During the summer, the Office to Technology Systems will be busy with several initiatives including the continuation of our phone upgrade project, upgrades to our wireless infrastructure, upgrades to the Microsoft Exchange email platform, and migrating to Microsoft Office 2013.
The email and office upgrades will be the first on our list. The details are as follows:
Microsoft Exchange 2013:
The Office of Technology Systems has installed and tested the latest email platform, Microsoft Exchange 2013. What’s different in Exchange 2013?
• From a user perspective, there will not be any noticeable differences if you access your email through the Microsoft Outlook application installed on your computer.
Users who are accessing their email through the Outlook Web Access (OWA) Webpage will see a difference in how the page looks and how you interact with the Webpage. More information is available online.
• Once migrated, all users will be able to use the Instant Messaging feature. More information is available online.
Migration Timeline:
• Beginning on Monday, June 8, Technology Systems will start migrating users from our current email platform, Microsoft Exchange 2010, to Exchange 2013.
• The first step in migrating to Exchange 2013 involves back-end system configurations. This means that if you access your email through the Outlook Web Access (OWA) Webpage, regardless of whether you have been migrated to Exchange 2013 or not, you will see a different login page.
• Once the back-end configurations are completed, OTS will then begin migrating mailboxes. This is expected to take approximately four weeks to complete; you will not experience any loss of mail or connectivity issues during this time.
• All users will be notified prior to when their mailboxes will be migrated.
• The OTS Technology System Helpdesk will be provide training in the new OWA 2013 interface which will include on-campus Instant Messaging. Please visit the OTS Helpdesk Webpage for available training dates.
Microsoft Office 2013:
The Office of Technology Systems will also be installing Microsoft Office 2013.
• As part of the rollout plan, all new machines will be delivered with Microsoft Office 2013 pre-installed.
• Existing machines will be migrated to Office 2013 throughout the summer and fall semesters
• There are minimal differences between Office 2010 and 2013. For more information visit the Office 2010 vs. Office 2013 Website.
• Training for the Microsoft Office 2013 packages will be available throughout the summer and fall semesters. Please visit the OTS Helpdesk Webpage for available training dates.
Phone Upgrade
• The next phase of CSI’s phone system upgrade involves the replacement of the voicemail system, since the existing Intuity Audix system has reached the end of its lifecycle.
• The new voicemail system configuration will allow voicemail messages to not only be retrieved through your phone, but also be accessible via your Microsoft Exchange email inbox.
• It will be possible to read your voicemail messages on your computer as text, as well as listen to them through your computer speakers.
• Replacement will occur during the summer semester.
• The Technology Systems Helpdesk will provide training once the system is in place.
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
