RSS-Channel: https://zid.univie.ac.at/

Ready for an upgrade? New PCs for the computer rooms

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 15:09:53 +0200

The computer rooms at the university are celebrating their 30^th birthday this year. Just in time for the anniversary, all public PC workplaces are being given state-of-the-art, high-performance devices.

What’s new?

All PCs and associated keyboards, mice and power supplies
Windows 11 as the operating system instead of Windows 10

The existing monitors will not be replaced, as they currently meet the requirements. All software products will remain available on the new devices.

How does this work?

Each room will be closed for 3 days at a time between 05.08. and 20.08.2024. During this time, the PCs, keyboards and mice will be replaced. The exact times and locations of the closures can be found in the list of locations of the computer rooms.

“We are converting room by room, one after the other. This means that students can switch to other locations and deadlines for seminar or final papers are not at risk,” explains Helmuth Hönigsperger, head of the Public Services team, which is responsible for the exchange.

After the three-day shutdown, the newly equipped rooms are immediately ready for use again.

How good are the new PCs?

The new devices with the latest technology provide optimal support for studying and working: an Intel Core i5 processor with integrated graphics provides sufficient computing power, and 32 GB of RAM ensures smooth operation, even when many applications are open at the same time. #Multitasking anyone?

Why are they being replaced?

In principle, the devices in the computer rooms are replaced every 5 to 6 years. The last time this happened was in 2013 and 2018. This ensures that the workplaces are always up to date with the latest requirements at the university. The ZID also ensures that the new PCs consume as little energy as possible. #EcoFriendlyUpgrade

“This time, the end of support for the current Windows 10 operating system on the devices is also foreseeable,” explains Helmuth Hönigsperger. This is scheduled for October 2025. Since the current PCs are not certified for the new Windows 11 operating system, they have to be replaced in good time.

What else is changing?

The main library is being converted – the PC workplaces there will have to be dismantled by 13.08.2024. As soon as the conversion is complete, they will be available again.

A few locations will be closed permanently. Helmuth Hönigsperger has good reasons for this: “We can see from the usage figures that some smaller computer rooms have only been visited by very few students since the corona pandemic. This is often the case when there are other workplaces in the same building.” So an alternative computer room is usually “just around the corner”, which keeps the comfort downgrade to a minimum.

“It is more sustainable to close down locations that are hardly used – and it frees up resources that we can use to better equip the other workplaces. We therefore hope for the understanding of the users,” adds Helmuth Hönigsperger.

New URLs for ZID forms

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 14:08:22 +0200

From Monday, 1 July 2024, the URLs displayed in the address bar of some ZID online forms will change: www.univie.ac.at/ZID/name/ will become category.forms.univie.ac.at/name/.

This affects the forms My u:account, Changing password, Managing the Wi-Fi password, Managing Out of office message and some more. The change will happen gradually and will take about 1 week.

What does this mean?

If you have saved a bookmark in the format www.univie.ac.at/ZID/name/, it will lose its function from 1 July 2024.
It is easier to access a form via the link on the respective ZID service page. These links will continue to work as usual, you do not need to do anything.

Example (in German): Form Changing password

The URL www.univie.ac.at/ZID/passwd/ displayed in the address bar becomes account.forms.univie.ac.at/passwort-aendern/.
The link on the ZID service page remains unchanged: zid.univie.ac.at/en/changing-password/

The URLs of Servicedesk forms (servicedesk.univie.ac.at/name/) are not affected.

The most important URLs:

AURELEO: Austrian users at LEONARDO supercomputer

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 08:37:32 +0200

Austria has its share of LEONARDO since it is a partner in the consortium that has built the machine and Austrian users are encouraged to take this opportunity to apply for compute time at LEONARDO’s GPU-accelerated Booster module. In terms of computational power this share is comparable to the already available GPU partition at the current VSC-5 installation.

Hereby VSC announces this Call for Proposals that could benefit from Booster’s multi-GPU nodes.

Eligibility and responsibilities

This call is intended for medium-sized projects (from 50,000 to 100,000 GPU hours) with a duration of 6 or 12 months from resource allocation date.
Since the Booster module comprises multi-GPU nodes your application must efficiently use at least all 4 GPUs available on the node; this includes embarrassingly parallel implementations.
Since VSC has no direct control over time allocation, granted projects need to make sure to use all the resources that have been granted to them, otherwise they are simply lost for Austrian users.

Deadlines

Unlike the usual applications for VSC projects, which are submitted in a rolling fashion, and similar to the way it is handled with PRACE or EuroHPC this call will include cut-offs:

The next application cut-off date is 2024-07-07.
Notification of acceptance will be sent by 2024-07-26.
The projects will start in the beginning of August 2024.

Review of the projects

The technical review is performed by VSC staff according to LEONARDO’s guidelines.
No additional scientific review is required if the planned computations are carried out within a project that has already been approved by a recognised funding agency, such as FWF, FFG, ÖAW, WWTF, ERC, EU, e.g..

High-Level support team is available

Every AURELEO project will have one high-level support team member assigned for assistance.
For this type of call a user can request additional assistance of specialist support.

Application for projects

Applicants have to download the AURELEO application form (PDF document) and fill it in.
Applications shall be done on the VSC service website service.vsc.ac.at with requesting a funded project for the project part LEONARDO-B. You’ll have to upload the filled AURELEO application form (PDF document) and the proof of funding.
Note, in order to use LEONARDO every user will have to upload a proof of identity to the UserDB of CINECA (LEONARDO’s hosting entity).
LEONARDO’s technical specifications: leonardo-supercomputer.cineca.eu/hpc-system
For any questions related to this call, access and usage of LEONARDO, please, write to: leonardo@vsc.ac.at

Ordering hardware becomes even easier

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 14:25:31 +0200

Buying standardised IT equipment for the organisational unit's workplaces at long-term, consistent and therefore calculable costs? The ZID's u:shop hardware makes it possible!

To further simplify the ordering of PCs, monitors, laptops etc., the web shop is now being relaunched: From 27 June, all ordering processes will be digital and the budget charge can be viewed on a daily basis. Hand-signed and then scanned order forms will finally be a thing of the past.

What exactly will change?

Online ordering: Orders are placed online in the u:shop hardware, a signature is no longer necessary.
Larger selection: All users can choose from the hardware shop's full range of products. The restriction to BBG offers no longer applies.
Customised offers: If you can't find what you're looking for in the sortiment, you can request the desired product with just a few clicks, obtain a quote for it and, if desired, order it directly via the Servicedesk.
Easy pick-up: Products that are labeled as in stock at the ZID can be picked up directly.
Up-to-date overview: All orders are pre-entered in SAP. This means that the cost centre is debited in real time. Outstanding deliveries and open invoices are immediately visible. Payment is made as usual via Q-Flow.

What do you need to do?

If you are already a registered u:shop hardware user, you don't need to do anything. Apart from the design of the u:shop hardware, nothing will change for you.

If you are not registered yet or have previously ordered hardware by e-mail to einkauf.zid@univie.ac.at, you will need to register after the relaunch and have your existing cost centre(s) or order number(s) activated. This is quick and easy. You will find a detailed user guide directly in the u:shop hardware from 27 June 2024.

Breaking down digital barriers: new course programme

Fri, 17 May 2024 11:08:29 +0200

In order to be able to implement digital accessibility across the board at the University of Vienna, awareness of this topic must be created on the one hand and the knowledge for the corresponding implementation must be imparted on the other.

Basic knowledge for all interested parties

A new online course created by the Digital accessibility project group in collaboration with the Centre for Teaching and Learning and the agency WIENFLUSS serves this purpose. The course has been implemented as a MOOC. MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) are online courses that can be attended free of charge and independent of time and place. They combine videos and other materials, such as texts or further links, with discussion forums and quizzes.

The course is primarily aimed at those responsible for and editors of websites at the University of Vienna, but is open to the public and therefore accessible to all interested parties.

To the MOOC Digital accessibility (in German) on the platform iMooX

6 lessons introduce users to the following topics:

understanding the legal framework
designing accessible digital content using TYPO3
ensuring accessibility in digital projects
checking websites for accessibility
gaining insight into the usage behaviour of people with disabilities

“Our MOOC is a starting point that provides editors, for example, with basic information about digital accessibility,” explains Rainer Jantscher, who heads the Digital Accessibility project group and initiated and coordinated the MOOC. “It was important to us not only to impart knowledge through lectures, but also to provide a variety of information. For example, we were able to get Mathias Schmuckerschlag, a blind student, to make a video. In it, he shows live how he uses digital services at the University of Vienna and the barriers he encounters.”

In the videos, a total of 5 interviewees broaden the perspective on the topic of digital accessibility. One of them is Victoria Purns, Head of the Monitoring Centre at the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG). The monitoring centre surveys the extent to which the digital services offered by public bodies in Austria are accessible.

Flexible and interactive

Each lesson of the MOOC consists of 1 to 4 videos, which also include interactive elements such as reflection questions and supplementary content. Users can either work through all the lessons or videos flexibly and according to their needs or only those that are of interest to them. The lessons can also be completed in any order.

Participants can also use forums to discuss the content of the MOOC. A quiz at the end of each lesson helps to consolidate the knowledge acquired. Users who have answered 75 % of all questions per lesson correctly also automatically receive a certificate.

Further courses (in German)

In addition to the MOOC, in-depth online courses are available for employees. They cover the creation of accessible content using the following tools:

PDF documents from Word
PDF forms with Acrobat Pro
TYPO3
WordPress

More information and the possibility to book can be found in the course database.

Why is digital accessibility important?

Digital accessibility is crucial so that people with disabilities can use the University of Vienna’s websites, digital documents and IT services without restriction and thus participate in university life in a self-determined way.

In addition, the Web-Zugänglichkeits-Gesetz (Web Accessibility Act) stipulates that digital information services provided by the public sector, and therefore by the University of Vienna, must be accessible. This means that these digital services must be perceptible, operable and understandable for people with disabilities.

Using IT securely: new interactive information and training programme

Wed, 15 May 2024 13:26:48 +0200

Insecure passwords, unknowingly installed malware or careless logins with the u:account on fraudulent websites: The actions of users have a significant impact on IT security at the University of Vienna. Statistics show that attackers are often successful. At least 9 higher education institutions and universities in German-speaking countries were victims of a cyberattack in the second half of 2023.

“Seize the opportunities of digitalisation? Surely! Find out how you can protect your data, systems and the University of Vienna’s IT infrastructure in compact videos and information provided by the ZID”, says Ronald Maier, Vice-Rector for Digitalisation and Knowledge Transfer.

Quick and entertaining information with videos and quizzes

The ZID’s new information and training programme consists of:

Videos: They bring the topics of Dangers in e-mails as well as Password security closer in a compact and entertaining way.
Quizzes: Following the videos, but also independently of them, you can test your own knowledge in a fun way.
Webinar: Experts from the IT security team teach employees about IT security in the context of everyday work.

The tried-and-tested IT security tips provide further information.

To the information and training programme on the Intranet

Ulf Busch, CIO of the University of Vienna, emphasises that anyone can easily take measures to prevent IT attacks: “You should always take a critical look at e-mails and messages before opening links and attachments. It is equally important to choose secure passwords that you don’t share with anyone and keep them safe, for example with the help of a password manager.” If employees apply this knowledge in their daily work, they are making an effective contribution to IT security at the University of Vienna.

This can happen

One of the dangers is phishing (from password and fishing). For example, employees enter their u:account access data on a fraudulent website. The access data stolen in this way can be used to penetrate the IT infrastructure and cause damage. But insecure passwords can also enable attacks.

Another means used by cyber criminals to gain access to IT systems is malware. This can be hidden in e-mail attachments, for example. Once infected, it can encrypt data, transfer data or spy on access data unnoticed.

Financial fraud attempts can also cause damage. Personalised e-mails to employees of the University of Vienna are the bait. The aim is usually to transfer money to supposed superiors or work colleagues or to send them vouchers.

Der ZID sucht Trainer*innen für IT-Kurse

Tue, 07 May 2024 14:22:36 +0200

Das Team Licensing & Training des Zentralen Informatikdienstes der Universität Wien sucht qualifizierte Trainer*innen für die Organisation und Durchführung von IT-Kursen.

Raising awareness of IT security: training programme to be expanded

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 10:05:00 +0100

Many university members are already familiar with the IT security tips for users on the ZID website, which help them to use IT securely. In addition, users will soon be able to learn about important IT security topics in new and interactive formats.

“Universities are increasingly falling victim to cyberattacks. In order to increase the IT security awareness of our university members, we are currently working on a comprehensive information and training programme on this topic. Together with our IT security team and with the support of the Corporate Communications service unit, we are creating training videos and quizzes that convey the topic in an entertaining and clear way,” explains Michaela Bociurko, Head of IT Communications & Marketing.

The new training programme at a glance

Videos: They will bring dangers in e-mails and password security closer in an entertaining way.
Quizzes: Following the videos, but also independently of them, you can test your own knowledge in a fun way.
Webinar (in German): Experts from the IT security team share their knowledge about IT security in the workplace with employees.

The ZID will inform all users as soon as new information is available.

Better secure than sorry

Why is it important to raise awareness among users? Christoph Campregher, Head of the IT Security central support unit at the ZID, explains: “It can be dangerous, for example, if university members enter their u:account access data on a fraudulent website. The access data stolen in this way can be used to penetrate the IT infrastructure and cause damage.” This procedure is known as phishing (from password and fishing). But insecure passwords can also enable attacks.

Another means by which cyber criminals gain access is malware. This can be hidden in e-mail attachments, for example. Once infected, it can encrypt data unnoticed, transfer data or spy on access data.

Financial fraud attempts via e-mail can also cause considerable damage. Well-crafted, personalised e-mails to employees of the University of Vienna are the bait. The aim is usually to transfer money to supposed superiors or work colleagues or to send them voucher cards.

“All of these attacks target members of the University of Vienna. It is therefore important for us to have users on board and to provide them with the basics of the right defensive tactics when it comes to IT security,” explains Christoph Campregher.

The danger is real

The figures speak for themselves: at least 9 higher education institutions and universities in German-speaking countries were victims of a cyberattack in the second half of 2023. The times before public holidays and weekends or during school holidays are particularly popular for attacks.

These are often ransomware attacks. Ransomware (a combination of the words ransom and malware) encrypt a company’s data and block access to it. This can render the IT infrastructure unusable and data can fall into the wrong hands. In return for a ransom, the attackers promise to decrypt the data and/or not to publish it.

University as a place of learning and workplace: freedom brings responsibility

Freedom in research and teaching is practised at the University of Vienna – and therefore also in the choice of IT tools required for this. However, this freedom also means that each individual must handle their own and the university’s IT systems responsibly, explains Christoph Campregher: “All it takes is a single computer infected with malware, a poorly programmed personal web page or a password captured by criminals to enable serious attacks on the IT infrastructure. In order to make the university more secure, we therefore rely on the cooperation of all university members.”

Stronger passwords to protect the university’s IT infrastructure

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 09:45:00 +0100

Many IT services of the University of Vienna can only be used after logging in with the u:account, consisting of the UserID and u:account password. This gives users certain access rights to the IT infrastructure. A separate Wi-Fi password must be used to access the Wi-Fi service (eduroam). The Password Terms of Use specify the requirements for passwords. These include specifications on the complexity and length of passwords as well as how and where they may be used. This minimises risks and reduces the danger of unauthorised access.

The Passwords Terms of Use will be updated on 21 March. The upcoming changes include:

Newly created u:account passwords must contain at least 10 characters (instead of the previous 8 characters).
The use of a password manager is strongly recommended.
It is recommended to activate multi-factor authentication (MFA), if optionally available.

Requirements for ZID passwords

Users can manage their u:account password and their Wi-Fi password themselves. ZID passwords must fulfil the following requirements:

at least 10 characters
at least 1 letter (a-z, A-Z) and 1 other character (number and/or special character)
not identical to a UserID
significantly different from other passwords (e.g. for social networks, web shops)
is not used more than once
is not easy to guess
is not included in common password lists

If necessary, use the password tips for creating secure passwords.

What is a password manager?

A password manager is software that helps users to create, manage and use their individual access data. There are different technical solutions. Possible variants are

in the browser
installed locally
cloud solution
included in the operating system (such as Apple Keychain)

Information on password managers can be found on the IT security pages of the ZID.

If you have any questions, please use the Servicedesk form.

Comprehensive support for managing your research data

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 09:00:00 +0100

Managing research data can be a challenge: The amount of data in research is increasing and a data management plan is often mandatory for funded research projects. The university is therefore continuously expanding its research data management (RDM) support services.

A team of experts has been supporting members of the University of Vienna in all aspects of research data management since 2022. The RDM team includes employees from the long-term archives PHAIDRA and AUSSDA, the University Library, the ZID and the faculties. It offers you:

Consulting via rdm@univie.ac.at
Training and workshops
NEW: support with all legal matters relating to RDM
Information materials, such as the FDM Quick Start Guides (PDF) or a planned guide for creating web pages

Training – adapted to your needs

In workshops, courses and webinars, the RDM team answers the most important questions from researchers as well as master’s and doctoral students. The team teaches you how to better manage research data, create data management plans and use repositories easily.

All dates and the possibility to register can be found on the Research Data Management website.

The RDM team also supports you with free training that is tailored to individual disciplines or questions. You can find out more about this offer under Build a Custom Workshop. Workshops can be held in different settings, in German or English and online or on site.

Data stewards: experts at the faculties and centers

A so-called data steward currently supports 3 faculties (Faculty of Philological and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Historical and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Life Sciences) and the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science in research data management. Consulting is tailored to the respective discipline:

Help with optimising processes in and after research projects
RDM training
Support with communication and collaboration within the university’s extensive structure

Data storage: the right service for every need

Appropriate infrastructure also helps you to store your data. Depending on whether you need to store data during or after the completion of a research project, different storage services are available to you: From online storage space and Share or the cloud storage u:cloud for short and medium-term storage to the repository PHAIDRA or the long-term storage of software source code in GitLab. You can find an overview of all options in the Research work environment under Storing data.

If you cannot find the right service, you can contact the RDM team with your requirements via rdm@univie.ac.at to initiate the joint development of new services.

Moodle-Preview stays – help us to shape Moodle!

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 09:00:00 +0100

Last summer semester, Moodle-Preview was set up to support the great Moodle makeover for users of the e-learning platform at the of the University of Vienna. Moodle-Preview is a test environment that provides information about current developments and future versions of the learning platform. Moodle-Preview gives users the opportunity to test new functions and leave feedback. To date, Moodle-Preview has already been accessed over 3,000 times. With the help of the feedback submitted, the e-learning team has already implemented several improvements for the current summer semester (see section What's new in Moodle?).

What Moodle-Preview offers:

Comprehensive information on planned changes to the learning platform via the Moodle feedback, insights & outlooks course
Unlimited opportunity to test all new functions from the student perspective in the sample course
Individual creation of a personal test course to get to know Moodle with your own eyes
Submit ideas for improvements or further development of Moodle via the feedback form – either personally or anonymously
Possibility to ask questions about the platform via the moderated exchange forum

What's new in Moodle?

The new Moodle version has been available since 19.02.2024. The new features include:

The course design is now more space-efficient with the help of smaller icons and less spacing between and within sections.
The display of prerequisites on the course page can now be collapsed and expanded.
For teachers, icons for group mode have been integrated into the individual activities and materials on the course page.
The file format is now displayed for linked documents and files, e.g. PDF, DOC, PNG.

The e-learning team would like to thank all users for their valuable feedback and looks forward to a lively exchange on Moodle in the future.

The current IT course programme of the ZID is online

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 08:59:00 +0100

In the course database of the University of Vienna under the menu item ZID – Courses you will find an overview of the IT courses offered. Almost all IT courses of the ZID are held as webinars via Moodle, while on-site courses usually take place in Class Room 2 in the NIG (Neues Institutsgebäude, Stairs 3).

The IT courses offered by the ZID are very extensive and include courses on the following topics:

Data analysis and statistics
literature management
Office applications
Graphics and image processing
Audio and video editing
Internet and web design
Programming

There are currently still places available for many IT courses, especially for study-related software such as

SPSS
Atlas.ti
Citavi
EndNote
LaTeX

The courses in the areas of graphics and image editing as well as audio and video editing are very popular with many users. The ZID always endeavours to meet the high demand. This semester, we have once again succeeded in offering the Adobe Premiere course as an introduction to video editing. This introductory course presents a variety of professional tools for editing video material in order to be able to cut, edit and add sound to digital videos. The two-day Adobe Premiere course is offered on 2 dates on-site during the summer semester.

The webinars on the graphics and layout tools Adobe InDesign and Adobe Illustrator are also in high demand. However, if you would like to take part, you should book quickly. There are only a few places left.

All the programs mentioned are available as application software in the computer rooms of the ZID.

If you have any questions about the IT courses of the ZID, please use the Servicedesk form IT courses of the ZID.

Information on the IT courses of the ZID can be found on the IT courses servicepage.