Telework Support

ITS Support During the Pandemic

The Help Desk responds to phone calls, voice and email messages, and tickets. Please contact the Help Desk at helpdesk@ncat.edu, (336) 334-7195, or AggieHelp. 

Communication Options

Email and Calendar: The university uses Microsoft Office 365 for employee email and calendar, and Google G Suite for student email. These applications run in commercial cloud environments and can be accessed directly from off-campus locations.

Video Conferencing: 

• Zoom is available for all employees and students for video conferencing with up to 300 participants, and supports screen sharing, recording, and online chat. Participants do not need a Zoom account to join and can attend via computer, phone or other mobile device. Zoom has both a web-based client and a desktop client. The Help Desk can assist with installation of the Zoom desktop client on university devices. ITS has enabled additional features that provide more control for faculty using Zoom to conduct an online class meeting. Visit the Zoom Video Conferencing Support page for more information, and the Zoom Security Guide page for measures toward securing your Zoom meetings from intruders.
• Blackboard Collaborate Ultra provides faculty a video conferencing platform with the ability to add files, share applications, and use a virtual whiteboard to interact in real time. Collaborate Ultra opens in a browser, so there is no software to install to join a session.

Chat/Instant Messaging:

• The Zoom client provides a chat feature to communicate with other users with N.C. A&T Zoom accounts.
• During Zoom meetings, attendees may use the meeting chat feature to communicate with one other publicly or privately.
• Jabber also provides a chat feature that supports communication among employees. See the User Guide for instructions.

Telephony:

• Call Forwarding: Calls may be forwarded from a campus extension to a different campus extension or to an off-campus number. Users can forward calls to a local number directly from their phone. For the duration of the current pandemic, users can contact the Help Desk to have their extensions forwarded to a long distance number. Forwarding to an international number is not available. 
• Voice Mail Delivery to Email: Voice mail will be delivered to email as an attachment for any personal campus extension that has an associated email account. Users can listen to voice mail on their computer. Voice mail will also be available through the voice mail system. Users can test this feature by calling their extension and leaving a voice mail. If this does not work, please contact the Help Desk for assistance.
• Main Office Numbers: Main office extensions can be forwarded to a personal extension or to an off-campus number. In the former case, voice mail left when someone calls the main office number will be delivered to the email account associated with the personal extension.
• Faxes: Multi-function devices (MFDs) can route faxes to a file share. This will allow staff working remotely to retrieve faxes. Contact the Help Desk for assistance.
• Call Centers: ITS can help configure remote computers to be part of a call center. This requires the use of a Jabber application installed on your computer, and approval from management. Contact the Help Desk for assistance. 
• Placing Calls from Campus: ITS can help configure remote computers to place calls from the campus phone system. This requires the use of a Jabber application installed on your computer, and approval from management. Contact the Help Desk for assistance. I

Internet Access:

• Hotspots: Hotspots use a cellular connection to provide Internet access. The university can obtain Hotspots under our campus agreement. Verizon campus cell phones can be used as a Hotspot as well. For the duration of the current pandemic, uses should contact the Help Desk to request a Hotspot. The cost is $48/month and users will need to provide a fund code. You will need to provide a completed Cellular Service Request form and possibly a Verizon Account Request form.
• Commercial Internet Access: During the current pandemic, many commercial Internet access providers are offering free access or unlimited data for a short time. Check with your local providers for more information.
  • AT&T public WiFi: https://about.att.com/pages/COVID-19.html
  • Comcast Xfinity WiFi: https://corporate.comcast.com/covid-19
    
  • Spectrum: https://corporate.charter.com/newsroom/charter-to-offer-free-access-to-spectrum-broadband-and-wifi-for-60-days-for-new-K12-and-college-student-households-and-more
  • T-Mobile: https://www.t-mobile.com/brand/ongoing-updates-covid-19#customers
  • Xfinity WiF Hotspots: www.xfinity.com/wifi
    

Software

• Adobe Reader: https://get.adobe.com/reader/otherversions/

• Adobe Flash Player: https://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/

• Affinity Suite (Publisher, Photo, Designer, Workbooks): 90-day free trial with no obligation of all the Mac and Windows versions https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/
• Creative Cloud: Creative Cloud is available to employees. Students can access Creative Cloud in Aggies Anywhere.
• FileZilla: https://filezilla-project.org/download.php?platform=win64
• Google Chrome https://www.google.com/chrome
• Mathematica 11.3.0: https://igetintopc.com/wolfram-mathematica-11-3-0-free-download/
• Microsoft Office: https://hub.ncat.edu/_files/administrative/gettingoffice1.pdf

• Mozilla Firefox: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/

• Python 2017: https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-354/

• R x32/x64 3.4.1: https://cran.r-project.org/bin/windows/base/old/3.4.1/

• SAS 9.4 University Version: https://www.sas.com/en_us/software/university-edition.html

• Visual Studio 2017: https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/

Productivity Tools

• File Storage: Microsoft Office365 OneDrive can be used to store files in a secure commercial cloud. Learn more about configuring One Drive on your computer.
• Microsoft Office: Users can download and install Microsoft Office on their personal computer. This includes Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Microsoft Office Online: Users can use Office Online which includes web-based versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.

Campus Access

• Virtual Desktops (VDI): Virtual desktops can be accessed from on or off-campus and may be used to in place of physical computer labs. The VDI environment may also be used for administrative purposes. Follow these instructions for accessing the VDI.
• File Shares (requires VPN): Files shares can be accessed remotely. University data (including documents) should remain on campus file shares and only be transferred to a personally-owned device for the duration of editing. 
• Remote Desktop (requires VPN): Users can access their office computer via remote desktop. Contact the Help Desk for assistance in configuring your computer. 

Security

• Follow Secure Practices: Employees who telework can put the university at additonal risk of cyber crime. Be sure to follow our security guidelines to protect yourself and the university.
• Multi-factor Authentication (MFA): Employees who telework will need to use their cell phone or forward their personal phone extension to their cell phone in order to use Azure MFA.
• Virtual Private Network (VPN): The campus VPN can be accessed by downloading and using the Cisco AnyConnect VPN. Users only need to use the VPN client to access the applications listed below. Contact the Help Desk for assistance.
  • Banner Admin Pages
  • File shares
  • Remote Desktop
• Antivirus Protection: ITS recommends either Windows Defender Antivirus or AVG Antivirus (free version) antivirus software for personal computers to protect files being transferred between work and home. Visit Installing Anti-Virus Protection for more information.

Campus Computers