This update is provided for archival purposes only.

Public Health guidance and University of Waterloo operations may have changed. For the most up-to-date information, please visit our COVID-19 frequently asked questions.

IST provides update on staying connected and working securely from a remote location, how to get IT help and support 

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

This message was originally sent to employees by Bruce Campbell, chief information officer

Get IT support 

Information Systems & Technology (IST) has closed its three on-campus service desk locations. IT support will be provided through online tools, including email, phone and live chat. IST staff are working from home, in accordance with the University response to COVID-19, and will only return to campus to restore critical services, as necessary.
 

Stay connected while working remotely 

University employees have access to a number of excellent online collaboration and productivity tools, including Office 365, Microsoft Teams, and OneDrive.

Connecting to the University’s Virtual Private Network (VPN) 

IST provides a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service to the campus community to facilitate telecommuting and other access to campus-based network resources. The VPN uses the public Internet to connect a remote computer, such as a home computer or a laptop, securely to the University of Waterloo network. The underlying principle is to make the remote computer seem as if it were physically connected to the campus network. 

However, VPN should be used only when necessary. See a list of common services/applications that do and do not require VPN access.
 

All IST in-person events, training courses and seminars suspended 

The University has suspended all events that are not considered vital to its academic mission. As a result, in-person IT professional development (ITPD) courses scheduled to the end of April 2020 have been cancelled, however, WCMS courses will continued to be offered through LEARN. Professional Development Advisory Group (PDAG) seminars have also been cancelled. Information will be shared when these courses/seminars are available again.