Waterloo Nexus Advisory Group minutes June 15, 2005

Present

Regrets

Agenda

Local Nexus account without network connectivity

• Audio Visual has made a request to IST regarding the e-classroom podium computers running Nexus. They were wondering if it would be possible to create a generic local on every podium computer that could be used as an emergency backup in the event that there were network outages. It was also thought that this could be used by instructors who only required PowerPoint and would bring their presentations in on floppy, USB memory sticks or CDs. This type of account could also be used by visiting instructors who do not have a uwuserID nor a Nexus account that only require PowerPoint. This account would not be able to connect to the internet because of its anonymous nature. Tim Farrell brought this issue to WNAG on behalf of AV to first see if this is feasible and secondly to see if the WNAG membership thought it was a good idea.
• The first concern was how would you actually remove the network connectivity for this session.
• There was consensus that this model had the potential to be abused and the lack of validation through a userid signon was a negative issue.
• The current system allows us to collect stats about usage, even monitor issues like login speeds. A standalone does not have those benefits.
• Now that Nexus has dash logins that take 10 seconds or less, login speed is unlikely to be a driving force in the argument for a local account.
• There was consensus that this special case local account would potentially lead to more uncertainty especially if someone used this account and indeed required the internet. It was noted PowerPoint presentations sometimes contain links to remote web sites. Also it felt that a single account system is simply less confusing. It was noted that any visitor coming to campus is doing so with the knowledge of some UW person. Somebody at UW get them a university resource, a podium key so they should also make arrangement for another university resource, a Nexus account.
• This topic spawned another discussion that Erick has been thinking about that follows immediately below.

Temporary Nexus account

• Erick has been contemplating the potential of Nexus users being able to create a temporary Nexus account for visiting non-UW people. This capability could be restricted to staff and faculty but potentially could be extended for the student use.
• These temporary accounts would be based on the sponsor's userid for accountability.
• This concept could be used for conferences, summer camps (ACE and ESQ), the library and NAA use.
• Temporary accounts would have a built-in expiry date and no profile.

Slow logins

• The recent slow login issue as reported by Science and Arts is still under investigation. Erick is continuing to collect login times.
• Leading culprit may be a synchronous/asynchronous setting in group policy.

Nexus data collection

• Erick mentioned that UCIST is reviewing computer security and privacy issues on campus and to that end requires information on our Nexus data collecting practices.
• Nexus is logging some things for special purposes such as for site license information and to determine machine behaviour.
• We should be writing down what we are collecting and why.
• Windows is already recording what is being run.
• It was suggested we strike a working sub-group to deal with this. Members of this group are Erick, Steph, Nevil and Jim.

New login browser

• Erick reports that the new login browser is almost ready to deploy.
• The new browser will be SSL enabled.

AHS Signon screen problem

• Lowell reports that some AHS machines do not have the new Nexus icon and these machines are not moving the signon window to the top left corner.