Information about the switchover

What is Microsoft 365?

Microsoft 365 is a software subscription for employees and students (implementation in progress) of the University of Vienna. From mid-2024, it will replace the Microsoft Office 2019 licenses currently used at the University of Vienna (so-called on-premise licenses).

With the introduction of Microsoft 365, the Teams test environment will also be successively replaced and offered as part of the Microsoft 365 service. The Teams test environment was set up as a pure test scenario during the Corona pandemic.

With the switchover to Microsoft 365, data protection requirements in particular are being met, as well as requirements of the university IT infrastructure for long-term, needs-based use.

Reasons for the switchover to Microsoft 365

• The Microsoft Office licenses currently used at the University of Vienna (so-called on-premise licenses) will no longer be offered by Microsoft in this form after the existing campus contract expires in mid-2024.
• Microsoft 365 of the University of Vienna is optimally tailored to the needs of collaboration and the requirements of the IT infrastructure at the University of Vienna.
  • Microsoft 365 can be ordered and returned via the self-service portal (employees) or AcadCloud (students; implementation in progress).
  • The registration is done with the u:account of the University of Vienna.
  •  Authentication with the u:account enables the integration of IT services already operated at the University of Vienna, such as Microsoft Exchange.
  •  In the future, employees and students will be managed together in one environment, which will make communication and collaboration easier.

• Microsoft 365 of the University of Vienna is provided in compliance with data protection regulations.
  • Microsoft 365 of the University of Vienna is configured in accordance with data protection regulations.
  • All apps enabled for use have been checked for compliance with data protection laws.

Why can't the Teams test environment continue to operate?

• The configuration of the Teams test environment does not comply with the applicable data protection requirements of the University of Vienna. This can also not be adjusted subsequently.
• Authentication at the Teams test instance is performed using a method provided by Microsoft. It is not possible to switch to authentication using u:account.
• In order to ensure an efficient, data protection and IT security-compliant service operation in the long term, a reconfiguration is necessary.
• The integration of the Exchange service operated at the University of Vienna into the Teams test environment is only possible with very high effort and without data transfer.

Why is no migration of the Teams test environment offered?

• Due to the missing data protection configuration of the Teams test environment, it is sometimes not possible to clearly assign users to a u:account. However, this is absolutely necessary for a migration.
• Microsoft is unable to provide an interface that is required for a correspondingly comprehensive migration of the data.
• A migration with the help of external tools is very cost-, time- and resource-intensive. In addition, there is a high potential for errors in the correct allocation of user profiles, if this is possible at all.

Change of login name for the Teams u:net environment

The preparations for the service introduction of Microsoft 365 make it necessary to change the login name in the Teams u:net environment to a different format.

As of 28.03.2023, the following changes will result for the use of the Teams u:net environment:

• The login name will change as follows:

• The password remains the same. To log in to the Teams environment, you can still use the password you chose.

Obtaining licences for Microsoft Office 2019

The Microsoft Office 2019 licences currently in use are linked to the term of the Microsoft campus contract and will continue to be available to employees via the self-service portal until 31 July 2024. Information will be provided in good time about any additional purchase options.

Support

For general questions about the services Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams, please use the Servicedesk form Microsoft 365.