Update from Technical Services – Moving back to campus:
Since lockdown there have been a few technical changes made to how we will operate when we move back to working on campus.
Eduroam WiFi
If you wish to connect a device to Wi-Fi when you return back to Campus, please search for available networks and join the “eduroam” Wi-Fi network. The old UoS-WiFi network has been retired since lockdown and will not be available. To connect to the “eduroam” Wi-Fi network you will need to enter either; for students, userID@student.sunderland.ac.uk or for staff userid@sunderland.ac.uk and your University password. More information can be found here.
Windows Licence/Activation Warning
A small number of colleagues who were given a laptop early in lockdown have reported that they are now receiving a Windows Activation Warning. This is a consequence of not being on campus for so long and the device can’t check in with our on premise licensing server. If you return to campus and use your laptop, it will automatically check in with the server in the background and renew it’s activation record. Once connected to the network a restart may be required. If you are not planning on returning to campus yet and have this warning on your device, it won’t stop your laptop from working and you can submit a ticket via https://itportal.sunderland.ac.uk and the Service Desk team will fix it for you. Better still, arrange to have this laptop swapped out for a new Staff Laptop Bundle.
Staff Laptops – Promoting Mobility
Working with our equipment supplier, Technical Services have started to provide staff with a new Staff Laptop Bundle which includes a new HP laptop, backpack, keyboard and mouse. The new laptop and equipment will replace the desktop pc you will have used previously. If you have already received your new laptop, take it with you when you return to campus, including the power supply, headset, keyboard and mouse and you should be good to go. This is to be your main “mobile” workstation from now on. For staff who have not yet ordered their new Staff Laptop Bundle, please speak to your line manager first and then submit this form to make your request. If you still require a headset to use with your laptop then please fill in this form, again found on the homepage of the IT Portal.
Coming Soon….
Laptop Swap Outs
In the first few months of lockdown, Technical Services provided over 300 colleagues with laptops that had been bought for various projects rather than individual staff use. This was necessary at the time to enable us to work from home but now Technical Services need to recover these laptops and swap them with the new HP Staff Laptop Bundles. If you were given a laptop before August, Technical Services will be in touch shortly asking you to make an appointment with a member of University IT and come to St. Peter’s Gate and swap your current old laptop for a new Staff Laptop Bundle.
Staff Desktops
To enable mobile working and in combination with the provision of new laptops, Technical Services will soon be removing the older University desktops from staff offices. This will begin shortly, dates are still to be confirmed and more information will follow. This will mean that the desktop pcs in most areas will be removed from service. When you return to campus, if you have any local data on your old PC, move any University data in your One Drive account and take any personal photos or other personal data off the desktop pc. Over the coming months, these desktop pcs will be removed and there will be no access to any of the data that was on it.