As you know we have been experiencing campus wide network problems over the
past 36 hours. Whilst the network is currently stable, the underlying cause
is still unknown and there is a very strong chance of intermittent failures
again today. ITS staff and our vendors worked on the problem throughout the
night and will continue to work on it until resolved. Relevant information
has been escalated to the vendor in the US.
The problem is being experienced on campus only. There is uninterrupted
access to our systems from off campus. This means that students and staff
CAN use WebCT, email and other systems from home and other locations off
campus. The University's web site is also accessible to the public. A
short explanation of this is below.
We apologise for the disruption caused by this problem. I will send out an
update at approximately lunchtime today.
Explanation - The University's network is in the process of being upgraded
to newer, more stable technology. The new network is partially in place.
The computer room and our internet link are connected to the new network but
all buildings on campus are still connected to the old network. The problem
is with the old network. Access from the outside world is entirely through
the new network (internet to computer room) and therefore is not being
disrupted. The network is scheduled to be fully replaced by November 2009.
We are currently attempting to fast track the project to complete the
upgrade by February 2009.
We thank you for your patience during this time.
Mary Sharp, Director IT Services
