| Backups and Archiving |
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The RCG backs up my computer. How often do backups occur? |
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Incremental backups occur nightly,
Monday through Friday. Full backups occur monthly on a rotating basis. Depending on which script your system
is in, a full backup will occur on the first, second, third or fourth weekend of the month.
Because backups occur at night and on the weekends, it's important that you keep your system on when you are not at work.
Laptop computers are probed once an hour during the day to assess availability. If the computer is not on the network,
it will be backed up the next time the backup server detects it on the network.
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What's the difference between a backup and archive? |
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A backup is a copy of the full or partial contents of your computer to another storage medium
(such as another hard drive or tape). Backups are currently kept for 90 days.
An archive is an item that has been backed up and placed in off-line storage for access at a later date. The RCG does not currently archive data for long term storage. If you require archiving services, please contact us. |
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How are my files backed up? |
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We currently use one of two methods for automated backups. One uses a client side application called Retrospect. The other is called BRU. We are currently phasing out Retrospect in favor of centralized storage. Central stores will be backed up using the BRU client. |
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Retrospect says that my files haven't been backed up for X number of days. What should I do? |
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We monitor all Retrospect and BRU backups on a daily basis. In general, we will contact you when we detect that a backup hasn't occured. There are times when our systems may not catch that a client hasn't been backed up. In those cases, please contact us, and we will begin an immediate backup of your system.
Please remember to leave your computer on during the evenings and weekends so that backups can proceed normally. |
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| Computer Purchases |
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I'm looking for a new computer. What kind should I buy? |
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Computer purchases are dependent on needs and familairity with a particular operating system. We're happy to make a recommendation based on your preferences and intended use of the computer. Whenever possible, we recommend purchasing systems from major manufacturers. For laptops we strongly enourage the purchase of an extended warranty.
Depending on the manufacturer, special discounts may be available. |
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What operating systems does the RCG offer support for? |
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For laboratory systems the RCG currently offers support for Windows XP and Vista, Mac OS X 10.3 and up, SGI Irix and various Linux distributions. Older operating system versions will be addressed on a case by case basis.
Please note that due to lack of availability of drivers for older operating systems we may not be able
to fix certain issues. As much as is reasonably possible, we recommend keeping the operating system of your
computer up to date within one major release. |
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How do I obtain a Dell E-quote? |
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Send in a support request with the specific configuration information you'd like the system to have. We'll get an E-quote from Dell. If the system is to be maintained or administered by the RCG, we'll place the order for you as well. Otherwise, we'll send the E-quote to you once we receive it. |
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How do I purchase a computer from Apple? |
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Washington University has an online
store with educational pricing for Apple purchases. The store can be accessed from the
main Apple Store website.
For larger purchases you should contact us to get additional discounts over standard educational pricing. |
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I need X peripheral for my computer. Who should I contact to order it? |
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Items such as keyboards, mice and
standard cables are considered office supplies and are ordered directly by you. CDWG and NewEgg.com
are good places to get peripherals at discounted prices.
For items such as hard drives, motherboards, expansion cards, or if you just don't know what to do,
contact us and we'll be happy to offer guidance. |
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| Desktop Support |
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Should I call, stop by or send in a support request? |
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Please send in a
support request. And please do not email the individual support members directly.
It's not that we don't like you. We do, honest. However, there are a number of ongoing projects
related to the computing infrastructure of the department that we have to take care of. Submitting a
support request ensures that your item will be placed (and prioritized) in our queue appropriately. All members
of the RCG will see the request.
In addition, you'll receive an email confirmation with a support request number you can use for subsequent
email follow-ups. If one member of the group is busy working on something else, another may be able to address
your issue immediately. |
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Is it ever OK to call or stop by? |
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Yes. When you have no access to the internet or are on the road and need immediate assistance. Again, whenever possible please use the online submission form or send an email to support@biochem.wustl.edu |
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Can you help me with my home computer? |
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Unfortunately we cannot offer support for home or personal use systems at this time. |
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I have a new computer. How do I get it set up? |
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If the system was ordered through the RCG, we will coordinate setup and configuration with you. This includes transfer of files and folders from the older system to the newer one and any licensed software installs.
For other systems that weren't purchased via RCG, we can help with basic configuration and network access. |
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My computer won’t boot/blue screens/is making a funny noise. What should I do? |
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If the system is a department system (e.g. controls a shared piece of department equipment) or is managed by the RCG, send in a support request and we'll be happy to diagnose and fix the problem.
If you are using Windows, a couple of quick things to try are to boot the computer into Safe Mode and run system diagnostics on it. Or if you've recently installed a new application or driver, try restoring to the last known good configuration. |
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My computer is rebooting without warning. Are you doing something to it? |
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As a matter of policy we do NOT reboot systems (remotely or otherwise) without providing advanced notice unless it is an emergency. Under no circumstances will we reboot a production or instrument controller without letting the users know that a system reboot is going to occur.
If your system is rebooting without warning this may be a sign it is infected with a virus or some other malware. Please run an antivirus scan. If after running the scan you are still having problems, contact us and we'll help diagnose the problem. |
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What is the status of my support request? |
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We'll make every effort to keep you up to date on when we anticipate addressing your support request, if we can't do so immediately. If you don't hear back from us within a few days of submitting the original request, kindly respond to the autoreply you received when you submitted your request, and inquire on the status of the request. |
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What anti-virus/anti-malware program should I use? |
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We recommend using either Symantec (Norton) anti-virus or AVG Free. The department gets licenses for Norton anti-virus at a discount. Please contact us if you'd like a license. AVG Free is a free product that works equally well for detecting and stopping viruses. |
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We inherited a piece of computer controlled equipment. Can it be wiped out and have a new OS installed? |
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Yes, as long as you have the software for controlling the equipment available. Without that software we cannot completely restore the functionality of the system. |
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We inherited a computer from another lab and we can't login/it behaves funny/has a virus etc... Please fix it. |
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Officially we cannot support inherited computers (unless we previously managed it), since we have no records or information about the machine. We can wipe the system out and install a new copy of the same OS (or if you purchase a license for a different OS, install another one) and then configure it. |
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| Email and SPAM |
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How do I set up a vacation message? |
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Vacation messages can be set in one of two ways. The first is to submit a help request telling us when you'd like the vacation message to be turned on and when you'd like it turned off.
The second is via Webmail, where you can change many of the settings as they pertain to sending and receiving email.
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Biochem mail is great and all, but I use some other mail service. Is there a way to have my mail forward to it? |
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Of course. We can create a forward mail descriptor for you. Just let us know where you'd like it redirected. |
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I'm getting messages marked as SPAM. What should I do? |
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The Biochemistry Department has a Barracuda SPAM filtering device that scans all incoming mail messages to determine if they are SPAM or contain harmful attachments. In general, it does a pretty good job of filtering, but it's a computer none-the-less and will miss SPAM or inappropriately mark messages as SPAM when they are legitimate email.
The Barracuda only filters mail destined for an @biochem.wustl.edu email address. Email sent to @wustl.edu or another domain will not be filtered by our server.
Email deemed to be SPAM with a high probability will be rejected outright by the server.
Messages that may possibly be SPAM, but for which the Barracuda cannot make a definitive assessment
will tag it with [SPAM] in the subject line. Messages marked with {WU-SPAM} or some other
derivative are not from the Barracuda.
If mail messages are legitimate and being flagged on a continuous basis, please contact us providing the
header information, the sender email address or sending domain address and we can white list (allow it to pass through)
on the Barracuda.
Mail that is clearly SPAM but not being caught can be forwarded to a special address (unwanted-mail@biochem.wustl.edu) and we will then black list
the sender or domain as appropriate. |
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I'm new here, how do I get email setup? |
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You can submit a
support request or fill out the new user form and we'll set you up with a new account. Please include your affiliation, full name and a preferred
user name for your email. Once your account is set up you can send and receive email using a third party mail client
or via Webmail. |
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How do I setup Outlook/Apple Mail/Eudora/Thunderbird to send and receive email? |
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The incoming and outgoing mail server settings are below:
Mail Type = POP
Incoming Mail Server = biochem.wustl.edu
Username = Login name provided by RCG
Password = Password provided by RCG (or changed via Webmail)
Port = 110
Outgoing Mail Server = biochem.wustl.edu
No Authentication need within the Biochemistry network
Port = 25
When on the biochemistry network, you only need your username and password to receive mail, not to send it.
If you wish to send mail via an @biochem.wustl.edu address from outside our network, you'll need to use the following settings for your outgoing (SMTP) server:
Check the "Use Authentication" (or equivalent) checkbox
Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP) = bioauth.wustl.edu
Username = Login name provided by RCG
Password = Password provided by RCG (or changed via Webmail)
Port = 25
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| Mailing Lists |
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I need to send an email to everyone, faculty, staff etc... Is this possible? |
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A number of mailing lists are maintained for intra-department communications. All mailing lists have an @biochem.wustl.edu address. All general purpose mailing lists are moderated to keep unauthorized users from sending email messages to lists they are not on. The current general mailing lists in the department are:
- admin (Biochemistry Admin and Support Staff)
- everyone
- faculty (tenure and research faculty)
- only-faculty (tenure-track faculty)
- postdocs
- students
- staff
By default only individuals on a specific list are authorized to send email to that list. Email messages sent to another list will be either approved or rejected by the moderator. If an email is held for moderation, you will be notified automatically by the email system. |
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I'd like to set up my own mailing list for my group/project/user list. Can this be done? |
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Yes. In order to get a mailing list set up you simply need to submit a support request indicating the name (email address) you'd like for the mailing list.
We will perform the initial setup and contact you with instructions. At that point you will be able to fully administer your mailing list including: adding and removing users, approve/reject posts, maintain an archive of all email messages and more.
The RCG will be more than happy to show you how to use the mailing list system should you need assistance once initial setup is completed.
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| Network Access |
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What's the difference between a static IP address and a DHCP address? |
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Static IP addresses are IP addresses that we've registered to a specific computer. Although it hasn't been a policy in the past, all new static IP addresses will have a DNS entry associated with them to help machines with network related issues.
DHCP addresses come from a pool that we've reserved. A computer with a DHCP may not always get the same address
the next time it connects to the network. DHCP addresses are "plug and play." At the moment you can only get a DHCP address
if you are on the 162 subnet. As we reconfigure the network, static IP and DHCP policies will be changing. We'll notify
individuals when their systems might need to switch over to another type of IP address. |
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How do I get an IP address? |
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Send in a support request and please provide us with the following information:
- Your name
- Lab affiliation
- Computer name
- Computer location and port
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I'd like to run my own DNS/DHCP/Mail/Web server on the Biochem network. Is this allowed? |
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Yes. So long as it's set up correctly. Any systems we deem to be interfering with network operations will be disconnected from the network without notice. Mail servers must not be configured as open relays. Any system providing DHCP must do so in a NAT'd environment and may NOT assign addresses to the public network. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact us and we'd be more than happy to help you. |
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How do I set up a wireless access point in my laboratory? |
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Although we don't mind laboratories having WAP's we would strongly enourage you to let us set it up for you. WAP's are a great way to get easy access to the internet for a number of computers or for computers that might come on and off the network frequently. However, they do pose a security concern for your systems and the general network. |
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My internet connection suddenly stopped working (or stopped after I rebooted my computer). What could be wrong? |
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On rare occasions a network switch will fail causing internet access to suddenly disappear. More likely, your computer has been infected by virus, bot or other form of malware that was detected upstream by a network security auditing tool.
When a compromised system is detected and we cannot reach the owner of the system, we will stop all
network traffic coming and going from that machine. Once the issue has been resolved (usually requiring only
a virus scan), your IP address will be reactivated.
On rare occasions your IP address may be hijacked by another user, who inadvertantly typed in the
wrong IP address ino their system. When that occurs, your system will conflict with that one. At the moment
the only solution is to obtain another IP address. We are working to implement tools on the network to keep these
types of accidents of from happening. |
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| Printing |
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What printers are available in the department? |
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There are a number of printers available for general use throughout the department. Some require special drivers, but for general purpose printing generic drivers are often sufficient. The list of printers with features is below:
HP 4000n - LaserJet printer, 2804 North. IP: 128.252.68.60
HP 4000n - LaserJet printer, 2nd Fl. South. IP: 128.252.162.107
HP 8750 - InkJet, 2804 North. IP: 128.252.68.65
Canon 3200 - Color copier/printer, Office. IP: 172.20.162.1
Prints double sided and staples
Xerox 265 - Color copier/printer, Mailroom. IP: 128.252.162.175
Scans to PDf and TIF and will email the file
Xerox 35 - Copier/printer, 2810 North. IP: 172.20.68.2
Phaser 740 - Color printer, 2804 North. IP: 128.252.68.44
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| Remote Access |
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Can I access a workstation from outside the Biochemistry network? |
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Yes. If the system is Unix based you can often access the system via ssh and sftp. On older systems you can use telnet or ftp, although both of these protocols are insecure and in the future we will not allow them on the network.
If you don't have access to an FTP server or other file server system, we can arrange storage and access for you
on one of the central file servers in the department. This will allow you to upload and exchange data (data sizes that may not
be convenient to send via email, for example) with your colleagues. |
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Is VPN Access available? |
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Currently VPN access is available through the library to get onto our network. The library charges a monthly fee for this service, which the end user is responsible for covering. If you would like to set up a VPN account please contact us and we'll arrange for an account. |
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