IT Q&A

The Tyndale IT Department regularly sends out a feature to all Faculty and Staff called the IT Q&A. This initiative was start to inform Staff, Faculty and Students about common IT information, hints, and tips to increase understanding and improve their relationship with computers. In every quarterly issue we pose technology related questions we think are relevant to the Tyndale community and then provide answers in non-technical terms

See the most recent editions.

IT Q&A
 Monday, October 24 2016  -  Outlook Rules

 

In this Q&A session we will be talking about Outlook Rules.

Q: What is an Outlook Rule? And what does it do?

A: An Outlook rule is set of instructions you create to manage the flow of mail within your own email account. The most basic example is the “Automatic Replies (Out of Office)” rule that comes pre-configured within Outlook version 2010 or newer. An example of a rule that you could create would be to set all emails coming to your Inbox from TyndaleIT [at] tyndale [dot] ca to High Importance. *hint hint*

Q: What sort of tasks can a Rule preform for me?

A: Rules usually serve one of two purposes. One, it can keep your mailbox organized, by moving commonly received mail items to a specific folder to be dealt with at a later time, thus keeping your main Inbox folder free of clutter. These commonly received items could be identified by the rule based on the email address or subject line. For example, all emails with the word “help” in the subject line automatically get moved to a folder called “Important.” Or two, it can keep you up to date with alerts regarding messages you’ve received. This could mean playing a specific sound when you receive an email from your manager, or placing that email into your New Alerts window, the same as an upcoming meeting in your calendar would.

Q: How to I start creating my own custom rules?

A: To create new rules go to the File menu, and click the button called Manage Rules & Alerts. Once in this menu click New Rule. From here you’ll be given options to select some pre-configured rules or start from a blank rule. Follow the Rule creation wizards instructions.


Q: How can I learn more about the potential of Outlook Rules?

A: Please visit https://tr.im/Outlook-Rules for more in-depth instructions on how to maximize the usefulness of Outlook Rules.

 

IT Q&A

 Thursday, April 14 2016  -  The Cloud

In this Q&A session we will be talking about the Cloud.

Q: I’ve heard of “Cloud” storage, but what is it really?

A: The term Cloud is a buzzword which refers to a digital storage space that is housed in a remote datacentre and is accessible from anywhere in the world via the internet.

Q: What sorts of applications make use of Cloud Storage?

A: Most of the applications commonly associated with the Cloud are ones such as Dropbox and OneDrive, but there are many more. Hotmail, Gmail, and every email address on the Tyndale.ca domain are all housed on what could be called “Cloud Storage.”

Q: I have been using the free 2 Gigabyte version of Dropbox, but I need more cloud storage! Should I pay the $129 per year to upgrade to 1 Terabyte?

A: No! Your Tyndale email account comes with a free OneDrive account that gives you 1 Terabyte of cloud storage, and is accessible through your PC, Mac, and mobile phone using the OneDrive apps.

Q: How can I learn more about OneDrive?

A: You can go to the OneDrive website to find out more, and download the OneDrive app for all of the devices you use. There is support for PC, Mac, Android, and iPhone. If you still have questions or need help with your OneDrive, you are always welcome to drop by the IT Support Office located in room E412.

 

 Monday, February 08 2016  -  Connecting to Wifi @ Tyndale

In this Q&A session we will be talking about connecting to the Tyndale wireless network

Q: When I am at Tyndale I see THREE different wireless network names that say Tyndale. What’s the deal with that?!

A: The reasons for having three wireless networks are twofold.  First is to ensure we provide universal connectivity across an ever widening range of devices; and second, is to enforce higher security on our Guest network. The TyndalePRI and TyndaleSEC provide two different types of authentication to allow for a wide range of devices to connect, and the TyndaleGuest is a highly restricted network for visitors to Tyndale.

Q: What does TyndalePRI and TyndaleSEC stand for?

A: TyndalePRI = Tyndale primary and TyndaleSEC = Tyndale secondary and Tyndale Guest is for guests on campus.

Q: What network should I connect to? TyndalePRI? TyndaleSEC? TyndaleGuest?

A: If you’re a Faculty, Staff, or Student you should be connecting to either the TyndalePRI or TyndaleSEC.

Q: I can connect to the TyndalePRI on my smart phone, but it isn’t working on my PC laptop. Am I doing something wrong?

A: No, you’re probably not doing anything wrong. While nearly all smart phones, tablets, and Mac computers can connect to the TyndalePRI, a high percentage of PC laptops are not able to join the TyndalePRI network. All devices can connect to the TyndaleSEC or TyndaleGuest networks. Reminder: You need to open a web browser and login to the network whenever you connect to the TyndaleSEC or TyndaleGuest networks.

Q: I have a visitor coming to Tyndale. How can I get a temporary guest account for them?

A:You can have a temporary account created for your guest by going to the main reception. Furthermore, if you are planning an event you can have a generic guest account generated and posted around the premises for your event guests to use.

 

Monday, December 14 2015  - Gone Phishing!

In this inaugural Q&A session we will be talking about “Phishing” emails.

Q: What in the world is a phishing email? Is it the same as a virus?

A: Simply put, it is an email that is sent with the malicious purpose of trying to trick you into providing some form of (usually confidential) information by masquerading as a legitimate email. There is no software like a virus contained within a Phishing email – it won’t do any harm if you don’t interact with it.

Q: How can I tell if an email I get is a “phishing” attempt?

A: Phishing emails often try to leverage as sense of urgency – where your inaction will result in a negative consequence. i.e. Go to this link now and enter your username and password within the next 2 hours or else the Administrator will disable and delete your account. Remember that Tyndale IT will not ask you for your username or password via email.

Q: Wait.. Shouldn’t IT prevent me from receiving all Phishing emails???

A: IT does do extensive filtering to reduce the amount of phishing or virus laden emails received, however, there is a balance that must be struck to ensure that we do not impede the flow of legitimate emails. Unfortunately, receiving the occasional phishing email is the reality of the internet age.

Q: What should I do if I receive a Phishing message?

A: Just delete it and move on with your working day. If you aren’t sure if it is a Phishing attempt, contact IT and we’ll investigate!

 

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