18 |
| J.B.Priestley Health Studies Library | 8 |
| J.B.Priestley Floor 0 Foyer | 14 |
| J.B.Priestley Floor 0 Scanners | 8 |
| J.B.Priestley Floor 1 Extension | 12 |
| J.B.Priestley Floor 2 Extension | 11 |
| J.B.Priestley Room 2.7a | 28 |
| Richmond J31 | 20 |
| Richmond L24 | 44 |
| Chesham C0.02 | 24 |
| School of Management Library | 5 |
| Richmond F42 (Sunray Cluster) | 99 |
| Student Central S038 (Sunray Cluster) | 30 |
