2CUL Technical Services Remote Desktop Support Committee
Charge
The group is responsible for:
- evaluating technology options and developing best practices
- creating documentation for remote desktop connections
- performing installations and updates for staff
- helping staff to acquire (Cornell) NetIDs or (Columbia) UNIs
Sponsorship:
The group reports to the 2CUL Technical Services Integration Steering Committee. Adam Chandler will serve as liaison.
Membership:
Cornell: Gary Branch (gcb2@cornell.edu) and Amy Blumenthal (ab18@cornell.edu)
Columbia: Gary Bertchume (bertchum@columbia.edu)
Meeting Notes
Reasons we are supporting Windows Remote Desktop for 2CUL TS staff (January 2014)
Amy Blumenthal:
- Columbia and Cornell are running different versions of Voyager, and different sets of tag tables.
- Voyager settings are stored in one place in the registry. If you define where the tag tables are, what your default templates are, etc., those settings will be the same for both Columbia and Cornell.
- Macros need to be aligned to the same set to prevent key combination clashing.
- Users are not always clear regarding which catalog they are in, I know we run into that when we switch between Cornell Test and Production.
Gary (Bertchume):
I agree with Amy's assessments. Running two versions of Voyager software on the same machine is dicey. Until the two institutions are completely aligned (same version of Voyager, same tag tables, same macros, etc.) I would not recommend it. Let me also add that using RDC allows a user to have both local and remote connections open which might be a need for some workflows.
Gary Branch:
As Amy and Gary Bertchume stated we were or are running different versions of Voyager, but I understand Columbia recently upgraded to 8.2. (Whether it's the same 8.2.x, I don't know.) Our tag tables with local configurations for 9xx fields differ and would have to be resolved. In the short term I don't view that as likely as we have very different approaches and local field definitions. Flipping back and forth or running two versions of Voyager simultaneously is asking for mistakes to happen. In fact when I need to compare a record in test to one in production I use remote desktop to the ltstestbox so that I can be sure which I'm looking at rather than flipping back and forth. The remote desktop window allows staff to be sure which Voyager they are in at that moment. We have enough errors due to the tedious nature of some of the work. Visual clues should help to minimize this. We also have different MARC character configuration files which Mark Wilson and I are working on to include all current enhanced characters appearing from OCLC. I feel remote desktop is the more viable approach until we have a single LMS. --Gary (Branch)
Procedure for 2CUL TSI Remote Desktop Access
Steps for connecting to Cornell Computer from Columbia
NetID
Obtaining a Cornell Sponsored NetID and Voyager account. Note: In order to obtain a Cornell Sponsored NetID, social security number is required. Have the Columbia staff person contact:
attn: Michelle Eastman (mre2@cornell.edu)
201 Olin Library
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
tel: 607-255-3689
fax: 607-255-6788
Voyager
Send a message to the Voyager Security Committee VoySec-l@cornell.edu to get a Voyager Operator ID and password for the new employee. Give the employee's name, Cornell NetID, employment status (full or part-time staff, or student employee) and, if known, the appropriate profile needed for each of the modules. Also, please refer to the list of profile descriptions athttp://lts.library.cornell.edu/lts/pp/vg/cv/catproftab to help identify the appropriate level of activity. If the specific profile is not known, identify a staff member with similar duties in the same unit or elsewhere on campus. Sometimes, especially when a comparable position does not exist, it will be necessary for a member of the security committee to discuss details of the profile assignment directly with the supervisor. A member of the security committee should respond to a supervisor's request within 24 hours, Monday through Friday. Usually, new operator IDs and passwords will not be sent to the supervisor via email, but she or he will be contacted directly.
_______c.Supervisor will contact the Olin LTS Netadmin Coordinator if employee needs access to any restricted folders on the LTS Share server.
Connecting to a Cornell Computer
1) Please make sure that the computer you're connecting from is fully patched and has current antivirus definitions.
2) CUL-IT Desktop Services will add your netid to a Remote Desktop permit group. They'll also add your netid to the Remote Desktop group of the computer you'll connect to, as well as to the LIB-DS-LTS-LTS Staff-Columbia security group in the Windows Active Directory.
3) Install Cornell's instance of Cisco AnyConnect VPN. Information on installing and connecting to the VPN is available here: http://www.it.cornell.edu/services/vpn/howto/index.cfm
3) To connect to a Cornell computer, first connect to the VPN. Connection information is available at the URL cited in Step 2. Note: your Username will be netid*@library.dsremote*, using your own netid.
4) Launch Remote Desktop. The computer name is ltsolin-2cul1.library.cornell.edu. Your user name is of the format CORNELL\netid, using your own netid. For security reasons, don't have Remote Desktop remember your credentials.
5) For initial setup of software on the computer please contact the LTS NetAdmins, olin-ltsnets-l@cornell.edu. There are documents available to assist you.
If you need assistance, send email to: olin-ltsnets-l@cornell.edu
Steps for connecting to Columbia Computer from Cornell
Obtaining a Columbia UNI
LTS staff: any LTS staff member may request a Columbia UNI to facilitate their work in the 2CUL TSI though the LTS Senior Managers Team.
Non-LTS staff: non LTS staff need to first seek approval from the supervisor in order to obtain a Columbia UNI for 2CUL work. The staff member should then forward the approval email to Amy and she sends the name along to Gary Bertchume.
Once approval is obtained, someone (currently Amy) will send the staff person's name, birthday, and campus address to Columbia. The current contact person is Gary Bertchume (bertchum@columbia.edu).
Connecting to a Columbia Computer
Each Cornell user is assigned a UNI and a COMPUTER NAME.
The UNI is the Columbia network id and the COMPUTER NAME is the hostname of the remote desktop machine.
Step 1: Activate the UNI
- browse to uni.columbia.edu
- click on the "Activate My UNI or Email" link in the center column
- follow the instructions to activate and create a password for the UNI
It takes a day or so before the UNI will be available for the workstation.
Step 2: Log into the workstation
Initial connection
In the Microsoft RDC client enter the Computer name and connect Type in cu user name and password and click arrow to the right of the box.
(CC.COLUMBIA.EDU is the default domain.)
Subsequent connections
In the Microsoft RDC client enter the Computer name and connect Click Other User and type uni@CC.COLUMBIA.EDU in User name box and password in Password box.
Click arrow to the right of the box.
(CC.COLUMBIA.EDU must be typed in caps.)
If you need assistance, contact Gary Bertchume (bertchum@columbia.edu).
Procedure for 2CUL TSI Remote Desktop Access
Steps for connecting to Cornell Computer from Columbia
Obtaining a Cornell Sponsored NetID and Voyager account. Note: In order to obtain a Cornell Sponsored NetID, social security number is required. Have the Columbia staff person contact:
attn: Michelle Eastman (mre2@cornell.edu)
201 Olin Library
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
tel: 607-255-3689
fax: 607-255-6788
Voyager
Send a message to the Voyager Security Committee VoySec-l@cornell.edu to get a Voyager Operator ID and password for the new employee. Give the employee's name, Cornell NetID, employment status (full or part-time staff, or student employee) and, if known, the appropriate profile needed for each of the modules. Also, please refer to the list of profile descriptions athttp://lts.library.cornell.edu/lts/pp/vg/cv/catproftabto help identify the appropriate level of activity. If the specific profile is not known, identify a staff member with similar duties in the same unit or elsewhere on campus. Sometimes, especially when a comparable position does not exist, it will be necessary for a member of the security committee to discuss details of the profile assignment directly with the supervisor. A member of the security committee should respond to a supervisor's request within 24 hours, Monday through Friday. Usually, new operator IDs and passwords will not be sent to the supervisor via email, but she or he will be contacted directly.
_______c.Supervisor will contact the Olin LTS Netadmin Coordinator if employee needs access to any restricted folders on the LTS Share server.
Connecting to a Cornell Computer
1) Please make sure that the computer you're connecting from is fully patched and has current antivirus definitions.
2) CUL-IT Desktop Services will add your netid to a Remote Desktop permit group. They'll also add your netid to the Remote Desktop group of the computer you'll connect to, as well as to the LIB-DS-LTS-LTS Staff-Columbia security group in the Windows Active Directory.
3) Install Cornell's instance of Cisco AnyConnect VPN. Information on installing and connecting to the VPN is available here: http://www.it.cornell.edu/services/vpn/howto/index.cfm
3) To connect to a Cornell computer, first connect to the VPN. Connection information is available at the URL cited in Step 2. Note: your Username will be netid*@library.dsremote*, using your own netid.
4) Launch Remote Desktop. The computer name is ltsolin-2cul1.library.cornell.edu. Your user name is of the format CORNELL\netid, using your own netid. For security reasons, don't have Remote Desktop remember your credentials.
5) For initial setup of software on the computer please contact the LTS NetAdmins, olin-ltsnets-l@cornell.edu. There are documents available to assist you.
If you need assistance, send email to: olin-ltsnets-l@cornell.edu
Steps for connecting to Columbia Computer from Cornell
Obtaining a Columbia UNI
LTS staff: any LTS staff member may request a Columbia UNI to facilitate their work in the 2CUL TSI though the LTS Senior Managers Team.
Non-LTS staff: non LTS staff need to first seek approval from the supervisor in order to obtain a Columbia UNI for 2CUL work. The staff member should then forward the approval email to Amy and she sends the name along to Gary Bertchume.
Once approval is obtained, someone (currently Amy) will send the staff person's name, birthday, and campus address to Columbia. The current contact person is Gary Bertchume (bertchum@columbia.edu).
Connecting to a Columbia Computer
Each Cornell user is assigned a UNI and a COMPUTER NAME.
The UNI is the Columbia network id and the COMPUTER NAME is the hostname of the remote desktop machine.
Step 1: Activate the UNI
-- browse to uni.columbia.edu
-- click on the "Activate My UNI or Email" link in the center column
-- follow the instructions to activate and create a password for the UNI
It takes a day or so before the UNI will be available for the workstation.
Step 2: Log into the workstation
Initial connection
In the Microsoft RDC client enter the Computer name and connect Type in cu user name and password and click arrow to the right of the box.
(CC.COLUMBIA.EDU is the default domain.)
Subsequent connections
In the Microsoft RDC client enter the Computer name and connect Click Other User and type uni@CC.COLUMBIA.EDU in User name box and password in Password box.
Click arrow to the right of the box.
(CC.COLUMBIA.EDU must be typed in caps.)
If you need assistance, contact Gary Bertchume (bertchum@columbia.edu).